S
R’
TO N
EC IO
LL DITCO E

YTL

Issue T hi r t y One

T h e

Y T L

L u x u r y

M a g a z i n e

T h e

Gorgeous
Gainsborough!

Y T L

History Reinvented
in Bath

L u x u r y

Old & NewWorld BathPast and Present
Perfect

M a g a z i n e
PP 15585/10/2012(031264)

Johann Lafer • The Best of Bath • The Emperor Haile Selassie

A Note fromTan Sri (Dr) Francis Yeoh

Tan Sri (Dr) Francis Yeoh
Managing Director,
YTL Corporation

It seems like only yesterday I was in Bath, addressing the huge
crowds that had come to hear the world-famous Three Tenors –Luciano Pavarotti, Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo – perform
at the Royal Crescent. Over 50,000 people had turned up for thefree concert, divided between the iconic Crescent as well as innearby Victoria Park. I remember, in my speech, thanking various
contributors, from the Romans who transformed Bath into an
unfortified oasis; the two John Woods, Elder and Younger, who
created the most beautiful Georgian city; as well as Ralph Allen,
a former postboy who built his fortune on the limestone thatnow clothes the city so splendidly. I also remember paying
tribute to the City Fathers for their vision to build, what is now,
Thermae Bath Spa, and strategically launching the ancient
spa town into the forefront for another millennium in the spiritof rejuvenation.
The opening of The Gainsborough Bath Spa heralds
yet another exciting new chapter for all of us at YTLCorporation. In addition to our business interests here
in the form of Wessex Water, I can’t be more pleased to
say YTL Hotels makes its most significant international
footprint with the opening of this historic, landmark hotel,
right in the heart of this beautiful spa town. It is thegroup’s first full hotel outside of Asia and I am grateful
it is in a city that is close to the YTL heart. The Three
Tenors’ concert had included my favourite hymn, It
Is Well With My Soul, which the trio performed forthe first time ever that night. With The GainsboroughBath Spa already finding its way into the hearts of
Bathonians as well as our international clientele ofdiscerning guests, I am happy to say all is wellwith my soul indeed. I invite everyone with a taste
for all things fine to discover our latest gem, set
within the Georgian crown that is the UNESCOWorld Heritage city of Bath.
God bless and enjoy the issue.

Editorial Team
Editorial Director
Tracy Khee
Editor-in-Chief
Diana Khoo
Associate Editor
Christy Yoong
Sub Editor
George Wong      

Art
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Y T L

L u x u r y

M a g a z i n e

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Contents
78

26
Life at a Glance

06 Visiting the ancient city of Aquae
Sulis on a tight schedule? Here’s acurate timeline of the best ways towhile away your limited hours.
09 One quick glance to guide you into
spending your time (and money)
efficiently in Bath.
12 The great UNESCO World
Heritage Site that is Bath is atreasure throve of history, mythand legend just waiting to be
explored. To make life easier,here's a summary of all theessential facts, figures andhistorical nuggets to make yourstay as interesting as possible.
19 The historic city of Bath plays thenumbers game.

Life on the Cover

20 In keeping with the inventive andenduring spirit that’s a signatureof Britain’s only city to be listed
as a full UNESCO World Heritage
Site, The Gainsborough Bath Spa
opens its doors and invites you
to discover a new yet old world ofexperiences, pleasure and luxury.

when you’re visiting Bath – aliterary event, food fest or, if
you’re so inclined, a marathon
through the city and its gorgeoussurroundings.
42

44

Spa Life

28 Seven is known to be the most
special of numbers. YTL Lifecelebrates Bath’s unique role ascustodian of England’s only natural
thermal pools with a ‘Magnificent
7’ of unique aquatic journeys.

82

Life Features

36 The ancient spa town of Bathtruly deserves its reputation asa destination for healing andrestoration.

86

There is no evidence to prove theexistence of King Bladud, who issaid to have founded Bath. That,
however, hasn’t stopped him fromhaving a real presence.
Although Jane Austen lived for a
relatively short time in Bath, bothnovelist and city left a substantial
impact on each other.
Bath Abbey has been, literally, atthe heart of the city for more thana thousand years. As it continues
to administer to the city’s, while
being a tourist attraction, theabbey maintains a devotion to its
traditions even as it renews itself forthe future.
Chances are, there is almost
always something going on

90

92

97

You can, literally, get a drink justabout anywhere in Bath. If you’restaying at The Gainsborough BathSpa, however, The GainsboroughBar will quench just about any
thirst you can think of.
Celebrated baker and patissier
Nigel Skelchy walks down memorylane in Bath, recalling his student
days in the spa town and a more
recent adventure in search of sun,fun and a few famous Bath buns.
Bath is indeed beautiful. But given
the proximity of The GainsboroughBath Spa to some of England’s
most picturesque and historicalsites, it would be a shame not tospend a day exploring some ofthese timeless lovelies.

82
102 Bath has been attracting visitors
for more than a millennia, drawn
by its healing thermal waters
and history. The Townhouseat Hetling Court Bath offers
unparalleled access to both.

Life Cuisine

48 The Gainsborough Bath Spa’s
dining room offers creative
cuisine with a seasonal twist.
YTL Life speaks to the threetalents behind Johann Lafer at
The Gainsborough.

Life People

56 Hilary King, of The Little
Theatre, Britain’s oldest
surviving independent cinema,
reminisces about Bath’s most
exotic royal guest – the Emperor
Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia.

remarkable lives they lead in
the jewel of the West Country.
They share their stories aswell as their favourite things
about Bath.
78 If there’s a reason your stayat The Gainsborough BathSpa seems more sumptuous
than usual, chalk it down
to the attentive detail andgracious decorative touches,courtesy of Champalimaud
Design. AlexandraChampalimaud talks about
her design philosophy andthe challenges she faced.

Portfolio of Life106 Explore the world of
YTL Hotels.

60 For these privileged enough tocall Bath home, it would seemthat both spirit and soul are
nourished richly daily with the

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5

24

life at a glance //

1100

HOURS
IN BATH
Visiting the ancient city of Aquae Sulis
on a tight schedule? Here’s a curated
timeline of the best ways to while away
your limited hours.

0900

H
R
S

Arrive early to beat the queues at the Roman Baths, one of the
not-to-be-missed sights of the West Country and, indeed, GreatBritain. Located in the heart of the city, the Roman Baths form aunique part of England’s ancient history, dating back to 50BC.
Exceptionally well-preserved, the four focal places of attention are
the Sacred Spring, the Roman Temple, the Roman Bath House
and, of course, the Roman Baths Museum, which offers visitors awonderfully complete experience of how the baths, built around anatural hot spring, would have been like during Roman times.

0600

0800

H
R
S

Power up for the day with asimple but intense workout at
The Gainsborough Bath Spa’s
24-hour fitness centre, locatedon the lower level of the hotel.
Mornings at The
Gainsborough should begin
with the Bath House Circuit.

0700

H
R
S

Make the most of your preferential status as a guest of The
Gainsborough Bath Spa by soaking up the city’s world-famous
natural thermal waters at Spa Village Bath. Tapping into theoriginal Roman Bath springs amidst a beautiful contemporary
setting, begin your Bath House Circuit, a privilege extended
complimentary to in-house guests between 0700-0900hrs and2000-2200hrs, with dips in either one or all of the three natural
thermal pools of varying temperatures as well as sybaritic spellsin the traditional and infrared sauna or steam rooms. If things
get a little too hot to handle, cool down in the Roman-inspired
ice alcove.

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H
RS

Just as the city is waking up
and you’re all fresh and raring
to go from your post-workout
bath house experience, refuelin style at the hotel’s signature
dining room, Johann Laferat The Gainsborough. You
can indulge in all the sinfulpleasures of a traditional
English breakfast – two freerange eggs cooked to yourpreference, accompanied bya rasher of Wiltshire bacon,
Cumberland sausage, vine
tomatoes, grilled mushrooms
and earthily delicious black
pudding – or acknowledge therestaurant’s namesake chef byordering weisswurst – Bavaria’s
iconic breakfast sausage –best enjoyed with senf (sweet
mustard) and pretzels.

Say 'hello' to Pieroni's
sculpture of King Bladudat the Parade Gardens.

1300

H
R
S

Go for a stroll by the weir
and the beautiful Parade
Gardens, which overlooks
the Avon river. Don’t forget tostop by the life-sized statueof King Bladud, the legendary
founder of Bath, which was
sculpted by Stefano Pieroni
in 1859. Afterwards, headon up to browse (or buy) the
assortment of merchandisefrom the shops that line bothsides of Pulteney Bridge,
from original artworks at theMinerva Gallery to antiquemaps and handcraftedjewellery.

H
R
S

History can be hot, thirsty
work. If the weather’s looking
lovely, treat yourself to an ice
cream cone at the both-verypopular David Thayer’s Ice
Cream Shop or Marshfield
Farm. Find yourself a sunny
spot in beautiful Bath Abbey
Square nearby, where there’s
usually a top notch busker atwork. But, if it’s Sunday, don’t
miss attending Choral Matinsat the majestic Abbey.

1200

H
R
S

For a light, quick bite with atouch of history, mosey down
North Parade Passage for half
a Sally Lunn bun spread withsomething tangy, like lemon
curd, or savoury, topped withscrambled egg and bacon.
If you’re in the mood to walka little further, head towards
the direction of the Assembly
Rooms to sip on ginger beerand nibble creamy coronation
chicken salad at the blissful
Bea’s Vintage Tea Rooms.

1430

H
R
S

Saunter back to The
Gainsborough Bath Spa for
afternoon tea, which is servedat the serene Canvas Room
between 1430 and 1730hrs.
The traditional afternoon tea
set, packed with yummies
like York ham sandwiches,
freshly-baked scones servedwith real Devonshire clotted
cream and accompanied bya pot of artisan Jing tea, isalways a treat but, if you’refeeling particularly celebratory,
make it a bubbly afternoon
with glasses of the sommelierselected Billecart-Salmon
champagne. We personallythink its rosé champagne
is unrivalled!

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life at a glance //1600

life at a glance //BATH BITS & BOBS

H
R
S

Make the most of theremaining daylight bysqueezing in visits to yet
another museum or simply
stroll the streets to take inthe stunning Georgian andPalladian architecture all
around. One of the great
visual masterpieces of Bathhas to be the Royal Crescent,which is a gem of 18th
century urban architecture.
The popular Jane Austen
Centre is a mere stroll away.

One quick glance to guide you into spending your time(and money) efficiently in Bath.

2100
Johann Lafer at The
Gainsborough Bath Spa
offers stylish dining.

1800

H
R
S

Bath time, literally! The
beauty about staying at The
Gainsborough Bath Spa isthat it’s right at the heart of all
Bath’s action, making it theperfect base from which to
explore all of the city without
having to waste time travellingback and forth for indulgences,like a pre-dinner treatment
at Spa Village Bath. Try thesignature Magnesium Wrap ,which includes a body scrub
and massage as well. If you’rein the mood for somethingtropical and exotic, opt for oneof the traditional Spa Village
classic experiences, like asession of Malay massage.

8

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2000

H
R
S

With delicious dining
experiences around everyc o r n e r, B a t h c a t e r s t o
the world’s palates. Fromdinnertime dim sum tog a s t r o p u b g r u b , t h e r e ’ssomething to satiate allappetites. If you aren’t in themood to walk, simply headd o w n t o J o h a n n L a f e r ’s
eponymous dining room forseasonally inspired creations
that skilfully blend east
and west.

End your night with the prettiest
Blueberry Cosmopolitan ever at
The Gainsborough Bar.

H
R
S

Once dinner’s done, simply move over to the intimate
Gainsborough Bar, which overlooks the thermal pool of Spa
Village Bath. The bartending team is extremely adept at what
they do (not to mention adaptable) and are more than happy towhip up a bespoke cocktail just for you. But considering you’rein England, it would be remiss not to imbibe a delicious gin.
The classic G&T is given a pretty twist here but one of the mostpopular choices is, undoubtedly, the Negroni. Why? Just takea sip for the answer to be gin-clear. Made with Sacred Gin, we
can’t think of a better (or more delightful) way of calling it a day… and night.

ST SWITHIN’S

Bath Abbey

PARADE GARDENSThis 18th-century church iswhere Jane Austen’s parents
married and where the late
Reverend George Austen isburied. It is the only Georgian
church still standing in Bath.

The abbey, located in
the heart of the city, is anarchitectural marvel, withamazing fan vaulting andstained glass. Don’t miss thetower tour. Strong legs are
required, though.

This statue of a young Mozart
is one of the highlights ofBath’s Parade Gardens, which
overlooks the River Avon.
With a great view of Pulteney
Bridge, the park is the perfectplace for a breather.

PAXTON &WHITFIELD

HARDYS

LIZ COXWith its treasure trove ofconfectionery delights, Hardys
is a wonderland for every
child and those of us withan insatiable sweet-tooth.
Its seemingly limitless rangeof lollipops, fudge, toffee,
chocolate and liquorice
ensures that every visit will
yield new surprises and treats!

Nestled in between the Circus
and the Royal Crescent is thisdarling Bathonian label thatspecialises in custom-madecarryalls, tailored to yourpreferred style, with choiceof leathers, fasteners andstrap and handle lengths.
British luxury at its best. Andat prices that won't break thebank, either.

If Livarot, Cerney and St Egwin
are music to your ears, a visit
to the Bath outpost of Britain’s
leading cheesemonger for over
200 years is a must. Do knowthat Paxton & Whitfield are also
the appointed cheesemongers
to HM the Queen and HRH
the Prince of Wales. Definitely
worth a look – and a smell.

HOLBURNE
MUSEUM
Home to a collection of fineand decorative art, both themuseum and the adjoining
Sydney Gardens are mustsees in Bath.

KATHERINEFRASER
From beautiful hand-woven
fabrics to bespoke textiles,
Katherine Fraser is the
go-to place for people who
appreciate the beauty oforiginal designs in artisanal
weaves. Come here to pickout the cutest bowties, divine
scarves or even elegant
cushion covers.
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9

life feature //life at a glance //

MUST
VISIT

Well Noted
Insider tips to help you makethe most of your stay at
The Gainsborough Bath Spa.
• THE GAINSBOROUGH BATHSPA It’s hard not to fall in love withthis beautiful, historical hotel yet withevery modern convenience and luxury.
We can’t get enough of the cute Roberts
radios that play classical music aspart of the turn-down service or thethoughtfully heated bathroom floors – atouch you’d appreciate come winter!
•DAY-OH! Ensure each day starts
right with a thumping good breakfast.
At Johann Lafer at The Gainsborough,the hotel’s main dining room, breakfast
is always a delightful affair, with thefull English fry-up available as well as
more traditional favourites like grilled
kippers and scrambled eggs with smokedsalmon. To pay homage to the chef
after which the restaurant was named,
however, order the traditional Bavarian
white sausages with mustard andpretzels on the side.
• WATER WORLD If you are after
the full thermal spa experience, ask for
The Gainsborough Bath Spa’s Suite
223 or Rooms 123 and 124 whenbooking as these come with special taps
from which pure Bath thermal waters
gush forth!
• COCKTAIL HOUR Nothingbeats a cool cocktail after a long
day sightseeing. Head straight to
The Gainsborough Bar and ordersomething quintessentially English.
We like the Rhubarb Garden cocktail,made with vodka, ginger beer, lime
and rhubarb bitters.

RIDINGSHANK’S PONY
Illustration Eleen Tan

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Upon arrival, you’d soon realise thebest way to explore the honeycombof a city that is Bath is à pied . From
trekking up Bartlett Street, lined withpretty, quirky stores and cafes, tograbbing a well-deser ved pint at
Bath’s oldest pub, the Saracens Headtavern, which dates back to 1713 (it isbelieved that Charles Dickens wrote
The Pickwick Papers while stayinghere), all you need to help ensure
you have a great day out in Bath is apair of comfortable shoes. After all, as
Hilary King (see page 56), Trustee ofthe Little Theatre, commented aboutfashion sense and sensibility during
WWII: “We could tell if a Londoner wascoming by the clip-clop of their heels.
Bathonians generally didn’t approve ofhigh-heels in those days.” Also, as the
shopping’s so good, a fat wallet helps

too. The best bit about staying at The
Gainsborough Bath Spa is that it’s rightat the heart of all the action – ensuring
it’s ever so-easy should the need tocatch an afternoon nap or to simply nip
in and out to deposit shopping bags
ever arise.

• LATE NIGHT DELIGHT One of
our favourite things about hotel stays is
the chance to relish room service! From
11pm to 7am daily, pick up the phone
to order delectables like Thai chicken
curry, Austrian-style goulash or lemontart with thyme cream when late-night
hunger pangs strike!

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11

life at a glance //of Bath around the curative springs sothat others, too, may benefit as he had.
Today, his relief may be seen on oneof the walls of the Cross Bath while alarge statue stands proudly, overseeing
all the goings-on, at the Roman Baths.
Shakespearian fans would also know
Bladud as the supposed father ofKing Lear.

(Clockwise, from right)
The stunning fan vault
is one of the crowning
glories of Bath Abbey;
The Jane Austen Centre
pays tribute to one of
the city's most famous
residents; Stonehenge
is one of the greatmonuments of theancient druidic religion;
Bladud, the legendary
founder of Bath.

CLADIUSIt was under the order of the Emperor
Claudius that the dreaded Roman
armies began their systematic conquestof Britain, occupying what is, today,
modern Bath and its surrounds in the
Roman province of Britannia.

AUSTEN, JANE

BATH A-Z

The great UNESCO World Heritage Site that is the entire city of Bath,the only one of its kind in the UK, is a treasure trove of history, mythand legend just waiting to be explored. To make life easier, we’vesummarised all the essential facts, figures and historical nuggets tomake your stay as interesting and informative as possible. It’s as easy
as, if we may say so, A, B, C.

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Experiencing the places mentioned in
the novels and letters of Jane Austen
is certainly one of the main draws forvisitors to Bath. From Gravel Walk,
which was the setting of Anne Elliot andCaptain Wentworth’s happy dénouementin Persuasion , to The Jane Austen
Centre along Gay Street, where guests
may learn more about the author andeven try on Regency outfits, Bath is thecity in which Austen’s writings, set in an
era of romance, are best remembered.
True fans may also visit 4 Sydney Place,where Jane lived for a time with herfamily or come again in September forthe city’s annual Jane Austen Festival.

BLADUDDRUIDS

Hailed as the legendary founder of thecity, Bladud, son of King Ludhudibras,
was said to have been cast out fromcourt after contracting leprosy. After
healing himself in a steaming swamp,
which he discovered working as aswineherd and seeing his pigs free fromscabs and lesions after a lengthy wallow,
he returned to reclaim his royal position.
In thanks, Bladud began to build the city

This ancient region of Britain was famous
for its druidic community, priests of yore
who carried out religious rituals. Although
not connected directly, modern-day
druids continue to observe and celebrate
certain pagan festivals like the wintersolstice. It is also believed the great
ancient monument of Stonehenge innearby Wiltshire was built by druids ofthe Iron Age.

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13

life at a glance //life at a glance //(Clockwise fromleft) There are many
elliptical forms in Bath,including Pulteney
Weir; Gainsborough's'The Byam Family' (onloan from the Andrew
Brownsword Arts
Foundation) can beseen at the Holburne
Museum; The façade of
the King's and Queen's
Bath; Bath's Fashion
Museum is one of thebest of its kind; The
Gainsborough Bath Spa
is fed by waters from the
Hetling Spring.

ELLIPSEWalking through ancient Bath, it ispossible to notice many elliptical forms –from the shape of the pool at Thermae
Bath Spa’s Cross Bath to the Pulteney
Weir, said to be a sacred geometricshape or yonic symbol inspired by thevesica piscis.

FASHION
It might surprise many but Bath’s Fashion
Museum ranks among the world’s Top Ten
and stylishly tells the story of fashion overthe past 400 years. Its collection includes
pieces from Shakespearian England, the1700s as well as more recent creations
by renowned designers like Biba, Mary
Quant and Jean Muir. Celebrity-watchers
should also look out for iconic pieces
worn by stars, including Kate Moss’
famous Chanel trouser ensemble andJennifer Lopez’s plunging green bamboo
print silk dress by Donatella Versace.

GEORGIAN
The dominant style of architecture in
Bath, an evolution of the popular 18th
century Palladian revival style. The name‘Georgian’, of course, is derived fromthe first four Hanoverian kings of GreatBritain, all of whom were named ‘George’,
spanning from 1714 right up to 1830. Thiswas preceded by the Regency Period

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and is followed by the Victorian. The Cityof Bath celebrated the 300th anniversaryof the beginning of the Georgian era lastyear.

HOT SPRINGS

spring beneath it, regarded as sacredsince ancient times. On display in the
Roman Baths today are also coins andcurses, written on pewter or lead, throwninto the spring as petitions to Sulis
Minerva, the presiding goddess.

There are only three hot springs in theentire United Kingdom, all located in Bath.
A natural phenomenon, they compriseof the King’s Spring, which feeds thehistorical Roman Baths and was heldsacred by them, the Cross Spring and the
Hetling Spring, which feeds the watersof The Gainsborough Bath Spa. One of
the greatest treats you can give your souland body would be to immerse yourself in
its healing waters before or after a worldclass treatment at The Gainsborough’s
justifiably-renowned spa.

LONGLEATISAMBARD KINGDOMBRUNELIt was the year 1687 and a desperate
Mary of Modena, wife of King JamesII, bathes in the Cross Bath, upon
instruction by her physician, in the hope
it would enable her to conceive a longedfor heir to the throne. The soak proved
to be successful and the grateful Mary
erected an elaborate marble cross tocelebrate the birth of her son, although
it has since been gradually dismantled. If
you’re out and about shopping in the city,
be sure to stroll over to Old Bond Street
where a cherub, one of the rare surviving
remnants taken from the original Cross,can be seen surveying all the town fromhis little niche high above a store.

The 19th-century engineering genius was
the talent behind the design of Bath Spa’s
railway station. Built in 1840, it has been
named as a Transport Heritage Site by
the Transport Trust charity and is a site ofimmense significance on Brunel’s grandand legendary engineering feat that is theGreat Western Railway.

JOHN PINCH THE ELDER
The architect behind the present buildingthat houses The Gainsborough Bath Spa,John Pinch the Elder built this classicalstructure that has played home, overthe course of the city’s long history, to a
hospital as well as a technical instituteand college. It takes its name after the
famous painter Thomas Gainsborough,who spent much of his time in Bath during
the 18th century.

KING’S BATH
It was in 1106 that the first King’s Bathwas built within the grounds of BathAbbey’s monastery and named in honour
of Henry I. But there has always been a

The seat of the Marquessate of Bath,Longleat is one of England’s most
famous stately homes and is popular for
its safari park, which opened in 1966.
Feed a giraffe, gape at the regal lions orwalk amongst cute Humboldt penguins.
Moreover, its proximity to Bath makes it
the perfect choice for a family day out oreasy excursion.

MELFORT CROSS

NASH, RICHARD ‘BEAU’Nicknamed the ‘King of Bath’, famous
dandy Richard ‘Beau’ Nash’s rags toriches story is one of legend. Having
arrived in Bath in 1705, a gambler andsocialite without a penny to his name,he was soon appointed master of
ceremonies and helped set up the BathGeneral Hospital, as well as many otherimportant steps forward for the city,
together with other pivotal characters ofBath in that era, including John Wood theElder, architect of the building; eminent

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15

life at a glance //businessman of the time Ralph Allen; andWilliam Pulteney, who laid the first stone.

OLIVER, DR WILLIAM
Said to be the greatest physician of theage, Dr William Oliver (1695-1764) was
the first honorary physician of the BathGeneral Hospital, founded in 1738. But
it is for food that visiting gourmets would
recognise his name. The good doctor
is the inventor of the simple and plain
water cracker, known to Bathonians andbeyond as 'Bath Olivers' - a biscuit that's
said to be good for the constitution of hisrheumatic patients.

PULTENEY BRIDGEOne of Bath’s architectural gems (andrightfully so), Pulteney Bridge is one of
the few bridges in the world where it islined on both sides with beautiful shops,
selling a variety of items from antiquemaps to art and sculpture and evenartisan pastries. Inspired by the Ponte
Vecchio in Florence, it also brings tomind Venice’s Rialto Bridge. We say it’s
the most romantic way to cross the River
Avon. A jewel box of a bridge.

QUEEN SQUARE
Built by another of Bath’s renowned
architectural names, Queen Square was
the first great work of John Wood theElder and named in honour of Queen
Caroline, wife of King George II. Today,
visitors to Bath frequent the square togaze at the obelisk, erected at the behestof Richard Nash to commemorate thevisit of Frederick, Prince of Wales, in
1738, while being surrounded by thebeauty of the area’s formal gardens,
before strolling to the magnificence ofthe nearby Royal Crescent, built by John
Wood the Elder’s son.

ROYAL CRESCENTThe Royal Crescent is, without doubt,
Bath’s premier address and one of the16

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life at a glance //world’s most famous buildings. Built byJohn Wood the Younger, it is greatly
admired for its uncompromising symmetry
Fans of Baroness Orczy’s Scarlet
Pimpernel play and adventure novel, set
during the time of the French Revolution,
would also be interested to know that, inthe fictional story, Sir Percy Blakeney wassaid to have lived at No 15.

SULIS
The river goddess worshipped by the
Dobunni, an Iron Age tribe. The Celtics
knew her as Sul. And it was at Bath’s
thermal springs they paid obeisanceto her. It is also in Sulis’ honour, theconquering Romans named their new
town – Aquae Sulis or ‘waters of Sulis’ –while cleverly fusing her with Minerva, theirown goddess of wisdom and medicine,
creating the cult of Sulis Minerva.

THERMAE BATH SPA
The city’s undisputed destination inwhich to experience the magic of Bath’s
waters, Thermae Bath Spa, which also
oversees the Cross Bath, is the only
place, aside from The GainsboroughBath Spa, to enjoy Britain’s only natural
thermal waters in both a historical as wellas contemporary setting. The waters
have long been associated with healing
and wellbeing. After all, the word ‘spa’ isderived from the Latin acronym – Salus
per Aquam (health through water).

music room would have been in the
18th century.

URANUSVILLULA, JOHN OF

With its numerous noteworthy museums,
those with a penchant for astronomy
would do well to visit The HerschelMuseum of Astronomy at 19 New
King Street while in Bath. This was
the home of astronomer and musician
William Herschel and the site where hediscovered the planet Uranus in 1781,
right from his garden here. Visitors
can also see how his workshop andIn the year 1088, the appointment ofJohn of Villula as Bishop of Bath andWells would prove to be a significant
turning point for the city. After the mayhem
caused by the uprising against William
Rufus, John of Villula channelled hisenergy and skill into reshaping Bath’s
street plan, a visionary exercise whichbrought benefits the city continues toenjoy till this day.

(Clockwise from top)
Pulteney Bridge is oneof Bath's architectural
gems; You can get
spectacular views of
the city from Thermae
Bath Spa's roof-top
pool; The obelisk at
Queen Square; Thisgilt bronze head of thegoddess Sulis Minerva
can be seen in the
Roman Baths today.

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life at a glance //life at a glance //AGE IS JUST A
NUMBER(Clockwise, from right)
The Cross Bath isrecognised as a sacredsite; You can find various
hues of Bath stone
throughout the city; The
Beazer Garden Maze.

The historic city of Bath plays the numbers game.
The Romans knew a good thing when
they saw one and started spa culture
right here in Bath from the first to fifth
centuries AD. The city’s historical Roman
Baths is the oldest spa in the country,
without doubt.

YELLOWWATERX

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner byColeridge might have lamented there
not being a drop to drink but that’s
certainly not the case in Bath. Visitors tothe beautiful and historical Roman Baths
may help themselves to the curative
properties of Bath water at their tour’send. Certainly, the tradition of drinking
the waters for health continues. After all,it was the eminent Dr William Oliver who
wrote, in A Practical Dissertation on theBath Waters, in 1707 that: “If they can’t
be cured by drinking and bathing here,
they will never be cured anywhere”.

‘X’ or a ‘cross’ usually marks the spot andthe standalone Cross Bath, just steps
from the entrance of Thermae Bath Spa,is truly a treasure, combining history,healing and heritage in one beautiful,intimate location. Recognised by theWorld Wildlife Fund for Nature as a sacredsite, the Cross Bath stands exactly onan earlier medieval bath with the original
2,000-year-old Roman cistern. Legend
also has it that the body of St Aldhelm
had rested here on its journey from
Doulting to Malmesbury in 709AD, hence
its evocative name.

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Many hues have been used to describe
the pale yellow stone that features inalmost all of Bath’s buildings. Mined from
Combe Down in Somerset, the oolitic
limestone referred to collectively as ‘Bath
Stone’ weathers beautifully and, depending
on its age and exposure, may range frombright and buff when freshly-quarried tohoney-coloured or even golden. Admire
the different hues as you explore the cityand its buildings.

ZOOMORPHISM
Defined as the use of animal forms in art
or religious symbols, zoomorphism may
be seen in various points around Bath,including within the temple complex at
the Roman Baths to the forms and figures
in Cyril Beazer’s labyrinth and mosaic by
the riverside, a gift to the citizens of Bathin 1973.

It is inconceivable to stay at The
Gainsborough Bath Spa and not see
a few original Thomas Gainsboroughs
while you are at it! Visit the fine Holburne
Museum during your stay. Built in
1796, it is home to numerous artistic
treasures as well as pieces by the
aforementioned great English portrait
and landscape painter.
Dating back to 1482 and said to be theoldest house in Bath, Number 4 North
Parade Passage is, today, marked by aplaque and is where the famous Sally
Lunn’s Historic Eating House may befound. Make sure you take a bite ofhistory with Sally’s famous light and airy
buns, made from a secret recipe that isover 300 years old.
The oldest fireplace in Bath may befound at Hetling House and dates
back to the Elizabethan era. Ask
your friendly concierge at The
Gainsborough Bath Spa to let you havea look as the building is part of YTL
Hotels’ property.

12 Orchard Street in Bath is home to 265
years (and counting) of history; foremost,being the site of the first Theatre Royaloutside of London, then as a chapel
where bishops were ordained and, since1865, the home of one of England’s
oldest provincial Masonic lodges. If you’ve
ever been curious about this secretive
world or if Dan Brown has managed topique your interest via his best-selling Da
Vinci Code, pop by the Masonic Museum– certainly one of England’s finest.
Built in 1805, the comparatively new
Theatre Royal Bath is one of the oldest in
the country and shows popular West End
productions as well as the occasional
opera and, during the Christmas season,
pantomimes.
Meanwhile, cinema buffs would
appreciate Bath’s charming Little Theatre,
the first cinema in the west of England.
If you’ve left your heart in Florence, Italy,sigh with relief as Bath’s oh-so-charming
Pulteney Bridge is an architectural paean
to the Ponte Vecchio. It was completed in
1774 and, interestingly, is one of the few
bridges in the world to have shops built
into it.
The Star Inn is Bath’s oldest pub.
Dating back to the 16th century, head

there today for unpretentious pints in
oak-panelled surrounds.
Bath is a shopping haven but did you
know the oldest shopping venue in thecity is, in fact, the Guildhall Market? Justa short stroll from majestic Bath Abbey, it’s
set in a gorgeous Victorian building next
to the Guildhall.
Star-crossed lovers would appreciate theLady Lena, a boat that plies the Kennet
and Avon Canal. It’s the oldest electric
launch in existence and was the recent
winner of Mills & Boon’s 'most romantic
experience' category in its popular
Romance Awards, which celebrates
Britain’s most romantic things, fromdestinations to wedding venues.
The year 1781 was when the planet
Uranus was discovered – right here in
Bath by the brother and sister astronomer
duo of William and Caroline Herschel.
Visit the Herschel Museum of Astronomy
along New King Street to find out more.
Rugby is one of Bath’s most beloved
sports and Bath Rugby has beenat the heart of hale and hearty Bathsince 1865 and its home ground is
the pretty Recreation Ground (bestknown as the "Rec"), set by the
Avon river.
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life on the cover //OLD AND NEW
WORLD CHARM

life on the cover //The imposing front façadeof The GainsboroughBath Spa, with its fourcolumn portico, is asarchitecturally striking
today as when it was
built in 1826. Honeycoloured Bath stone isbeautifully restored here.

In keeping with the inventive and enduring spirit
that’s a signature of Britain’s only city to belisted as a full UNESCO World Heritage Site,
The Gainsborough Bath Spa opens its doors
and invites you in to discover a new yet old
world of experiences, pleasure and luxury.
Text Kim Inglis

In the same way that the UNESCOWorld Heritage Site of the city of Bathis an amalgam of historic eras andsites, so is the newly opened The
Gainsborough Bath Spa. A 99-room
five-star hotel operated by YTL Hotels,
it opened its doors for business on
1 July 2015. The hotel’s architecturalroots lie in — or rather on — antiquity,
more specifically on an original Roman
bathhouse upon which the city was
founded. Above these are 19thcentury vaults, a Georgian building
with a Grade II-listed façade, additional Victorian wings and, nearby, an
Elizabethan house.
As if that were not enough, there’s a newly built wing and, at the hotel’scentre, a natural thermal spa with three therapeutic pools set in asoaring, light-filled glass atrium. In many ways, this space — designedwith the Roman history of Bath in mind, with blue and grey mosaic
tiles, Romanesque columns and sparkling water — is the architectural'glue' that holds the disparate buildings together. If this sounds likea hotchpotch, it isn’t. Somehow, the hotel becomes more than thesum of its parts, as one space flows into the next. Certainly, thestrong contemporary-styled interiors (which still give more than a nod
to tradition) anchor the various elements, as does the efficient andfriendly staff. There’s a formality and calmness within the hotel, which isunderpinned by the architectural features — high ceilings, tall wooden
sash windows, symmetry and a notable lack of ornamentation.
The original buildings, and the one new wing, are all clad in local honeytoned Bath stone, giving the hotel a bold, if somewhat austere, exterior.
Entry to the lobby is at the main building that originally housed a hospitaland was built in 1826 in a design set by John Pinch the Elder. Featuring
11 bays with a four-column attached portico and pediment, it has been

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life on the cover //spaces. To sum up, she notes: “What we liketo create is a project that’s ahead of its time,
unusual, with a deep soul, and reminiscent of
the past in some way.”
When the company was drilling underground tobuild the basement spa, it found some ancient
Roman mosaics and 17,500 Roman coins,some of which are now displayed in the lobby.
These had to be assessed and analysed byheritage experts, which caused some delays.
Nevertheless, even though the foundations
were eventually sealed beneath the surface,
their traces remain embedded in the designof the basement spa. Not only is the special
pre-treatment thermal water journey one that
respects the Roman tradition of sequential
temperature bathing, the spa’s tranquil
relaxation chamber features a reproduction of
the Roman mosaic floor and cloistered archedniches for lounging pre- or post-bathing.

“Do not leave dormant inyour store that which would
relieve the poor. If the poor
sleep soundly, so will you.”restored to its original grandeur. Adjacent is the Albert Wing, built
in 1864 and so named after the deceased Prince Consort. It was
designed by local Bath architect, John Elkington Gill, who also
added a chapel.
These two buildings are linked by an underground walkway to the
Bellott’s annex, the oldest of the three edifices. First mentioned
in 1608, it was built as an almshouse by one Thomas Bellott forpoor visitors seeking treatment at one of the various bathhouses.
Even though it was remodelled during Victorian times, its façade
still bears the coat of arms of Bellott’s master, William Cecil, Lord

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Burghley, and a Latin inscription reading: “Do not leave dormant
in your store that which would relieve the poor. If the poor
sleep soundly, so will you.” Fittingly, this 14-guestroom annex
with private court garden may be hired out in its entirety. Even
though it is attached to the rest of the hotel, it has its own private
entrance and offers a degree of intimacy.
The public spaces and 99 rooms and suites have been
conceptualised and appointed by Champalimaud Design, a
New York-based company known for its award-winning work on
properties such as The Carlyle in New York, The Dorchester in

It is this attention to history, styled in acontemporary manner, that gives the hotel
its strong identity. A few artworks were
Left to right: An internal
commissioned from students of the Bathcorridor in the hotel is calm
School of Art & Design, an establishment
and cool with geometricmarble floors and a palethat, at one stage, occupied the building prepalette; the relaxation area
restoration but, for the most part, the interiors
for post-treatment pampering
are remarkably uncluttered. In the lobby, aoverlooks the main thermalpool beneath a glass roof;
striking cascading lamp sculpture descends
the Albert Wing façade dates
from an oculus at the top of an elegant historicfrom 1856 and this addition
central staircase to the lower basement level,
blends harmoniously with theoriginal hospital building.
but that notwithstanding, the rest of the space
is clean-lined and collected in cool tones ofgrey and taupe. Elsewhere, Gentry Blue , a'Georgian' blue/grey tone, covers restaurant
London and The Liberty in Boston. The latter was a former jail,and guestroom walls, allowing the huge windows to dominate
illustrating that the company is au fait with adaptive re-use projects.
— and invite in views of the honey-coloured city and the green
hills beyond.
Its main principal, Alexandra Champalimaud, describes the
All 99 guest rooms and suites are different, each individuallycompany’s ethos as forward-thinking. “There has to be adesigned according to the original layout of the buildings. Manymodern context and a sense of dimension — more aspirational
have incredibly high ceilings and massive Georgian windows,
and exciting than ever before — yet entirely comfortable andwhile there is also a duplex and a couple of rooms with interlinking
user-friendly at the end of the day.” She elaborates that things
balconies overlooking the spa. Local scenes are celebrated inhave to work, there has to be a sense of ease, comfort andthe black and white toile antimacassars depicting playful bathing
quiet in the rooms, yet a vibrancy and excitement in the public

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life on the cover //“It is this attention
to history, styled
in a contemporary
manner, thatgives the hotel its
strong identity.”

Above: The Guest
Relations Manager andHead Concierge greet
guests on arrival.
Left: An unusual breakfast
dish at the hotel restaurant
comprises a Bavariansausage and giant pretzel
accompanied by mustard.
Opposite top left: The
bartender prepares a
specially smoked cocktail
for a guest.

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Opposite top right: The
Canvas Room hosts
bubbles and cheeseboard
in the early evenings. It is
the perfect place to relax
after a day of sightseeing.
Opposite bottom: A suite,
in a 'Georgian' tone ofblue/grey, features a
bedroom on the left andsitting room on the right.
Tall ceilings andexpansive sash windows
bring in light and views.

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life on the cover //life on the cover //activities draped over headboards, while a retro
Roberts radio and Asprey bathroom products
add a refined British flavour. The Sealy beds andEgyptian cotton sheets are also very comfortable.
Public spaces are no less impressive. In addition
to the lobby, there is an attractive lounge thathosts afternoon teas and drinks and cheeseboard
in the early evenings. Aptly named The Canvas
Room after the British painter, Sir Thomas
Gainsborough, it is quintessentially British in style.
A stylish bar and striking restaurant are similarly
inviting: the 94-seat dining room is warmly
appointed with butterscotch-coloured leather
seating, herringbone floors and high ceilings.
There’s a dramatic semi-transparent wine cellar
wall that breaks up the space at one end, whilea large mural by one of the college students
dominates the opposite end. It’s a space that
invites conversation and interaction, yet there’s adegree of formality as well.

Spa Village Bath is,undoubtedly, one of
the hotel’s strengths.
With a thermal
water journey,
exotic treatments
and personalised
pampering, it is also
beautifully designed.

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Conference and banqueting facilities are
The spa reception
particularly notable at The Gainsborough Bathmimics the designof an apothecary
Spa. The Somerset Room, with a half-shell areaof old. Guests are
and room to seat close to 100 people, is ideal
given a bespoke
for weddings and the like; it has an impeccablebag of perfumed
salts, assembled inperiod atmosphere. For larger events, look
front of them to theirto The Chapel. Beautifully appointed, with an
specification and likes,
exquisite silk awning beneath the ceiling, The
before embarking on
their aquatic adventure.
Chapel has an adjacent outdoor terrace that
doubles its capacity and is perfect for summer
scheme behind original wooden doors. It is the perfect bijou
events. A short walk from the hotel, one will find Hetling House,bolthole for a family or group of up to five people who desire thethe last remaining Elizabethan mansion in Bath. Here, theutmost privacy, but also wish to use the hotel facilities.
Great Room, the only room of importance that has escaped
various renovations and bombings, has been transformed into
In addition to its superb facilities and luxe interior decoration,
conference chambers. With fine wainscoting and an original 9ft
The Gainsborough Bath Spa has the privilege of being the only
wide x 14ft high chimney-piece, it features elaborate carving andhotel in Britain with a direct link to mineral-rich thermal waters. It
heraldic details.
also boasts an advantageous location, is close to the Roman
Baths area, the abbey and shops, and is only five minutes’
As if these were not enough, the hotel has one more trick up its
walk from Bath Spa railway station. Each year, about four andsleeve — additional accommodation in a secluded townhousea half million visitors flock to Bath to enjoy the city’s historicround the corner. Believed to date from around 1590, 3 Hetlingarchitecture and soak in its healing thermal waters. Now, they
Court oozes period character and charm, but has been recently
will be able to sample a meal or drink, take in a spa treatment, or
renovated to include everything the modern traveller may require.
stay overnight at its newest five-star attraction. With its timeless
A thoroughly contemporary luxury retreat with three bedrooms
atmosphere and impeccable service, The Gainsborough Bathand two bathrooms, it also has a fully functioning kitchen. EachSpa is a welcome addition to the city.
floor is different with each room revealing a different colour

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spa life //spa life //

EAU,
YES!

The gleamingly gorgeous
Spa Village Bath, spreadout over two levels in
The Gainsborough Bath Spa,pays tribute to the region’s
healing culture.

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Seven is known tobe the most specialof numbers, a digit
associated with thedivine act of creation,
the colours of God’s
rainbow covenantwith man as well as
being the most prime,
undividable and uniquenumeral. YTL Lifecelebrates Bath’s uniquerole as custodian ofEngland’s only natural
thermal pools, andproudly presents thecity’s ‘Magnificent 7’– a series of uniqueaquatic journeys, eacha physical and sensorialcelebration of thecity’s healing andimmensely pleasurable
hot spring waters.
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spa life //Clockwise, from right: There is somethingenchanting about visiting the Roman Baths
at twilight; have a glass of Bath water, said tocontain 43 different minerals, from the King’s
Spring water fountain in the Pump Room; theCross Bath is the city’s most sacred water site.

The Roman Baths
at Twilight
Built around 70AD, the magnificent Roman
Baths is found in the heart of the World
Heritage City of Bath and a mere stroll
from The Gainsborough Bath Spa. Datingback 2,000 years, the magnificent building
was built as a grand complex for bathing
and socialising – the two preferred Roman
pastimes – and remains, today, one of thebest preserved Roman archaeological sites
in the world and, without doubt, one of themain reasons to visit Bath. The setting isabsolutely magical, particularly around theGreat Bath which, if you look up, rewards
you with views of Bath Abbey’s soaring
spires as well as the statues that surroundthe terrace.
Although enchanting in the early morningof the cooler months, when hot steam
swirls and dances about the water’ssurface, the Roman Baths are lovely in thesummer. During July and August, make ita point to visit this great historical site attwilight. Open till late during this time, finda place to sit down by the water’s edge
and slowly admire the changing coloursof the sky as it gives way from cornflower
blue to soft orangey-yellows or blazing
reds before, finally, giving in to night, whichallows the light of torches to finally add theirilluminative magic to a setting, which mere
words, without the benefit of experience,
can barely do justice.

Cross BathWith its mystical shape that resembles
the vesica piscis, the Cross Bath isundoubtedly Bath’s most sacred watersite. With its visual references to ancientsymbols like the Eye of Osiris as well as
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spa life //“Bath’s unique waters provide
a safe and effective avenue forhealing, aiding in the restorationof confidence and increased
mobility of mind, body and soul.”

today is a little haven, encircled by the softyellow glow of oolitic Bath stone. Thereis certainly an air of magic about it. Afterall, it was officially declared as a Sacred
Site by the World Wide Fund for Naturein 2000. Worshipped since ancient times,
it was the Celts who are best known for
their reverence of this particular spring,
dedicating it to their goddess Sulis, and it
has always been considered their premierplace of worship and devotion.
Although the Cross Bath sits on a site ofworship and reverence that dates backat least three to four thousand years, anabundance of archaeological treasures,from both Celtic and Roman times aswell as Neolithic arrow heads, havealso been unearthed from this very site.
Today, bathing at the Cross Bath is oneof the most profound water experiences
you can ever enjoy. It is adorned with acrystal fountain, with an inscription bearing
a line from the poet Ted Hughes: “Water
is the ultimate life, sure as crystal, theDivine influx.” "It is still the only place inEngland where natural spring water rises
unadulterated to the surface,” notes Paul
Simons, a World Heritage consultant. “Afterall, hot water, particularly to the ancients,
was seen as a gift. It cannot be explained
and it was always associated with spiritualor holy connotations. The word ‘unique’ isprobably overused but I can't stress enoughthe importance of this extremely special,
precious spring. People have always felt
its unique quality, from thousands of years
ago right up to the present day.”

Waters from the
Pump RoomThe legendary Prince Bladud may havefound the answer to his physical ailmentsfrom bathing in Bath’s hot springs but,from the time of the late 17th century, it
was infinitely more fashionable to drink
the waters, particularly after the 1707
publication of Dr William Oliver’s famous
Practical Dissertation on Bath Water, whichemphasised drinking, on top of bathing
and immersion in, the famous waters,
which are believed to be sourced fromwater that fell on the Mendip Hills 4,000
years ago.
Thus, no visit to the spa town is quite
complete without taking the waters.
Although visitors to the Roman Baths may
drink free spa water at the fountain in theWest Baths, a more elegant option would
be to visit the Pump Room, located in a
beautiful Grade I listed heritage building

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spa life //spa life //right next door. Constructed by, first,
Thomas Baldwin in 1789 before being
completed in 1799 by John Palmer, visitors
to the Pump Room should make their way
to the window overlooking the Roman
Baths. There, you will find the King’s Springwater fountain. Grab a glass to enjoy theunusual flavour of Bath water, which is said
to contain 43 different minerals. Complete
the experience in style with a spot of tea
and music, courtesy of the Pump Room
Trio, said to be the longest establishedmusical ensemble in Europe.

Spa Village Bath Circuit

Juxtaposing the natural wonders of Bath’s
hot springs and the best of contemporary
design, never has the city’s thermal water
heritage been celebrated so luxuriously
than at Spa Village Bath. Spread out

Clockwise, from right: No visit to Bath iscomplete without tea and music, and, ofcourse, a glass of Bath water at the 18thcentury Pump Room; guided full-bodystretches are part of Spa Village Bath’s
Freedom treatment; enjoy the pleasures of theBath House Circuit at Spa Village Bath.

aiding the body’s natural detoxification
processes. Cool down in-between in thefiercely beautiful ice alcove. Find a placeon the cooling marble seat and gently pat
yourself with handfuls of ice, depositedin fresh snowy mounds from the mouthof a leonine fount. Move on to the main
thermal pool where you may enjoy asimple swim or the hydro-therapeutic joysof the different water jets located aroundthe sides of the pool. Hotel guests canavail themselves of the Bath House
facilities on a complimentary basis duringcertain set times of the day, so make thepoint to find out.

“The Cross Bath sits on a siteof worship and reverence that
dates back at least three to fourthousand years.”
over two levels, this gleamingly gorgeous
spa facility at The Gainsborough BathSpa pays tribute to the region’s healing
culture with a unique pre-spa ritual, asignature touch of all Spa Villages aroundthe world, called the Bath Circuit. Here,guests are invited to allocate at leasta full hour to enjoy a spot of Romanesque indulgence ahead of scheduled
spa treatments. Begin with a quick dipof about five to 10 minutes in the balneopool, which is heated to between 35°C
and 40°C, before enjoying the soothingheat of the infrared or traditional sauna
rooms – whose penetrating heat works
effectively in relaxing muscles while

The Path to Freedom

Weightlessness has always had its
charm. Perhaps, it stems from deeplyburied memories while in utero or from
more recent experiences like diving into
the pristine waters of an exotic Maldivian
atoll. Whichever it is, you can’t deny thepure physical joy of limbs being released
from worldly pressure over a session of
dynamic aqua therapy. If this idea entices,
do consider then Spa Village Bath’s unique
45-minute water journey. Known simply
as Freedom, this session of aquatic bodytherapy will prove incredibly liberating,immersing you in Bath’s famously healingwaters like never before.
Set in the spa’s main thermal pool, fed
by the Hetling Spring, your dedicated32

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spa life //spa life //Vichy Rainforest Shower
at Thermae Bath Spa
therapist will work in synchronised
harmony, supporting you each step of theway as you are guided into slow but surerelease from worry, stress and whateveris weighing you down in life. As the liquid
warmth comforts your body, close youreyes to focus on the freedom the water
affords. Concentrate on your breathing
and simply just 'be', almost as if you areback in the comfort and safety of thewomb. Your therapist will also work withyou to execute deep full-body stretches,giving you a unique, gravity-free workout
that has to be experienced to be believed.
For those with mobility issues or evenmuscular or neurological conditions,the blissfulness afforded by buoyancy
is impossible to replicate. Bath’s uniquewaters provide a safe and effective avenue
for healing, aiding in the restoration ofconfidence, and increased mobility ofmind, body and soul.

Tension manifests itself in many ways, fromtightness in the chest to back pain andunexplainable mystery aches. One of thefastest and most effective ways to help
your body relax and recover is with water.
Just as a warm shower works wonders,both physically and mentally, imagine lying
face down on a cushioned table as multiple
strategically-placed shower jets rain down
upon you, simultaneously working tomassage, soothe, re-invigorate and caress
your body.
At Thermae Bath Spa, the Vichy Rainforest
Shower experience uses water, sound andlight to appeal to all the senses, with yourtherapist gently adapting the power of thewater, in a tripartite approach to wellness
as well as wellbeing, by systematicallycleansing, stimulating and soothing thesoft tissues of the body while incorporating
massage techniques.

Here, guests may choose from four distinct
and unique Vichy Shower treatments
namely the Aroma Vichy Experience,
which uses aromatherapy shower gelsspecifically chosen according to yourmood; the Exfoliating Vichy Experiencethat’s akin to a tailor-made body scrub; theHot Stones Vichy Massage, which marriesstone, oil, water and the latest in hydromassage techniques to deliver an aquaticsensory journey like never before; and the
Revive Vichy Experience, which includes afull-body exfoliation session, a conditioning
hair treatment and a tailor-made facial using
enriched ingredients to restore the skin’s
clarity and freshness, after which you’dswear a year has dropped off your face.
But don’t take our word for it. Go try it out
post-haste.
Clockwise, from top: The Vichy
Rainforest Shower at Thermae BathSpa uses water, sound and light toappeal to all the senses; Spa Village
Bath’s Tranquility for Two treatment
includes a soak in the ofuro tub;
the Roman Baths is one of themain draws for visitors to Bath; theCross Bath today is a little havenencircled by the soft yellow glow ofBath stone.

Tranquility for Two

It’s easy to see why Bath is regarded as
one of the most romantic destinationsin Britain, not to mention the preferred
spot for honeymooners. If love is on
the agenda, don’t leave town without
experiencing Spa Village Bath’s Tranquility
for Two – a two-hour-long sensory journeythat begins with a playful session where

couples may take advantage of a copper
tray bearing sybaritic 'toys', which range
from loofahs, rosewater sprays and glass
dishes containing a bounty of good things:
fresh spirulina, ideal for detoxifying whileworking to stimulate circulation; moor
mud, harvested from a bog in Hungary
and exceedingly rich in natural proteins
and amino acids, making it an ideal
exfoliant and face mask; mineral salts,
to enhance the water’s thermal qualities;
and a delicious Turkish salt scrub witheucalyptus oil for the body.
After alternating between scrubbing eachother down and soaking in the beautiful
ofuro tub, the session is followed by a90-minute couple’s massage using Kerstin
Florian organic aromatherapy oils on stateof-the-art treatment beds, which may beheated if the weather’s nippy. This deeply
sensual spa experience ends, as all Spa
Village Bath journeys do, with a soothing
pot of tea and a macaroon, best enjoyedon the relaxation terrace, overlooking thedeep blue of the thermal pools. Forget
about music being the food of love. This
works even better. We promise.

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life feature //The Bath Cure

The ancient spa town of Bath truly deserves its reputation
as a destination for healing and restoration.
Text Dr Roger Rolls, MA, MB, MRCGP, DHMSA

For over 2,000 years, the thermal waters at Bath have enjoyeda reputation for healing, possibly even before the Romans built
the magnificent bathing suite of which substantial remains arestill visible today. Although the Romans used their public baths
primarily for recreational and social purposes, the thermal springs
at Aquae Sulis, the Roman name for Bath, had a reputation forhealing and were thought to derive their power from spiritualsources associated with the Celtic goddess, Sulis, and the
Roman deity Minerva.
Roman doctors recommended thermal springs for soothing
painful conditions, and relieving swellings and painful joints. They
believed such waters could promote good respiration, relieve
fatigue and promote secretion of urine. One physician in ancientRome, Asclepiades, suggested that water could enter the bodythrough pores in the skin so that 'particles' causing disease andobstructions within the body could be diluted and flushed out.
Most medical authors at this time believed that mineral waters
worked inside the body by restoring the balance of humours.

Chefs Johann Lafer and Wai Look Chowwith Georg Schneeberger, Head Chef of
The Gainsborough Bath Spa.

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Aside from soaking in Bath's
warm waters as a healthremedy, the ancient Romans
also used to petition Sulis
Minerva, the hot springs'
primary deity, for a varietyof things, from healing torequests for retribution.

The humeral theory was propounded many centuries ago to
explain the causation of disease. Human bodies were thought tocontain four humours: phlegm, blood, yellow bile and black bile.
They had physical properties that described their temperatureand humidity. In a healthy state, the four humours achieved asteady balance but if one or more became excessive, disease
ensued and their symptoms depended on which humour was outof balance. It was the job of the physician to determine the stateof the patient’s humours and set up opposing remedies to restore
a healthy balance.
Diseases caused by too much cold needed to have hot,drying remedies. Hot mineral water was thought to be suitable

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life feature //because minerals gave the water a dry taste and immersion in
the water produced a diuresis – an increased output of urine.
These theories of how the water produced its healing effect wereperpetuated for over a thousand years after the fall of the Roman
Empire and were only seriously questioned in the latter part of the
18th century.
There is scant documentary evidence of the water's use until the
16th century. In medieval times, the baths were administeredand maintained by the Bath Priory but, with the dissolution of
the monasteries in the reign of Henry VIII, their ownership wastransferred to the city council. Awareness of their healing potential
was re-awakened by Dr William Turner, whose publication on thenature and properties of the baths of England, Italy and Germany,
printed in 1562, listed over 60 disorders that could benefit fromimmersion in Bath waters. These included such diverse conditions
as piles, migraine, sciatica, worms in the belly, forgetfulness,dullness of smelling, palsy, cramp in the neck, sterility and failure of
menstruation – all of which were attributed to an excess of phlegm.

“Bath was a small
settlement in the 17th
century with about 3,000
The reputation of the Bath waters for curing sterility proved
attractive to certain English monarchs and royal visits helped toinhabitants. People
popularise the town as a resort. Anne of Denmark, Charles I,
Catherine of Braganza and Mary of Modena were all visitors totravelled from all over Britain
Bath during the Stuart period and royalty continued to visit the spa
in the ensuing centuries.
to experience its waters.”
Bath was a small settlement in the 17th century, with about 3,000
inhabitants. People travelled from all over Britain to experience
its waters and the population sometimes quadrupled during
the bathing season. The rich stayed in lodging houses, manyof which were owned by medical practitioners. The poor wereaccommodated in hospitals, all of which were grouped around thevarious baths.
They provided shelter rather than serving as medical institutions,although Bellott‘s Hospital, founded in the early 17th century, didhave a medical practitioner, and patients were only allowed to staya maximum of four weeks to allow for a reasonable turnover. The
admission book for this institution is still around today and offersa glimpse into the patients’ illnesses and the places of residence.

rehabilitation and has acquired an international reputation inthis field.
Several 18th century record books from this hospital have survived
and provide useful data to enable an understanding of how the
spa became so successful as a medical facility in recent centuries.
Broadly, the conditions most successfully treated in the spa fall
into three main groups – skin disease, musculo-skeletal disorders
and paralysis. Patients were also admitted with other chronic
conditions but they made up no more than 10 per cent of the total.

The first hospital, in the modern sense of the word, was foundedin Bath in 1738 and provided accommodation, nursing careand medical supervision of treatment for patients whose cases
were suitable for mineral water therapy. At first, the patients used
the baths in the centre of the city but, by the 19th century, thehospital had its own mineral water supply and was renamed theRoyal Mineral Water Hospital.

Many of these cases, particularly certain types of paralysis
associated with abdominal colic, have features of lead poisoning.
Cider was a popular drink in the south-west of England and theapple presses used in its production were formerly lined with lead.
The acetic acid in cider dissolves lead, producing lead acetate,
which has a sweet taste and is sometimes called sugar of lead.
This sweetness was so widely appreciated that farmers often hunga ball of lead in the fermentation vat. It was not only farmers who
suffered from lead poisoning. Amongst the early records, there
were numerous examples of artisans who had worked with lead.

Renamed again in the 1930s as the Royal National Hospital for
Rheumatic Diseases, it now specialises in rheumatology and

The Bath waters also enjoyed a reputation for curing gout, adisease which is sometimes caused by kidney damage resulting

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From the beautiful rooftop poolat Thermae Bath Spa to Spa
Village Bath's Roman-inspired
Bath House Circuit, Bathcontinues to draw people fromall over the world to take or
immerse in its waters.

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life feature //life feature //from lead toxicity. In the 18th century, gout was more prevalent in
the well-nourished and wealthier social classes. It was traditionallyassociated with drinking fortified wines like port and madeira. A few
years ago, some American researchers analysed the lead levels insome expensive madeira dating from the 1790s and found a leadcontent well over 50 times the permitted level nowadays.
Lead contamination from one source or another was extremelycommon in the 17th and 18th centuries, a period when the spa
was at its zenith. Patients with symptoms of lead poisoning wererecognised as suitable for Bath spa treatment, even in the days
before lead poisoning had been identified as the cause. So why
should a month or six weeks of regular bathing bring about such afavourable outcome in these cases?
The answer seems to lie in the effects of immersion on theexcretion of lead. It was traditional for those using the baths
to immerse themselves up to their neck for several hours. In
1986, three subjects who worked at a lead shot tower in Bristol
volunteered to take part in an immersion study. All of them had araised level of lead, though not sufficient to produce symptoms.
Their urinary lead levels were measured over a five-hour period
and the results compared with a similar period of time spent
resting out of the water.
After two hours, there was an almost five-fold increase in theirlead excretion. Immersion produces a number of significant
physiological changes, which essentially stimulate the kidneys.
This is not dependent on the mineral content and appears to be
due purely to water pressure.
Drinking spa water in large quantities may have more subtle effects
but this has received very little scientific study, particularly as many
thermal waters have an unpleasant taste. In the past, measured
amounts of Bath’s thermal water were prescribed by doctors andimbibed hot and fresh directly from the springs. Bottled Bath water
has never enjoyed much commercial success, though it has been
tried at various times during the spa’s history.

The spa experience is madeall the more marvellous at
Spa Village Bath while theancient Cross Bath is listedby the World Wide Fundfor Nature as a dedicatedSacred Site.

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a fundamental and primitive need for human beings and massage
can assist relaxation and reduce pain.
Steam baths have also been in use for centuries to induce
sweating. Most European cities in the Middle Ages could offer
sweating baths but many of them quickly degenerated into brothels
and served merely as meeting places for libidinous characters. In
London, these establishments were known as stew houses andbecame so notorious that they had to be outlawed and virtually all
had been closed by the mid-16th century. Vapour bathing was onoffer at Bath at various times during the spa’s history. As well as
sweating rooms, more localised treatment was given by enclosing
a limb or sometimes the whole body in a sweating box or cabinet.
The use of fango, a volcanic mud product, also dates from Romantimes. Fango has a silky smooth consistency and is grey brown incolour and odourless. Bath formerly had its own version of fango,
made from a mixture of mineral water and fuller's earth mined on
the hills to the south of the city. The heated mud was used tosoothe painful joints.

Besides general immersion, localised treatments were also
popular at Bath. By the 17th century, hand pumps were installedin the spa so that bath attendants could direct a douche of waterover a painful region of the body. By the 19th century, the pumps
had become more sophisticated and the spa used an impressivearray of plumbing gadgetry to achieve a similar effect.

The discovery that Bath spa water is mildly radioactive re-kindledideas that it contained a labile therapeutic constituent and, for atime, radiation was hailed as the water’s curative principle. Radiation
certainly has dramatic biological effects, which is more than could
be said for the chemical components of the water. Such was
the enthusiasm for radioactivity that a Bath baker offered 'radium
bread' for sale. However, the amount of radioactivity in the Bathsprings is well below the hazardous level and poses no danger
to bathers.

Massage was also an important adjunct to water treatment.
Women called 'rubbers' were employed to massage the skin withbrushes while the patient was in the bath. This practice led tothe adoption of the Vichy spray massage, invented in the French
spa of that name. Some of the beneficial effects of massage may
result from changes in the patient’s psychological state. Touch isOver the centuries, spiritual forces, magic, minerals, dissolved
gases, radioactivity and thermal heat have all been suggested as
the water’s curative principle and then discredited. Whether or not
you believe the water contains some mysterious healing property,
the spa therapies on offer at Bath can certainly promote relaxationand enhance well-being, if not more.

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life feature //The King

Some of the
sculpturesfrom the King
Bladud's Pigs
in Bath projectat the Thermae
Bath Spa.

Who Wasn’t Really There

There is no evidence to prove the existence of King Bladud,
who is said to have founded Bath. That, however, hasn’t
stopped him from having a real presence.
Image Witty Events UK

Sometimes, you can’t let the truth standin the way of a good story. Bladud, thelegendary king of Briton who founded
Bath, first appeared in Geoffrey of
Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae, orHistory of the Kings of Britain, publishedin the 12th century. There, Bladud islisted as the 10th king from the line of
Brutus of Troy, the founder of Briton anda descendent of Aeneas. The latter, ofcourse, is a survivor of the sack of Troy
who was immortalised in Virgil’s epic,
The Aeneid. Aeneas is also said to be anancestor of Romulus and Remus, who,
abandoned by their mother, were suckled

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by a she-wolf and went on to set-up
Rome. Bladud, it would seem, had pretty
impressive relatives.
The story is that Bladud was struck byleprosy in his youth and exiled from thecourt of his father, King Rud (or Lud)
Hud Hudibras. Shunned, he became aswineherd in what is today Somerset.
Some of his pigs enjoyed wallowing in thearea’s warm mud and he noticed that they
were free of the skin diseases that inflicted
the other animals. Thinking that it might
help him too, Bladud started bathing in
the mud himself and was soon cured ofleprosy. This allowed him to return home
and, eventually, claim his birthright andbecome king. He went on to build the cityof Bath, so that others may also enjoy thehealing benefits of its waters.

Bladud practiced necromancy and evenfashioned a pair of wings. On his maiden
flight, however, he crashed into theTemple of Apollo in Trinovantum (London)and died.

Bladud’s story isn’t simply Geoffrey of
Monmouth’s alone. The Historia does
mention that Bladud is the father of Leir(the same Lear from Shakespeare’s
great tragedy) and attributed Bath’s
foundation to him. There is no mention,
however, of leprosy or pigs, which arecertainly embellishments added by later
writers. Geoffrey, however, did write that

There is, in the end, no evidence that
Bladud ever existed, although there
is reference to a Welsh prince named‘Blaiddyd’, which means ‘Wolf-lord’. Bathwas, of course, founded by the Romans,
who were drawn to the area by the hotsprings. They weren’t the first there,
though, as there is evidence of a shrine,
dedicated to the Celtic goddess Sulis, that

pre-dates their arrival. Sulis was co-opted
by the Romans to become Sulis Minerva
and the rest, as they say, is history.
Still, for someone that probably didn’t
exist, Bladud has done pretty well for
himself and you don’t have to look very
far to find him in Bath. There are statuesof Bladud in the Cross Bath, the Roman
Baths and Parade Gardens, for example.
Just off Broad Street is the Bladud
Buildings, which was built in the mid 18th
century, as well as the Bladud’s Headpub in Larkhall. He’s even inspired apainting, Bladud in Exile, by the American

artist, Benjamin West, and a historicalfiction novel, The Winged Man, by Moyra
Caldecott. In the summer of 2008, a
public art project, called King Bladud's
Pigs in Bath , saw 106 decorated pig
sculptures flood the city. A celebration ofBath, its origins and its artists, the statues
were later auctioned off, with proceeds
going to the city’s Two Tunnels project.
You can still spot some of these pigs in
the city, including one in the GuildhallMarket and another by Bath Abbey.
Bladud might not have been real but,for Bath, it’s a case of si monumentum
requiris, circumspice.

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life feature //Jane Austen is big in Bath. While thecity has, in its time, been home to many
famous figures, few have loomed so greatly
as the romantic novelist. Richard ‘Beau’Nash, for example, may have lived andpresided over the city and its society formore than 50 years, even playing a leadingrole in helping transform Bath into what it istoday. Yet, there isn’t an annual Beau Nashfestival that celebrates the great dandy’s
achievements. Not only does Austen have
her own festival – she even has her own
centre, a permanent exhibition that tells ofher life in Bath.
She was born in Hampshire in 1775
but Bath has embraced Jane Austen
wholeheartedly. Perhaps it’s the fact thatshe set her last two published novels,
Northanger Abbey and Persuasion , in
Bath, where she made her home from1801 to 1806. Or, maybe, it’s the way she
captured the essence of the city, using her‘insider’ knowledge, so to speak, to imbue
it with an immediacy and vibrancy. Or it
may be that the buildings and streets she
populated her novels with are still extant
today. It doesn’t take a lot, really, to imagine
her characters on the streets of Bath.

Home Sweet Home

AustenPowersAlthough Jane Austen lived for a
relatively short time in Bath, bothnovelist and city left a substantial
impact on each other.

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THE YTL LUXURY MAGAZINEAt the end of 1800, Austen’s father
decided to retire from the clergy and leave
Steventon in Hampshire, where she had

spent her entire life. The family moved
into No 4 Sydney Place, the following
year, just across from what is now the
Holburne Museum. The building was a
newly opened hotel then and stood on theedge of Sydney Gardens. Austen wrote
about the gardens, the regular night galas
it hosted, featuring music and fireworks,
and other attractions in letters to her sister,Cassandra: “It would be very pleasant tobe near Sidney (sic) Gardens! We might
go into the labyrinth every day.”
The gardens stood on the end of Great
Pulteney Street, the grand Georgian
thoroughfare that connects, over the
Pulteney Bridge, to the city of Bath.
Austen would later mention it in Northanger
Abbey : ‘They passed briskly down
Pulteney Street, and through Laura Place,
without the exchange of many words’.
Nothing much has changed in the 200
years since, except that No 4 Sydney
Place is now a boutique hotel.
The Austens lived in Sydney Place for three
years and moved when the lease expired.
The family moved in 1804 to No 3 Green
Park Buildings, on the other end of Bath.
Not too long later, however, Austen’s father
died suddenly. Financially, it was a disasterfor Austen, her mother and sister. With areduced income, the three women moved
to smaller premises on 25 Gay Street in

Clockwise, from right: The 10-day
Jane Austen Festival is clear indicationof Bath’s devotion to the novelist;
Pulteney Bridge and, indeed, muchof Bath will still be familiar to Austen;
Martin Slater is ever-ready to welcome
you into the Jane Austen Centre; when
Austen moved to Bath in 1801, she
lived across the street from what is
now the Holburne Museum.

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life feature //1805. A year later, they left Bath.

Life in the City

Clockwise, from above: Discover Bath froma horse-drawn hackney; The Circus is oneof the city’s architectural glories; take a rideon the Lady Lena through the Kennet andAvon Canal that cuts through the Sydney
Gardens; The Fashion Museum, in thebasement of the Bath Assembly Rooms, is
one of the best of its kind.

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THE YTL LUXURY MAGAZINEThe Green Park Buildings were rebuilt after
being destroyed in the Second World War,so the present No 3 Green Park Building
is not the place where Austen lived. As for
25 Gay Street, it is today a dentist's. Justup the road, though, is the Jane Austen
Centre, an award-winning exhibition thattells the story of Austen’s life in Bath andits effect on her writing. You can also haveafternoon tea, complete with champagne,
at the Regency Tea Rooms upstairs.
Further down is Queen Square, with its
fine obelisk, erected by Beau Nash in
1738 in honour of Frederick, Prince ofWales, in the centre. On a fine day, you
can see it all from a horse-drawn hackneycoach, courtesy of Courtyard Carriages.

Gay Street leads to The Circus, anotherof Bath’s Georgian architectural glories.
Its designer was John Wood, the Elder,
who was inspired by Rome’s Colosseum,and, seen from the air, The Circus, Gay
Street and Queen Square form the shapeof a key. You can find that ‘quiet andretired gravel walk’ Austen wrote about
in Persuasion just behind The Circus.
It is, indeed, a peaceful path, taking you
to Royal Victoria Park. Along the way,
look out for the Georgian Garden, a
meticulous recreation of a period garden. It
is at the back of No 4 The Circus and only
accessible from Gravel Walk.
Austen wrote about the Royal Victoria
Park, in front of the site where The Three
Tenors performed in 2003, to her sister,Cassandra. She would, of course,
also incorporate one of Bath’s most
iconic landmarks, the Royal Crescent,overlooking the park, in Northanger Abbey:‘They hastened away to the Crescent, tobreathe the fresh air of better company’.
Here, you would have found a moreelevated set of society as the fan ofterrace houses was home to some of thecity’s more notable residents. No 1 Royal
Crescent is now a museum that recreates
life in a Georgian house.

Balls and Card GamesOn the other side of The Circus isBath’s Museum of East Asian Art and,further on Bennett Street (an unrelatedecho, surely, to the Mr Bennet ofAusten’s Pride and Prejudice !), is the
Bath Assembly Rooms. Completed
in 1771, the Assembly Rooms quickly
became the heart of the fashionable
Georgian society in the city, a venue
for balls and concerts, to meet for
tea or to play cards in one of the fourrooms – the Tea, Ball and Card Rooms
and the Great Octagon. Austen herself
was a regular there and her familiarity
with the Assembly Rooms appeared in
Northanger Abbey : ‘Mrs Allen was solong in dressing, that they did not enter
the ball-room till late… As for Mr Allen, he
repaired directly to the card-room, andleft them to enjoy a mob by themselves.’

Along with tea and entertainment,
Austen didn't miss out on another ofBath’s delights, the shopping: “Do you
know, I saw the prettiest hat you canimagine, in a shop window in Milsom
Street just now – very like yours, onlywith coquelicot ribbons instead ofgreen; I quite longed for it” (Northanger
Abbey).

The Assembly Rooms is popular withvisitors to the city and still in use for events
like the Bath International Music Festival.
The Fashion Museum in the basement,
where you can try on period costumes, is
one of the best of its kind. Appropriately,
the Assembly Rooms is also the starting
point of the annual Grand Regency
Costumed Promenade, which kick-starts
the Jane Austen Festival, Bath’s 10day celebration of all things Jane. Five
minutes away from the Assembly Rooms
is St Swithin’s Church, where Austen’s
parents were married in 1764. Nearly
half a century later, her father would beburied here in the churchyard, hastening
the end of her stay in Bath. The Star Inn
pub, which dates back to the mid-18th
century, is, literally, around the corner,
while the Saracens Head, Bath’s oldest
tavern, is less than 10 minutes away.

You might not find the same hat but
you’re sure to discover something ofinterest on this cobbled main street.
Food is also not too far from her mind
and having written about ‘Bath bunns’(sic), it wouldn’t be surprising to knowthat there is a Jane Austen Room at
Sally Lunn’s Historic Eating House.

Heart of BathThe historic heart of Bath is also fully
present in Austen’s writing. Her vignette of
The Pump Room in Northanger Abbey isspot-on: ‘Mr Allen, after drinking his glassof water, joined some gentlemen to talkover the politics of the day and compare
the accounts of their newspapers; andthe ladies walked about together, noticing
every new face, and almost every new
bonnet in the room.’ Again, The Pump
Room today is pretty much as Austen andher characters would have known it, as
would the nearby Bath Street, mentioned
in Persuasion. While the stores might bedifferent, the architecture has remained
unchanged.

Bath Eternal“Oh! Who could ever be tired of Bath?”says Catherine Morland in Northanger
Abbey . Of course, we can’t be quite
sure how Jane Austen felt about Bath,especially after her father’s death. She,however, seemed to have thoroughly
explored the city and enjoyed its
distractions of shopping, social visits andentertainments, all of it captured in her
novels. If you go up to Alexandra Park,
the same Beechen Cliff of Northanger
Abbey , ‘that noble hill whose beautiful
verdure and hanging coppice render it
so striking an object from almost every
opening in Bath’, you will see stunning
vistas of the city, spread out across the
Avon Valley. With little exception, thiswould be what Austen saw back in her
time, more than 200 years ago.
That, perhaps, might best explain Bath’s
devotion to the novelist. Her novels
captured a Bath that is still largely
what it was then. Yes, things havechanged – food, technology, fashion –but its essence, its spirit, the very bestthings about it, remain the same:
beautiful and human. May it remainso eternally.

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life cuisine //Food&Friendship
The Gainsborough Bath Spa’s dining room, named after the celebrated
Teutonic titan of taste, Johann Lafer and whose menu is crafted with input
from YTL Hotels’ Wai Look Chow, offers creative cuisine with a seasonal
twist. YTL Life speaks to the three talents behind the dining room’s
distinctive cuisine as well as the unique bond they share.

Chefs Johann Lafer and Wai Look Chowwith Georg Schneeberger, Head Chef of
The Gainsborough Bath Spa.

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THE YTL LUXURY MAGAZINE“We have been friends for 13 years,”
says Johann Lafer, with the broadest ofsmiles, referring to the brotherly bondshared between him and Wai Look Chow(better known as “Chef Wai”). Acclaimedon their own turf – Lafer is quite possibly
Germany’s most famous chef and ownerof Stromburg Castle, a beautiful Relais& Chateaux property complete withsuperlative restaurant, while Chef Wai
needs no introduction to food-loving
Malaysians – the two unlikely friends andcollaborators see the opening of The
Gainsborough Bath Spa, and its dining
room, in particular, as the culmination ofmany years of learning from each other,discovering and experiencing the uniquequalities of their respective cuisinesand culinary backgrounds, as well as
the simple joy when work and play
go together.

Two Friends – One Cuisine, which was
an idea I had,” says Lafer. “Aside fromfriendship, we spend a lot of time learningfrom each other – in terms of food,ingredients as well as preparation styles.
After all, both our backgrounds are as
different as can be! To be able to workwith exotic herbs and spices like pandan
leaves, galangal, lemongrass … it is allvery interesting for me and it is knowledge
and experience I can then use to excite
and delight my guests.”“We’d even worked together on a bookproject, Zwei Freunde – Eine Küche or

At The Gainsborough, guests can expect
a happy coming-together of the two

Adds Chef Wai: “What I love is working
with seasonal produce, seeing as Ilive and work in a tropical country. I am
particularly fascinated by roots, tubers
and special produce like white asparagus,
which doesn’t grow in South-East Asia. I
find it just so unique, with a most exquisite
texture and taste.”chefs’ decades of knowledge, experienceand talent. “Here, our vision was to havean elegant yet casual place,” Lafer says.
“Nothing too formal or stuffy – but asimple and beautiful place where wecan showcase our unique cuisine. I
would describe it best as ‘cuisine withoutborders’, where the food is driven by our
personal belief and philosophy in bringing
the best of English artisan and farm
produce, combined with an Asian twist
and flavour.” Heading the dining roomis also none other than Lafer's protege,
Georg Schneeberger, who will ensure thatthe celebrity chef's exacting standards
are kept well up to par.
Certainly, guests dining at the hotel will
notice particular care taken to source thefinest produce from the region and slightly
beyond. A top-grade farmer, Walter Rose,in nearby Devizes supplies delicious beefcheeks to the kitchen, while the classic

English fry-up for breakfast is made all
the more special with rashers of Wiltshirebacon. Cornish lobster, sweet andsucculent, is served alongside a zesty
citrus fruit salad, chestnuts, homemadeaioli and quinoa. Scallops, this timesourced from further afield in Scotland,is roasted with linseed and served withblack garlic and lemon tapioca.
Chef’s Wai’s touch may be detected in aparticularly succulent slow-cooked pork
belly dish, accented with honey and soy,with mango salad and sesame cream on
the side. For pudding, the cheese plate willstar local favourites like Bath’s famous soft
cheese, the equally-renowned cheddar(which takes its name from the Somerset
Village of its origin) and Cornish Yarg.
“We also want to make sure the menu
evolves ever y two months so that
Bathonians will keep having new things
to try. We are here to delight them as well,alongside our hotels guests,” says Lafer,the most vocal of the three.There will also
be Asian-influenced noodle dishes fromtime to time as well as dishes that marry
the best of East and West, which canbe seen in the appetiser of spicy salmon
tartare with Asian spices.
“ We w i l l k e e p e x p e r i m e n t i n g a n dinnovating. We want our guests to beconsistently delighted while always
ensuring our local patrons keep having
new things to try. But as long as people
are happy, that’s more than enoughfor Chef Wai and I. In fact, we had atable from Luxembourg the other day,
who specifically sought us out to tell
us how the meal they had here at The
Gainsborough was better than anything
they’ve ever had back home.""And,” he adds with a satisfied smile,“that’s not a marketing tale. It’s 100 per
cent true!”
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life cuisine //CHEF JOHANN LAFEROn childhood foods and culinary lessons from his mother.
Favourite Foods: I love fresh seasonal produce, like white asparagus, strawberries and raspberries.
Autumn means mushrooms and I love it when the forests are thick with the incomparable smell ofmoss and porcini. I also love foods that remind me of my childhood, particularly wiener schnitzel withpotato-cucumber salad. I also love Asian food, especially Malaysian! There’s nothing tastier thansatay with peanut sauce. And, because I have a sweet tooth, I love cakes. I love many things but
the most important qualities each food has to possess are freshness, top quality and to be preparedwith love and passion.
What’s your idea of comfort food? Soups, stews, casseroles and roasts as much as salads andfresh bread. Somehow, scrambled eggs makes me think of home, as well as cheese from the Alps,
radish and applesauce. Off-duty, I love eating fresh bread with butter, wild chives and salt or withcheese or Tyrolean bacon. I also love potatoes any style - mashed, fried or baked. A freshly-madehamburger is also a great treat once in a while and, if the weather's nice, nothing beats a barbequewith family and friends.
When did you realise food was your calling? As a small boy, I loved watching my mother cookand she allowed me to help her. She taught me about edible plants and how to prepare them withmeat and poultry. I was always curious about what you can make with the things nature gives us. So,
I kind of grew into it and became more ambitious about it as I grew up.
Original childhood ambition? There were three dreams – to be a football star, a chef and to have acastle. I am happy to say only the first didn’t work out.
If a song or a book could describe your cooking style, what would it be and why? Vivaldi's Four
Seasons or Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, probably. The Four Seasons because I love everything
fresh and seasonal, and Rhapsody in Blue because I like food to be fascinating, clear, simple and fulllof surprises, just like Gershwin's famous concerto!
Has there been someone who has proven particularly inspiring to you, though? Definitely
my mother! But discovering new tastes and ingredients is equally inspiring. Chef Wai, for example,
inspires me. He just showed me how to make a pigeon tender as butter, yet juicy on the inside andcrispy on the outside; not by putting the entire bird in oil but by spooning hot oil over it for 20 minutes.
Career highlight? That’s really difficult to say as so many wonderful things have happened, including
opening Stromburg Castle in Germany, my two restaurants there, television shows, cooking for top
politicians, business leaders and celebrities from all over the world, having my own cooking school
and more. I also enjoyed the development, opening and running of a successful school refectory
while having fun teaching children all about good food and good taste. It is also an honour being able
to partner The Gainsborough Bath Spa.
Ultimate food and wine combo? A very, very good mould cheese like Roquefort or Stilton pairedwith an excellent white Beerenauslese, a type of dessert wine.

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life cuisine //CHEF WAI LOOK CHOW
On simple foods, his love of fried rice and his Bath discoveries.
Favourite Foods: Noodles and traditional Chinese dishes. I like pan mee noodles, made using just
wheat flour, water and salt, and served in a traditional anchovy broth with vegetables.
What’s your idea of comfort food, though? I must confess to liking starchy food, like carbohydrates.
I particularly love fried rice with lap cheong (Chinese sausage).
When did you realise you wanted to be a chef?
Exactly 384 months ago! I was a teenager when I reallised it. Before then, food, to me, was justsomething to fill my stomach with. But, when you truly fall in love with food, you'll know it feeds yoursoul as well.
Did you always know you wanted to cook? I’d initially wanted to be a carpenter but it was myfather who suggested that I be a chef as he saw how much fun I had helping my mother prepare thefamily’s meals after school.
Kitchen must-haves: Good sea salt and extra virgin olive oil. Sea salt to me is a must but, if you areworking with top quality meats, for example, then, of course, a wonderful one like French fleur de selis the best. For olive oil, my preference is for Spanish ones. Absolutely wonderful.
Top food and wine combos: I love fine Continental cuisine with crisp, floral New World white wines.
Poultry cooked sous vide style, for example, is always very nice.
Has there been a chef who has proven particularly inspirational? Tetsuya Wakuda, for his
perspective on natural flavours. I've eaten at his Sydney restaurant as well as once in Kuala Lumpur,when he came over for a working visit. I love how he manages to produce dishes of such clean,intense flavours. His ocean trout dish is, of course, his most famous but I really love his langoustines
with seaweed and yuzu. Simply beautiful.
What or where do you eat when you’re off-duty? I normally will eat something simple at home, likeboiled vermicelli with aromatic dark soy and fried shallots. But, if I have to go out, I’d probably opt fora hot bowl of ramen!
Favourite foodie destination? France, naturally, and possibly Madrid as well. There's nowhere like
Paris for restaurants that offer it all: best ingredients, great ambience, stunning presentation and top
cooking techniques. I also love the open-air markets of Europe, particularly the one in Saint-Tropez,
where YTL Hotels has a property as well.
And what about Bath? What have you discovered on your recent visit? I love how there are somany great producers in the vicinity. Bath also has very nice apples, which, in turn, makes very nicecider. I also tried a very rustic, very delicious orange marmalade, which has been made by this labelfor 120 years!
What advice would you give to aspiring chefs? Always be passionate and always be intense inwhat you do.

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life cuisine //CHEF GEORG SCHNEEBERGER
On stolen apricots and growing up in hospitality.
Favourite Foods: I like diversity so there are no favourites, but I’ve always loved apricots. I had evenstolen some from my neighbour’s garden as a child – which wasn’t easy – but they tasted so muchbetter after all that!
What’s your idea of comfort food, though? Chicken slices with bulgur, vegetables and chilli. And,every time I see an apricot, I think of home… and my neighbour!
When did you realise food was your calling? A friend of Chef Johann Lafer’s had noticed me andasked if I’d like to go a step higher after culinary school. I said ‘yes’ and he sent me to Chef Lafer. I
also like how food makes people happy.
Original childhood ambition? I grew up in my parents’ hotel, where I served food from the age offour and, at five, started making ice cream with my grandfather. I also helped out at our farm in the
Tyrolean Alps, so you could say I grew up in hospitality and it has always been so since young.
Most memorable career moments? I am always surrounded by awesome people and I remember
particularly the moment we received a Michelin star.
Favourite food and wine combinations? I travel to Italy annually and, in my friend’s basement, we
sit down to eat and drink the best of Italy. He makes his own prosciutto and I think nothing beats thatand a bottle of Palafreno Rosso, made from Merlot grapes.
Favourite gourmet destinations? It’s all about what you like. I love Vienna but I also think my friend’s
home in Italy deserves a mention.
Do you have any advice for aspiring chefs? The most important thing is to like what you do.
Secondly, work for the right people. Find a mentor who will elevate your craft.
Has there been someone who’s inspired your cooking? It definitely would be my granny. She
makes the most special cakes.
Kitchen must-haves? A good attitude, without which cooking’s no fun; my knives – I am nothing
without them; and fresh, good ingredients.
And what have been your favourite discoveries about the city of Bath? There’s so much todiscover here. I like going climbing and I’ve managed to find a church where you can climb it frominside, which is great. After climbing, I like to have a nice cappuccino with friends at Society Café inthe town centre. There’s also a nice cheese store I like going to.
Any particular recommendations from your menu at Johann Lafer at The Gainsborough? You
should definitely try the pork belly while you’re here!

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life people //life people //everything to my mother to continue herwork.” And work, she did. “My motherwas a formidable woman,” says King,
smiling. “Theatre had always been her
major love.”of Royalty &Rastafarians

Hilary King, trustee of The Little Theatre, Britain’s oldest surviving
independent cinema, reminisces about Bath’s most exotic royal guest – theEmperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia.

The Little Theatre remains
Britain's oldest surviving
independent cinema.

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Bath is a city known for many
achievements, from the formulation of
the non-drying clay known as Plasticine
in 1897 by art teacher William Harbutt to
the discovery of the planet Uranus by Sir
William Herschel in 1781 right in the very
garden of his house at 19 New King Street.
And among all these, Hilary King proudly
counts herself part of the family who stillruns Britain’s oldest surviving independent
cinema. Celebrating over 70 years ofscreening feature films, it is fondly referred
to as 'The Little' by Bathonians and has
indeed come a long way from its humble
beginnings as a community theatre, before
expanding to its current cinematic role inthe 1930s. “It was a common pattern inthose days,” King muses.

The Early Days

A trustee of The Little, King, who wasborn in Bath in 1930, is the daughter ofConsuelo de Reyes and stage designerPeter King. Tracing its origins back to theearly 20th century, The Little’s roots lie in
a community project known as Citizen
House. Established in 1913 by one Helen
Hope, Bath’s first woman councillor, JP
and all-round pioneer in social welfare,
Citizen House was set up as a community
centre to house a wide range of voluntarysocieties concerned with welfare,education and the arts. “My mother hadcome to Bath from Leamington to workwith the women of Citizen House. She
was Helen Hope’s protégée, if you will.
When Helen died young, she had left

So, it was within these confines that King’s
mother created the first Little Theatre,with a 200-seat auditorium, before
commissioning an architect-designed
building that would function as both theatre
and news cinema. Opening in January
1936, with 225 seats and entrance priced
at a shilling and sixpence, old clippings
displayed in The Little today announced
how its main purpose was “education andto show films of a high class character”.
In fact, the opening programmes at The
Little included An Illustrated History of The
Royal Academy, a newsreel and a film on
The Life History of the Frog while the first
feature films were introduced in February
1939, which screened Peg of the Old
Drury, starring Anna Neagle and CedricHardwicke, followed by Oh, Mr Porter! andThree Smart Girls, with Deanna Durbin.
“In 1930s Bath, The Little was where
you’d go to watch news, documentaries
and programmes that lasted an houron average,” King points out. “You haveto remember there was no television in
those days. Whatever visual stimulationor entertainment you had then, excluding
live performances, was primarily throughnewsreels, which we screened, along withtravel pictures in a continuous progression
from about noon till 10pm at night.”

Said to bedescended fromKing Solomon
and the legendary
Queen of Sheba,
Emperor Haile
Selassie is
inextricably linked
to the history andheritage of The
Little Theatre.

A Royal Visitor

It was also in 1936 that the ancient spa
town saw the arrival of Emperor Haile
Selassie I of Ethiopia, whose official
titles also included King of Kings andConquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah,
together with his wife, the Empress
Menen Asfaw. It was in Bath that theEthiopian royal family found temporary
refuge during the turbulent years ofMussolini’s invasion of what was thenknown as Abyssinia from 1936 to 1941.
“I can only imagine that my mother would
have written to His Majesty to offer privatenews viewings at The Little,” explains
King. “It helped, of course, that my motherwas educated in France; French being
the Emperor’s second language (his first
was Amharic). He would probably havefirst come to The Little around the end of
1937, I should think.”“I remember hiding behind my mother,
who was a fairly large woman,” Kingsmiles at the memory. “It was both
exciting and terrifying for a seven-year-old
to be faced with an Emperor… and suchan exotic one too. I remember everything
very well as my mother had curtseyedvery low – something I’d never seen her
do before. And, of course, there I was,suddenly exposed from behind her. I was
terrified to have been seen!”
The Emperor soon became a frequent
visitor to The Little throughout his timeof exile and wartime residency in Bath,coming to the cinema to, sadly, watch

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life people //life people //Hilary King,
trustee of The
Little Theatre.

be confronted by the Emperor and notknow what to say that I’d always, upon
arrival, immediately run upstairs, straight tothe nursery.”
Bath in those days was also the heartlandof no-fuss English cooking – a world awayfrom the exotic tastes and flavours of theAfrican continent. “I can tell you that it was
only as recent as the late 1960s or early70s that one could buy a bulb of garlic for
the first time from a greengrocer’s in Bath,”says King. “We lived on straightforward
English food. So, I recall this incident wellwhen we were playing at Fairfield thatsomeone came up to the nursery to say
they were baking this particular breadand how all the girls got so excited. Bitsof it were subsequently handed aroundand I remember it as a type of spicy,
unleavened bread. It tasted most peculiar
to me then although I am sure I would love
it now.”

newsreels of the invasion of his country by
Italian forces, where he would be seatedin the middle of the balcony. This resulted
in the balcony of Theatre One becoming
known as 'The Royal Box'. “He exuded
a sense of enormous power although hewas small-built,” says King. “He wore asplendid short cape mostly and, even to
my young eyes then, I still remember how
exceedingly grave and formal he was. I
don’t think I ever saw him smile.”

Young Friendships

It was also during those years that an
unlikely friendship was struck up between
the daughters of a cinema owner inBath and the grandchildren of an African
Emperor, Ethiopia’s 225th, to be precise,hailing from a line that can be traced
all the way back to Menelik I, believed
to be the son of Israel’s legendary King
Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.
“Somehow, together with my sister Helen,
all of us became playmates,” says King.
“All the children, including Sahle, theEmperor’s youngest son, who happened
to be younger than his grandchildren,
picked up English very quickly. The
Emperor, of course, had no need to
speak English as he was never without
his translators. We were often invited to
Fairfield House, where the royal family
lived, to play. I remember some of theirnames. There was Seble, who promptly
became ‘Sybil’, Amha as well as Sahle,
who also played with us.”
Citing the approach to Fairfield House as“terrifying”, King recalls with amusement
how “I was always so scared I might

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Bottom, left to right:
Doric House, theKing family housein Bath, which wasbuilt for the artist,
Thomas Barker.
On holiday in Caldey
Island, Wales,

where the King
family maintained asummer house.
Playtime with
the Emperorof Ethiopia's
grandchildren.

Another visit to Fairfield included anovernight weekend stay and Kingvividly recalls how the children were all
summoned to lunch with the Emperor,
with strict instructions that no one was tospeak unless spoken to. “The Emperor
was famously known as a man of very
few words,” King says. “We noticed his

grandchildren becoming anxious at that,and the anxiety, in turn, spread to Helenand I.”
It was, however, an unforgettable
experience. “We were seated around avery large mahogany table, on chairs sohigh our legs dangled off the ground,”laughs King. “We children were also
seated at great distances from each other.
And I have to say, up until today, I cannot
recall what we ate. I am guessing it musthave been a traditional English Sunday
lunch, with sprouts and potatoes. What I
do remember, however, was that the foodwas served on solid gold plates, which
made the most tremendous screeching
noises whenever we tried to cut our foodquietly on it. And I was also very glad
the Emperor never tried to involve us inconversation. On hindsight,” continues
King, “this luncheon must not havebeen long before the Emperor’s return toEthiopia. Once, at a Fairfield reception,
the Emperor and Empress sat on a dais,
like statues, while guests milled andmingled, unable to participate. I imagine
he must have been a very shy man.”

Who You Gonna Call?

By historical accounts, Bath and its citizens
loved the Emperor. “I dare say it wasconsidered a great honour to have him.
And, as we all know, he had also rapidly
run out of funds and, somehow, thisendeared him greatly to the people,” King
notes. Although Bath was seen as the
fashionable place for well-off Londoners
to retire to, it must have still seemed aworld away for the sovereign of a 3,000
year-old monarchy, accustomed to being
protected around the clock by imperial
bodyguards as well as live lions andcheetahs. “I understand many Ethiopians
and Rastafarians see him as a god,” sheadds. “I had come into contact in the 80s
with Rastafarians who had wanted to see
the cinema as well as the seat he sat in.
Once news got out about the Emperor’sconnection with The Little Theatre, many
would come, from time to time, treating it
like a place of pilgrimage.”And, just as the Emperor endured histrials and tribulations, so too did The
Little. As television began its vise-like gripon social life, cinemas all across Britain
began to suffer. The 60s and 70s were
bleak years indeed, with three of Bath’s
five cinemas forced to close. The Little,
however, proved to be the cinema that
could. Bolstered by its community of loyal
supporters, the theatre was refurbishedand its original scene store and tea room
was converted into a second screen.
The year 1984 proved to be The Little’s
big turning point. “It may surprise you
but the film that saved The Little – and,indeed, many British cinemas – was
Ghostbusters. Somehow, that movie justcaught the public’s imagination." When
asked if Bill Murray or Sigourney Weaver,the stars of the show, had ever visited
The Little, King smiles and says: “No, they
haven’t but it’s enough the movie did what
it did. It was as if a whole new generation
had rediscovered the pleasures ofcinema-going.”
Fairfield House has since been gifted to thepeople of Bath and is now used as a minority
community social centre while The Little remains
open for public viewing. It is located at SaintMichael’s Place, just a minute’s walk from The
Gainsborough Bath Spa.

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life profile //My Best of BathLIFE PEOPLE

THE

HEART
BEAT
OF BATHThe former Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, might havesaid that ‘Until you know that life is interesting – and find it so – youhaven’t found your soul’. For these individuals privileged enough tocall Bath home, it would seem that both spirit and soul are nourishedrichly daily with the remarkable lives they lead in the jewel of the WestCountry. Here, they share their stories with YTL Life as well as theirfavourite things about Bath.

I’d recommend going to the topof Bath Abbey, which is a fairly easy
climb, to be rewarded with great
views over the city and beyond.
The Roman Baths, of course,
is one of the top attractions in
the whole of the UK. That, and
the Abbey, to me, forms the coreof Bath.

COLIN SKELLETT
CEO, Wessex Water

It has often been said that Bath is an inspiring city. What betterway to illustrate that point than with the inspirational tale of acouncil estate lad who grew up to become one of Bath’s mostinfluential business personalities? “I’m originally from Nottingham
but came down here in 1970,” says Colin Skellett. As CEO of
Wessex Water, a position he has held since 1988, he has comea long way indeed from his first job as a trainee chemist in a
sewage plant. More recently, Skellett’s portfolio has also cometo include the chairmanship of The Gainsborough Bath Spa, thecity’s latest luxury hotel and the first to be part of the Leading
Hotels of the World collection. On the opening of the property,
he says: “It has been a long time coming but it's great to see
the transformation. I am personally very glad to see it open forbusiness while lending credence to Bath’s offerings as a worldclass tourism destination. Bath has always attracted visitors
but we are confident The Gainsborough Bath Spa will bring in
greater numbers of high-net-worth guests who will come forpleasure, health and relaxation, adding substantial value to the
local economy.”Colin Skellet's
favourite Bath haunt
is The GainsboroughBar, where he's
partial to the Sacred
English Negronis.

Bath is also very much a museum
town and there’re so many tochoose from, including the Fashion
Museum and No 1 Royal Crescent.
Each would give you a uniqueperspective of Bath.
My favourite part of The
Gainsborough Bath Spa would
have to be its beautiful bar, which
overlooks the spa pool. My drinkof choice? The Sacred English
Negroni.
A short drive from Bath isStonehenge and Bristol, two very
different destinations yet vibrantand beautiful. Boating on the Avon
River is also good fun and highly
enjoyable. I’d recommend asking
the hotel for a packed picnic to bringalong with you.

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STEPHEN BIRD
Head of Heritage Services of Bath &North East Somerset Council

History, for Stephen Bird is, pun fully intended, his story. Bird’s
historical epiphany can be traced back to the age of 11, when
his Latin teacher had taken him, together with a group of otherstudents, to Hadrian’s Wall. “I remember having had to sleep ina barn behind a hotel and, each day, we’d get a bus or walk todifferent parts of the Wall. I have been fascinated by archaeology
ever since.” This love would eventually lead to a degree inarchaeology from the University of Leicester, followed by, what
would become the start of a distinguished career, a position
in a small museum in west London. Now, as Head of Heritage
Services of Bath & North East Somerset Council, it is also Bird’s
voice you hear as you listen to the insightful commentary on theaudio guides provided by the Roman Baths – his only competitor
being the acclaimed novelist, Bill Bryson, who does a humorous
version. “Bath wasn’t on my radar initially,” Bird admits. “Although
as a student, I specialised in prehistoric and Roman history. I
had come often as a child to visit my mother’s aunt, who worked
in the Ministry of Defence, which had relocated here during thewar. I remember having to march down the hill every morning to
be brought to the Pump Room and made to drink the water. I
didn’t like it then but my mother was adamant it was good for myhealth.” An opening then came up for the position of a curator in
Bath and Bird says: “I applied, got it and that was 35 years ago!
But, to be honest, I have never seen anything to beat what's inBath. It’s more than the museums and archaeology. And, for asmall spa town, it has attracted everyone from all corners of the
Roman Empire, right up to the present day. Bath has been averitable phenomenon since Roman times!”

My Best of BathIn the Roman
Baths, when there’s
no one around, I liketo be beside the Great
Bath. You start to feelthe power of the hotspring and it’s ver yatmospheric. You thenbegin to get a senseof how enduring it's,continuing to flow for
thousands of years.
I like being on
Beechen Cliff, which lieson the other side of thecity. It's a favourite spotof mine, with wonderful

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views. It’s also just a
15-minute walk from thecentre of Bath.
The Pump Room is amust for anyone visiting
Bath. After all, it has
been the social centre of
the city since 1706, withthe oldest continuous
orchestra in the world.
It’s only a trio now but
a full orchestra used toplay right up until 1939!
It’s not a specificplace per se but I havealways appreciated how
special Bath is with thecountry just a breathaway. It’s a cultural site
yet is set in a beautiful
valley of the River Avon,
with little fingers of greenthat come into the city.
In addition topleasure-seeking, wemustn’t forget Bath asa serious destination forhealing and rejuvenation.
Places like St John’s
Hospital have been a
refuge for the elderly
and infirm since 1174.
Remarkable.

TARQUINMCDONALDManaging Director, Bath Rugby

If you’ve ever visited Bath when there’s a rugby match on, you
can’t help but think, for a minute, that the city is just a teeming seaof blue, black and white – the colours of Bath Rugby, one of theoldest and most prestigious rugby clubs in the world. Establishedin 1865, Bath Rugby has called the Recreation Ground (aka 'theRec') home for the past 120 years. “Bath Rugby lived a pretty
nomadic existence prior to this, with the first match played on the
ground in 1894,” says Tarquin McDonald, the club’s Managing
Director. “In fact, during the war years, the players even used the
Cross Bath as a changing room after the Rec was bombed. I love
how the club is such an important part of the local community. In
the 1980s and 90s, Bath Rugby was also one of England’s mostsuccessful clubs and the Rec is synonymous with that success.
We have a fantastic heritage as well as the most passionate andloyal supporters, and I can’t think of anything better than watching
Bath Rugby play at its spiritual home. I also think we play a very
exciting, attacking style of rugby, which makes it very nice towatch. Also, rugby fans intermingle freely, unlike other sports,
which can be positively tribal! And I like how Bath was built on aphilosophy of pleasure. Now, whenever I see people come fromall over to enjoy themselves, be it for rugby or otherwise, it’s niceto be reminded that this tradition continues on till today.”My Best of BathNaturally, I think a visit to the Rec
is highly recommended. We area 150-year-old club and a Bathinstitution so, yes, a visit to its hallowed
grounds, right in the heart of the city, isa must.
Bath is an absolutely beautiful
historical city. It’s nice to spend time
outdoors, having a drink and letting
the kids just run around. It’s friendly
and lovely.

What I love about Bath is that it
has such a welcoming feel. When
my family and I moved here, I
was expecting a city with an older
population but it’s so young andvibrant. I now understand why so many
people make a conscious decision tomove here. Even my father-in-law had
remarked on how welcoming Bath is!
The city itself is stunning and, if
you’re new to Bath, you probably

won’t forget your first summer here,
seeing the city set against a backdropof green hills and the unique streets,
which are full of character. And then,best of all, you remember you actually
do live here!
One of my favourite things about
the city is the stone from which it isbuilt. Bath stone is incredibly beautiful
and seeing it all around is a visualtreat.

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My Best of BathMICHAEL WATTS
Entrepreneur, Bath Guildhall Market

His name might not yet be household but Michael Watts iswell-known to Bathonians, having been quite the 'man of thehour' during a road closure incident some time back. A crack
had appeared in the A431 road, causing it to be sealed off
for an indefinite time. Meanwhile, commuters had to endurecrawling in traffic for hours for a journey that’d normally takeunder 10 minutes. Ever-enterprising, Watts came up with
the ingenious idea of building an alternative road at his own
expense, borrowing an adjoining field from a farmer friend (andagreeing to split the profits 50/50), charging drivers £2 tolleach time. “The idea occurred over a pint of beer,” he smiles.
Although newspapers labelled him a 'national hero' for his
ingenuity and 'can do' spirit, Watts downplays it, saying he wasjust “a very popular man for 14 weeks”. Since the road has
reopened, Watts has gone back to his core business – running
three popular shops in the quaint, old-fashioned Bath GuildhallMarket. “I have no regrets about building the road. It wasaffecting business and discouraging everyone from coming toBath. The road was closed in February 2014 and reopened in
November the same year. We broke even in the end and I also
got to meet David Cameron, who thought it was a wonderfulthing we did.” A true blue Bathonian, he adds: “I love Bath andwas born here 63 years ago. I think it’s such a beautiful cityand I always tell visitors to start off with an open-top bus tour
as it not only rewards you with the most magnificent views but
it also helps you get your bearings very quickly.” Starting out his
career as a business owner with a hamburger bar called MickyFins in the 70s across the Theatre Royal, Watts now proudly
has three shops to call his own – all in the Guildhall Market,
including a phone and computer repair centre, a party shop as
well as the Time Out Espresso Snack Bar. “Come by and visit
us,” he smiles. “I do think we serve the best coffee!”

The Market Pillar

If you have time,
don't miss a cup
of java at Michael
Watts' Time Out
Espresso SnackBar in the
Guildhall Market.

When in the Guildhall Market, be sure to look out for the
famous 'Bath Market Nail' – the site where deals and bargains
were traditionally struck and promptly paid between market
traders and buyers, giving rise to the English phrase 'to pay on the
nail'. The market also is subject to some archaic but still-relevant(and sensible) bye-laws, in existence since 1864, including
how 'no person shall throw or fling vegetables, garbage or any
missile in the market' as well as 'no unwholesome meat, fish orvegetables shall be exposed or brought into the market'.

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My wife, Wendy, is Australianso, whenever we have family andfriends visit, we take them to theVictoria Art Gallery, which always
has a wonderful exhibition goingon. The Roman Baths, of course, istruly spectacular and a must.
Catching a game of rugby at
the Rec, if you can get tickets, isunbeatable. The atmosphere issimply electric on rugby days andthe city will be buzzing, with all the
hotels, bars and restaurants filled tothe brim.
If you like a spot of shopping,
you should go to Mallory’s. I can’t
afford it myself but it’s one of theoldest businesses still trading inBath. They sell the best things andlong may they do so! The Silver
Shop of Bath in Union Passage,
run by Guy Douglas, has also been
there for years and years. They
have unusual bits and pieces – allvery nice – and I can’t imagine Bathwithout it.
My favourite restaurant in Bathis The Circus, which was recently
voted 'Fourth Best Independent
Restaurant' in the UK. I know
the owners and I love the food –unpretentious, always top quality
and simply delicious. It’s a dining
spot that never fails me.
Margaret’s Buildings have always
appealed to me. My grandparents
used to live in the Julian Road area
and, as a child, I’d often pop into
Margaret’s Buildings to shop in theold grocery stores that used to be
here. Now, it’s known as Bath’s“Covent Garden”, with nice shops
and restaurants.

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ANNETTE
MARTIN DOLANGORDONBLOORFounder, Bath Aqua Glass

Novelist and author of Go Swift and Far, a novel set in Bath.
“I’ve always loved and collected glass,” says Annette Martin
Dolan, the founder of Bath Aqua Glass. Born in Bristol, Dolan
used to visit Bath often as a child and remembers falling in lovewith the city each time. “Even on a grim day, all you need to do
is walk around the city to be uplifted. It’s a very creative place
to live and work in. I also think glass is the truest form of colour.
Even paintings look flat compared to glass, which is the mostwonderful medium. It offers so many possibilities from a creative
level. I think glass is brilliant, alchemic and magical.” With thetraditional colour of Bath being aquamarine, it seems fitting
then that Bath Aqua Glass gets its lovely hue by adding copperoxide to molten glass, to create a colour that brings Bath’s spa
waters to mind. “There’s so much symbolism and history, withglass-blowing and Bath’s past all intertwined. After all, it was the
Romans who invented the blowing iron.”

Writing under the pseudonym Douglas Westcott, Bloor madethe career shift from business to books, debuting his recent
novel, Go Swift and Far, the first in a projected trilogy of novels
tracing the development of Bath, from the time of WWII to thepresent. “I chose to write under a pen name as my advisors
knew I had substantial business interests and they didn’t think
the book would do well at all,” he laughs. “My friend, Alistair,
had bet me £10 I wouldn’t sell more than 800 copies. I chosethe name Westcott as it’s the village I grew up in, just outside
Dorking. I’d been wanting to write for over 30 years and it’s really
my mother’s story.” The son of a Polish immigrant who fled toEngland after WWI, Bloor was orphaned at 17 and has lived
in Bath for over three decades. “My grandfather was hung by
Russians right before my mother’s eyes when she was eight andshe fled to England in 1922 and was supposed to get on a boat
from Liverpool to America but she developed TB, so she nevergot on board. My father was killed in Burma. So, you could say I
brought myself up. I was also always the chap in the dorm, sittingby the fireplace and telling stories. I had bought a property inBath some 40 years ago and thought it a wonderful place. It has
everything – from Georgian architecture to Austen, all preservedin aspic, you could say.”My Best of BathA walk from the Royal
Crescent, through the
Circus, and down tothe bottom of the town
in the sunlight. The Cityis a village of stunningarchitecture steeped inhistory and I inevitably
meet one or more
people I know and we
start chatting.
My wife, Liz, and I

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having dinner with friends
at one of my favourite
restaurants: Firehouse
Rotisserie, The Porter orRaphael’s.
A film watched in thestillness – no phones or
eating – and intimacyof The Little Theatre orwatching a play at thehistoric Theatre Royal.
Participating in oneof the numerous annual
events such as the
Literary Festival, theBoules festival and BathChristmas Market.
A Saturday afternoon
with my eldest son,starting with lunch at
Joya's and then on
to watch Bath Rugby
win on the Recreation
Ground.

Bauble BathBring home a one-of-a-kindmemento of your Bath holiday
by creating your very own glass
bauble at Bath Aqua Glass'
Walcot Street studio. Be sure to
get it done at the start of yourtrip, though, as it'll only be readyfor collection after 24 hours.
Bloor's book isa great literary
souvenir of Bath.

My Best of BathI love being by Bath’s weir andwaterside, especially where you can
get a view of Pulteney Bridge. I think
the water creates such good energy.
I love the smallness of it all. You
can literally walk the entire lengthand breadth of Bath easily, like a big,friendly village.
Walking along Walcot Street
is always nice, with its numerous
independent retailers. It has been an

artisan quarter for the longest time,
attracting craftsmen, ironsmiths andtile makers from all corners of the
Roman Empire, and even derived its
name from the Saxon word for 'theplace of strangers'. If you walk to theend of the street, you’d come to St
Swithin’s Church, where you may
find the tombstone of the Reverend
George Austen, Jane’s father.
Eating at Bill’s Restaurant in Cheap

Street is always nice. Try the Naked
Burger! I also like Sukhothai along
Manvers Street. The cook is an old
Thai lady who works ever so hardand only takes Christmas Day off.
You must also come to try a spotof glass-blowing at our Bath Aqua
Glass workshop in Walcot Street,
while bead-making sessions may bearranged by appointment at our store
near Bath Abbey.

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PAUL SIMONSWorld Heritage consultant

Although Paul Simons hails from Lancashire, it’s pretty clear that
Bath is where his heart is. With a portfolio of titles that range from
Founder Member of the European Spas Association, Secretary
General to the Great Spas of Europe UNESCO project,consultant to the Bath & North East Somerset Council as wellas its representative to the European Historic Thermal Towns
Association, Simons was also formerly Bath’s Director of Tourism
and responsible for the construction of the Thermae Bath Spa,a project that single-handedly revived Bath as a premier spa
destination. “The job had come up in 1993,” says Simons.
“Someone rang me and said: ‘You’re an architect by training;you work in conservation and tourism. This has got to be theperfect job’. I never thought it’d happen and I do consider myself
very, very lucky. Being Bath’s Director of Tourism really was the
dream job for an architect who loves old buildings. And if you live

here, you’d know how Bath gets under your skin.” Certainly, oneof Simons’ favourite career highlights is the Thermae Bath Spa
project. “The site on which the spa now stands had been closed
for 20 years. It was seen as a problem and Bath, until then, hadonly been promoted as a heritage destination. People thought
we were crazy! But when Thermae opened, it became a placeof living heritage, an experiential one, and we saw the revival of
Bath as a living spa town.” Bath remains the only full city in theworld to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Simonsremains hard at work, ensuring its appeal remains magnetic. Up
next on his plate is the restoration of the Cleveland Pools. “We’ve
got about two years more to go. It’s not far from the Holburne andthey are essentially beautiful Georgian-era outdoor swimming
pools built to stop the men from bathing naked in the river andoffending the eyes of the promenading women,” he grins.

Fertile Ground

The Cross Bath is a favourite of royal visitors to the city. In 1663,
Charles II, with his wife, Catherine of Braganza, was said to havebathed in the Cross Bath, which was fashionable then, as did
Mary of Modena, wife of James II, who cites the sacred spring as
the reason behind her successful conception soon afterwards.

My Best of BathThe Sydney Gardens behindthe Holburne Museum is areally great place for afternoon
tea. Originally built as pleasuregardens, it is Bath’s oldest parkand dates back to the 1760s,
with its original music pavilions
still standing. The Kennet andAvon Canal runs through the parkand it’s incredibly picturesque.

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Certainly a game of rugby
at the Rec is a must. They
play between September
to April, while cricket andtennis is during the summer.
Although its facilities aren’t
the best in the Premiership,
you can’t beat its backdrop
and its location in the
middle of a World Heritage
City. Also, the Bath teamis famous for its open styleof play, with lots of action,
which makes it excellent for
the fans. And my favourite
pre-match meal would beat Yak Yeti Yak – a popular
Nepalese place in town.
I enjoy my beer and I
think The Old Green Tree inGreen Street, at the bottomof Milsom Street, does its

own and very good Old
Green Tree Bitter. If you like
Irish music, go to The Star
Inn on a Friday night, where
there’s live Irish music andbeer straight from the barrel.
My favourite treatment
has got to be the watsu
at Thermae Bath Spa.
I absolutely love it. It isimmensely relaxing and I

highly recommend it.
I’m an architect by training
with a great interest inconservation, so I think theMuseum of Bath Architecture
is a special little place, aunique museum that explains
how and why Bath was built.
You will definitely go awaywith a very special experience
whenever you visit.

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MARGARET
STEWART
Founder, The Springs Foundation“I learnt how to swim in the New Royal Baths, which was fedby the hot springs,” says Margaret Stewart excitedly. Although
the site has since been redesigned for commercial purposes,
championing the case of Bath’s thermal waters has always been
Stewart’s main reason for returning to her birthplace. “I wasborn in Bath but grew up mainly in County Kerry. I only returnedin 1975 and worked as a guide in the Roman Baths before
establishing The Springs Foundation to look after the long-term
continuity of Bath’s waters. These waters have been places ofhealing since ancient times and I wanted to protect the springs. I
had a dream to do so, you could say.” Stewart had been living in
the Australian Outback then, and returning home was the farthest
thing from her mind. “I felt this deep impulse to go home andto protect the springs. I still don’t really know why I came home
to Bath but I do feel a sense of being part of something muchbigger. And the best thing about Bath’s hot springs is that you
don’t even need to immerse yourself in the waters, I feel. Just
being around them is special enough. When you are there, by
the water, you will know you are in a special place… a sacredplace, with a unique calm about it.”My Best of BathMy Best of Bathnook and cranny, sit withmy back against it andlooking around, seeing
the asclepius and lunapediment.

Bath has always been
about its hot water so
I like a variety of things
related to it: from drinking
water in the Pump Roomto saying 'hello' to the
big spring at the Roman
Baths. But my heart has
and always will be with
the Cross Bath.
The Roman Baths
is truly special but myfavourite secret place
within it is its Sacred
Outflow, where you
will see some beautiful
staining on the rocks. I
like being there, finding a

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THE YTL LUXURY MAGAZINEThe Old Theatre Royalis a great place to visit
and it is also home to the
Masonic Museum, oneof the country’s finest.
It’s an amazing space
to explore. Bath’s full of
surprises like these.
I like walking up
and down Bath’s little
alleyways and trying
to get lost, which is
impossible to do. John
Wood was trying to lay
out the entire city on
sacred geometrical lines

and it’s interesting to
see this within the city’sarchitecture. The Circus,
for example, is built
around the dimensionsof Stonehenge and, if
you look around someof the old houses, youwill see druidic elements
and references, likeacorns, which weresacred to the druids.
If you have the time,
drive to Mells, which
is a lovely village that’smore hidden than Castle
Combe. There’s a darling
little church and The
Talbot Inn, an amazing
pub with extraordinary
food.

NOEL BRITTENFounder, Bizarre BathThe jungles of Kalimantan might be a world away from theGeorgian gentility of Bath, but that’s where you’d find funny man
Noel Britten when he’s not making crowds laugh during Bizarre
Bath, his famous night comedy walk that’s been running for over
20 years now. “Bizarre Bath runs from April to October so I’ve been
spending the past 10 winters in Borneo, where I volunteer with Dr
Birute Galdikas’ orangutan foundation,” he says. “Comedy is harder
to do when people are wet and cold.” Always kitted out in his
trademark purple jacket, polka dotted tie and with at least a coupleof balloons tethered somewhere, Britten, originally from London,
decided to stay on in Bath after studying business at the university
here. “I love comedy and was looking at street performing, seeing
how popular it was in Bath. But you’d have to get up early to queue
for performer’s slots. I also hated the idea of putting your hat out
afterwards and getting little or no money for it. So, I decided toapproach the idea backwards, if you will. What we do at Bizarre
Bath is get guests to pay upfront and then we do a show – it’s ideal
for everyone. I always tell people to think of us as a show, and nota tour. We offer a different side of Bath – hysterical as opposed tohistorical. And, after all, who doesn’t enjoy a good laugh?”

Walk and laughat the same timewith Noel Britten's
on-the-go Bizarre
Bath show.

A night out with Bizarre Bath,obviously! We run, rain or shine,
every night from April to end
October. I think we give visitors a
totally different perspective of Bath.
I also consider us a show, not a tour.
If you’d like a tour, then nothingbeats the Mayor of Bath’s Corpsof Honorary Guides. It’s a two-hourwalking tour, covering the historicaland cultural sides of Bath. It’s totally
free and all you have to do is turnup. It is all run by volunteers and they
won’t even accept tips or gratuities.
They are all passionate about history
and are simply exceptional.
I’ve always preferred nature andgreenery to buildings so I have to
say I love the park overlooking theriver and the canal path alongside
it. There’s the Beazer Maze near theweir as well, which is nice.
Bath has many good restaurants
and I like going to Tilleys, a French
bistro-type place with a menu thatchanges often, on North Parade
Passage. I also like Koh Thai Tapas
on Broad Street. I don’t drink
myself, having overdone things as
a student, but The Huntsman has anice atmosphere and a good place
for it.
I’m very proud of the fact we getvery good plays in Bath. The Theatre
Royal is such a chocolate box ofa theatre, not to mention being alaunch pad for the West End.

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CELIA MEADPETERHIGGINS

Museum Consultant, Bath Museums Partnership“I first visited Bath when I was 16 and I have always remembered
how beautiful it was. When the time came to move out of
London, well, there was only one place I thought of, really. Bathhas a magnetic quality – it really does. For a relatively small city,
it has a very cosmopolitan feel and, every time I walk home,seeing the light reflecting off the Bath stone, makes for a magicalequation. I work with the Bath Museums Partnership, which was
founded about two and a half years ago, to get the museums towork together, to create a whole museum offering … a ‘museum
mile’, if you will. There’s also so much to see, do and experiencein Bath – even if you live here. I always say Bath is great if you
have an appetite for brain food. There are 13 diverse, thoughtprovoking museums in this World Heritage City alone and they
are all within walking distance of each other. Each one tells its
own remarkable story through its collections, experiences andhistory, spanning ancient times to modern day. This melting pot
of museums will prick the imagination, challenge the senses andstimulate the mind. What I say is, you feed your brain and bodyheartily through the dense concentration of museums, and thenyou feed your spirit through places like Bath’s beautiful Abbey.”

Design Director, Eton Design

At first glance, there is nothing at all to link Peter Higgins, thedapper designer behind Eton Design, the luxury interior design
company, to Robert Southey, an English poet best known forhis classic children’s tale, The Story of the Three Bears, which
is more easily recognised once the main protagonist is identified– Goldilocks. But, visit his showroom at 108 Walcot Street, andyou’d soon realise that this was where Southey had lived asa child, in the home of his aunt, a certain Miss Tyler who took
young Robert to the Old Theatre Royal so often that he later
remarked: “I have seen more plays before I was seven thanafter I was 20.” “I’ve lived here for years,” says Higgins, who
moved to Bath from Eton. “There’s so much creative energy
all around, it’s astounding. It’s a small classy, ancient city but
it’s also very dynamic. And with so much creative talent all
around – in art, music, etc – it makes living and working here
absolutely delightful.”

My Best of BathMy favourite coffee
shop is Colonna & Hunterin Milsom Street. I haven’t
had better coffees in the
UK! If you’re coming laterin the day, do know they
have very good craft
beers, too.
The views out ofBath and around it are
astounding. I particularly
love the fact Bath is avery walkable city. My
favourite vantage point is
actually from the terraceof the American Museum
as you can’t see any
sign of the 19th to 21st
centuries. No roads,

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no canals, no traffic. A
completely unspoilt view! I
also love being at the topof Prior Park’s landscaped
garden, where you can
see the whole of thenorthern slopes, including
my house and, of course,
Beckford’s Tower.
Walcot Street is good
for local and independent
brands and is known
as the artisan quarter.
It’s a very friendly area
for shopping withsmiling local faces and I
particularly love Rossiter’sof Bath – an amazing
independent department

store, which is becoming
increasingly rare now. It’s
lovely, with uneven floors
and little converted woodpanelled rooms.
My favourite spot in
Bath is actually a small
side wall near Milsom
Place. If you look for it,
there’s a half-timbered,almost hidden building
with mullioned windows
that’s pre-Georgian, anda surprising medieval
survivor! It’s funny, oldand wonderful to see.
That’s what I love about
Bath – how old and newis all around – which is

Bath's signature style,after all. Beautiful andinventive at once.
Of course, a visit
to all of Bath’s 13 top
museums. I really dothink each is distinct andspecial. The Fashion
Museum is one of theworld’s top 10 for its
genre and the Holburne
Museum hosts the finest
display of 18th century
portraiture in the world,
including the largest
painting in Bath by
Gainsborough, The Byam
Family (1762-1766) , atits core.

“There’s so much creative energy
all around, it’s astounding.”
My Best of Bath
Bath is a never-ending festival! The
Great Bath Feast is always good while
the Bath Music Festival is wonderful.
Bath in Fashion is great and also very
good for the city. It is also always a treat
to attend a classical concert inside BathAbbey. A true delight.
If you like a pint, all the Bath ales arereally worth trying. There’s a bitter one
called Gem, which I particularly like. If
you’re looking for a place to go, The

Star Inn is very traditional and there’s
another place called The Salamanderwith a good choice of Bath ales as well.
I like walking the public corridors andlobby of The Gainsborough Bath Spa,
which I think are stunning. I also think
the spa and restaurant are beautiful.
I love the look of the entire hotel and,every time I walk in, I have this feeling ofunderstated calm, which I like.
The Theatre Royal is a wonderfulregional theatre, with a lot of pre-West
End productions. I also adore the Little
Theatre. I love going in on a winterafternoon and hiding there from the coldover a good movie.
Bath’s proximity to other beautiful
areas of England is also fantastic. You’reliterally in open country within minutes
while the Cotswolds is also close by.
Devon and Cornwall are also short trainrides away.

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life profile //BONNIEHELEN HAWKINSArtist and Gallery Owner

My Best of BathBR DOSHIThe Holburne Museum isdone very nicely, with three floorsof exhibits set within an elegant
Georgian building.
The American Museum is also a
must-visit. Its grounds are beautiful
and, on a sunny, day, end your visit
with a cup of tea and cake at thecafé. Lovely!
I think just sitting by the riverside,
near the weir, is a wonderful way toexperience Bath.
I’d highly recommend a walk to
Alexandra Park. From there, you can
see the whole of Bath. A veritable
bird’s eye view. And it’s not far away
at all!

Exploring Great Pulteney Street
is always nice. It gives you a very
different feeling, especially if youcome from a big city.

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Pharmacist, AH Hale Ltd

A visit to thehistoric andbeautiful AH
Hale pharmacy
is like steppingback in time.

Even if you’re not feeling poorly, it’s a visual delight and almost a
step back in time the minute you enter AH Hale Ltd. Occupying
a choice corner along Argyle Street, the historic pharmacy’s
façade is crowned with the restored arms of Charlotte Sophie,
Queen of England (1744-1818) and the wife of George III, while its
interiors are a hodgepodge of natural sea sponges, gentlemen’s
grooming products, specially-made old ribbed bottles (so thatthe blind would know its contents were toxic) and massive
ornamental carboys – those ubiquitous jars, filled with mysteriouslooking coloured liquids. Said to originate from the Persian word
for 'flagon' or qarabah, it now counts itself as de rigueur displays
for good pharmacists everywhere. “We get visitors from as far as
New Zealand and Australia coming in, not to get medicines, butjust to marvel at the shop,” says BR Doshi, who has spent overthree decades in Bath, helming what is possibly its prettiest andmost historic pharmacy. “We’d been featured before on the BBC’s
Vintage Antiques Roadshow. So, whenever people come to Bath,they make it a point to stop by. Also, in those days, Bath used
to be known as a place to which you’d retire, particularly if you
were well-off. I remember how different things used to be. People
expected to be served and it was a time when the men used to
tip their hats off to greet a lady. It was this initial experience of life inBath that inspired us to keep this ‘step back in time’ feeling.”

Living in picture-perfect Bath for decades, it seems only naturalthat life for Bonnie Helen Hawkins revolves around art. The ownerof the Minerva Gallery, Hawkins, together with her husband,
Michael Porter, counts herself privileged to work out of Bath’s
iconic Pulteney Bridge – Robert Adam’s Palladian beauty andone of only a few historic bridges in the world to have shops built
into it. “I never mind coming into work,” she smiles. A talented
artist herself, Hawkins also represents other artists whose genres
span traditional and contemporary painting as well as sculpturesin bronze, one of whom, Irene Marsh, is a particular specialist in
Bathonian scenes. “What I love about Irene’s work is that you canpractically navigate around Bath simply by looking at her paintings.
If you ever get to see her at work, you would marvel at the amountof minute detail that goes into each piece. It’s truly magnifying work.
She uses triple zero brushes and puts in an incredible amount ofeffort, with each piece taking at least eight months of eye-straining
work. The other incredible thing is that Irene only started painting at
the age of 55, after the shoe factory she worked in closed. She’s
72 now and my favourite piece by her is Northumberland Place,a 2010 piece where you just have to marvel at the detail of theraindrops hitting the puddles. That’s the amazing thing about Bath.
It just inspires people. After all, the city has so many claims tofame, from being the place where Plasticine was invented as wellas the city where the first stamp was ever used to post a letter. In
fact, the famous Penny Black was posted from Bath a few days
before stamps were officially in use.”

My Best of BathI love Bath’s river andcanal. Any city, even asmall one like Bath, canbe stressful but I find awalk by the river or thecanal always helps me
relax. It’s possible towalk for miles and miles
along the water’s edge.
It’s spiritually uplifting
and it brings so muchwildlife, right into theheart of the city, with it.
I know it’s odd tolove a library but BathCentral Library does
so much to engage
children in active
learning and working

with the community.
They host many events,from storytelling to art
exhibitions and festivals,
while its staff are so
helpful that they alldeserve a medal each!
Being an artist, I justlove the warm mellow
colour of Bath stone. In
the summer, when thelight reflects off it, I feel
as if I live in a city madeof honey.
It always saddens
me to find the same
shops and brands
whenever and wherever
I travel. The high streets

are all carbon copies
of each other and,sometimes, it’s hard toknow which city you
are in. But Bath’s notlike that. We preserve alarge number of quirky,
individual shops. They
might be tucked away
in corners but they’re
still here!
Bath is small andeveryone seems toknow everyone. I can’t
step out of my shop
without bumping into
someone I know. I love
how Bath is a city offriends.

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My Best of BathEDWARDBAYNTUN-COWARD
Owner, George Bayntun &Chairman of the Bath Preservation Trust

George Bayntun is a must, ofcourse, if you like fine bindings
and rare books. We enjoyed thepatronage of Queen Mary, who
spent the war years at Badminton,near Bath, and was granted theappointment of Bookseller to Her
Majesty in 1950. We sell a lot ofchildhood favourites. Books, after all,are about memories.
Also, as Chairman of the BathPreservation Trust, I do think our four
museums – No 1 Royal Crescent,the Museum of Bath Architecture,
Beckford’s Tower and the HerschelMuseum of Astronomy – are pretty
perfect.
I love seeing people march up
and down Bath’s hills – lean, fit
and happy. I make it a point to walkdifferent ways each time. Bath islike a labyrinth… corners, circles,
crescents and squares. You’d findthere are few straight roads, almost
like a toy town filled with surprises.
I often eat at The Circus, a
restaurant near the Crescent. They
do fresh fish daily and really good
chips.
The worst thing for a building is
to fall into disuse and left derelict.
So I love what The GainsboroughBath Spa have done. Its location,next to St John’s Hospital, of which
my mother Charlotte was Almonerfor 25 years, and the Roman ruins
where it all started, is fantastic and I
love the name. Gainsborough is oneof Bath’s great artists and I think it’s
wonderful that he is commemorated
this way.

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If fine books rockyour boat, get readyto go wild at George
Bayntun's along
Manvers Street.

Life is good to Edward Bayntun-Coward. Having graduatedwith a History degree from Oxford University, where he studied
alongside David Cameron, Bayntun-Coward juggles his day
job as a bookseller with the famous George Bayntun bookshop
along Manvers Street (one of the world’s most famousbookshops and home to the Bayntun-Riviere bindery, whichdates back to 1829) and his work for the Bath Preservation
Trust, which presides over four of the city’s most beautiful
museums. “We have 13 independent museums and, for asmall city like Bath, that’s a great concentration of culture andknowledge,” he says. “I get bored easily but I can say that has
never, ever happened in Bath. There are marvellous buildings
everywhere and something for everyone… so long as you are
curious.” With his family deeply-embedded in Bath (“We’ve
lived here for centuries,” he says), his father, Hylton, was also
the High Sheriff of Avon. Next year, Bayntun-Coward will follow
in his footsteps and assume the position of High Sheriff ofSomerset, an ancient shrievalty that’s been in existence for overa thousand years. “The uniform is slightly unusual but, being in
Bath, a place where people have promenaded for centuries, I
daresay I could get away with walking around town in it!”For The Love Of Books

Established in 1894, George Bayntun is one of
the world's leading antiquarian bookshops andspecialists in fine leather bindings. Many beautiful
editions of poetry, illustrated books as well as
children's books may be found here, including firsteditions like a particularly precious one of SaintExupery's The Little Prince in English, Richard
Adam's Watership Down, with illustrations by John
Lawrence, and Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings
trilogy, all first editions, bound in full crimson andblack morocco.

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life feature //What were the main challenges working on The Gainsborough Bath Spa? The main
challenges were to stay true to the essence and history of The Gainsborough Bath Spa
while making the design fresh, new and innovative. We were tasked with reconstructing
a collection of historic, Georgian buildings – two of them being former hospitals and achapel – to a grand hotel. Redesigning historic buildings is a great honour but, with it,
can come a few challenges. One has to be respectful of important features while coaxing
them along so that they appeal to today’s clientele. With The Gainsborough Bath Spa,these historic Georgian buildings were constructed as hospitals and then repurposed
to serve the College of Art. In addition to needing repair and restoration, they needed to
be unified to function as a hotel andembellished, where historic detail
had been stripped over time. Unlike
modern construction, where one
room may be identical to the next,
here we were dealing with uniquedimensions and characteristics atevery turn.

“Elegant, fine dining
experience, Shook!
Shanghai at the famous
Swatch Art Peace Hotelmight just be the palatepleaser you’re looking for.”78

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What were the initial thoughtsthat came to mind? A designer
needs to anticipate the future. And,so, we ask ourselves: ‘How will
our design stand up 10, 20 years
from now?’ The design has to beenduring. Initially, we were struck by
the wonderful light and views fromwhat would become the guestroom
windows. We were also very excitedby the idea of the thermal baths andkeenly aware that Bath needed a
hotel which looked as much to the
future as it relied on the past. Hotelguests have high expectations,so we are always focused on thetask of making their stay unique,luxurious and memorable. Our
principal concerns related to thecomplexity of the site. We faced thechallenge of uniting all the historicarchitecture, ruins and stories to acommon thread. In the end, it has
turned out beautifully and what
were challenging elements are
now unique features that give theproperty a true identity and real character.

Charmed By
Champalimaud

If there’s a reason why your stay at
The Gainsborough Bath Spa seems a little
more sumptuous than usual, chalk it down tothe attentive detail and gracious decorative
touches, courtesy of celebrated New Yorkbased Champalimaud Design. YTL Life
speaks to the award-winning interior designer
Alexandra Champalimaud on her design
philosophy and the challenges of working on
a property already making waves for being
the first five-star hotel to open in Bath in 30
years – a stunningly reimagined addition to
the UNESCO World Heritage City.

Tell us a little about your design philosophy for The Gainsborough Bath Spa. Our
philosophy was to respect the history of the site, but not to replicate or worship it. Instead,we wanted it to be respectful, playful and to create welcoming, comfortable and social
spaces. We want the hotel to remain relevant to both the residents of Bath and its visitors.
The pre-existing spaces and features – the grand stairs, the chapel and the monumental
windows – are so magnificent that we had to celebrate their inherent beauty. We layered
in a modern, fresh décor over the deep soul of the building. Our design is respectful,charming and, most importantly, elevates the existing architecture while delivering the

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life feature //drawn to the Roman history of the site. In regards to the mosaics,
we recreated the pattern in its original location, which is now partof the Spa Village Bath experience.

comfort and modern amenities guests require and expect from aluxury hotel. The public spaces are inviting, elegant and fresh, nothushed and stuffy. In developing the design for The GainsboroughBath Spa, we carefully considered the building’s history, origin,purpose and location. We do this to distill a property’s soul, topreserve it and then add in modernity – touches of comfort andcontemporary amenities to suit today’s discerning traveller. Therewas so much history to preserve and celebrate with this hotel andwe wanted to revive every one of these special details in our design.

Tell us about the design for Johann Lafer at The
Gainsborough. The restaurant features a stunning waxed oak
floor laid in an oversized herringbone pattern of country, evenrustic quality. Classical Georgian architectural features, includingcolumns, arched openings and a coffered ceiling – preserved
or introduced – round out the design. At the centre of the room,tall dining tables, coupled with sleek leather stools, offer a casual
attitude while luxurious banquettes at the perimeter of the room
offer a more intimate dining experience. A large contemporary
canvas, commissioned by the hotel and painted by a young
local artist, sets a vibrant tone against the room's more classicalfeatures. It also features a lovely antique mantelpiece and asignature wine display. The muted, contemporary color palette is
inviting, unpretentious and youthful. The chef’s creative cuisine is aperfect match for the room’s décor, coming together to create thesocial centre of the hotel.

How did this project differ from your last one for YTL Hotels?
We worked with YTL on the reinvention of The Green Leaf
Niseko Village. The Green Leaf Niseko Village, located in theJapanese prefecture of Hokkaido, is now a wonderfully modern
ski resort. We created a casual, fun, contemporary hotel with adesign vocabulary rooted in Japanese architecture. Aesthetically,
it is a big departure from our work at The Gainsborough BathSpa, but the hotels share a common vision of providing the YTL
guest with a unique, highly personalised experience celebrating afabulous location. YTL’s philosophy is to celebrate local culturesand environments. We are like minded in this respect and so ourcollaborations yield unique and exciting results.
There are some fascinating objets d'art in the hotel as well
as some interesting commissioned artworks. Can you tellme more about the decorative pieces in the hotel – which areyour favourites and the stories behind them – as well as thedesign brief to the artists? Furnishing the hotel was such good
fun, and we are especially proud and excited about the art. The
hotel is named after one of Bath’s most famous residents, the18th-century portrait artist Sir Thomas Gainsborough, and needed
to be filled with important art. So, working closely with YTL Hotels
and the College of Art at Bath Spa University, we held a juriedcompetition of student artists and commissioned three to produce
original pieces for the hotel. My personal favourite is the pieceby Stephanie Clark, who photographed the site throughout theconstruction and, working in paint and digital media, created abeautiful, layered abstract painting which is proudly on display in
our restaurant. In the lobby, we designed a beautiful display caseto house some 250 Roman coins that are part of the Beau Street
Hoard, which was discovered during the excavation of the hotel
foundations – amazing! And, in Spa Village Bath, we replicated anancient Roman mosaic in the floor using archaeological records
dating back to the 19th century. The original Roman mosaic issafely enclosed and protected beneath the surface.
What has your overall Bath experience been like? I’ve truly
fallen in love with Bath. During our tenure of renovating the hotel,
we have gotten to know the city and her people well, both of which

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exude charm and gentility. Being a UNESCO World Heritage city,which draws in people from all over the world, we wanted to createa hotel that guests, tourists and locals could gather in for uniquesocial and lifestyle experiences. Bath is also a gracious host to hermany visitors and I am so proud The Gainsborough Bath Spa willbe leading the way in welcoming these travellers to this magicalcorner of the UK.
What were the main highlights of working on The
Gainsborough Bath Spa project? The highlight, for me, wasthe process of finding new, innovative ways to enhance thehistorical background and story of the property. I also enjoyeddiscovering and collaborating with many talented local artists
and craftsmen.
What did you want to achieve in terms of guest experience,from entering the lobby to the beautiful spa and bedrooms?
What mood and feel did you set out to capture and how did
you go about doing it? Creating a memorable space is all about
the first impression. The atmosphere needs to stun and provoke; itneeds to have that ‘wow’ effect, even if it is a quiet place. Entering
the hotel, guests are welcome by a jewel of a reception, which
reinforces the splendour of the complete Gainsborough Bath Spa
experience. The lobby gives you a sense of place and sets the“YTL's philosophy is tocelebrate local culturesand environments.”
tone for the rest of the property. The reception, concierge, andvalet desks are contemporary, youthful and refined. Guestrooms
are inviting and subtly luxurious. The beautiful spa is serene andoffers a unique social experience. All spaces are well-proportioned,layered and timeless.
During the restoration of the hotel, Roman mosaics and coins
were discovered. Did this alter your design plans? Discovering
the Roman mosaics and coins was a lucky find and added a
depth of personality and value to our design. Whilst excavating
the thermal pools central to Spa Village Bath, we found 17,500
Roman coins! Dating from 32BC to 274AD, the coins were held
intact in cloth satchels. It is amongst the largest coin hoards
ever discovered in the UK, some of which are displayed in The
Gainsborough Bath Spa's lobby, beneath restored Georgianarchitectural features. The coins are one of the first things you see
when you enter the lobby. Guests on arrival are instantaneously

Do you have any personal favourite spaces in the hotelor its surrounds? One of my favorite spaces is The Canvas
Room, which has a quintessential British sensibility. The room ischarming and irrefutably modern. The subdued colour palette ofsoft golds and black, alongside majestic blues and rich natural
materials, mirror the eclectic, ordered and tasteful parlours of theSomerset countryside. The Canvas Room is comfortable fromdawn to dusk, the perfect place to gather with close family andfriends and, of course, the Spa Village Bath, which is unrivalledin the city. Beneath a modern glass roof is the Bath House,anchored by a central thermal pool where guests can 'take thewaters'. The design of the Bath House is a contemporary takeon the traditional Roman bath. Two additional pools, along witha host of other spa experiences, round out the Bath House
offerings. In addition to the water circuit, we designed a series of
spa treatment rooms offering locally inspired treatments. We also
have three lovely spa guestrooms, each with a thermal water tap
at the bathtub – a true indulgence!
Lastly, what do you want guests to walk away with, after
experiencing this property? Guests want to feel transported,but they also want to feel at home – a special, one-of-a-kindexperience. The Gainsborough Bath Spa immerses you into therituals and rich history of the past, while offering modern amenities
and fulfilling your emotional needs. I truly hope they take a bit of thegraciousness, charm and civility of Bath and The GainsboroughBath Spa with them. This is a magical hotel in a magical city and
we all need a little magic in our lives.

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life feature //Sacred City

Clockwise, from right:
The magnificent fanvaulting inside BathAbbey; Sean Bowers,
the abbey’s Assistant
Director of Music,
leading the girls' choir;
the tower tour takes you
to the top of the abbey
as well as a close lookat the 127-year-old
clock.

Bath Abbey has been, literally, at the heart ofthe city for more than a thousand years. As it
continues to administer to the city’s spiritual andcommunal needs, while also being a tourist
attraction, the abbey, one of the architectural
glories of England, maintains a devotion to its
traditions even as it renews itself for the future.

“The abbey,
formally known
as the Abbey
Church ofSaint Peterand Saint
Paul, is thesacred centreof the city.”82

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In the hush of the evening, after thebustle of commerce and tourism havedied away, there is something almost
otherworldly about Bath. As you stroll
down the streets, your steps echoing off
the Bath stone cladding the buildings,
there is a certain feeling in the air, afrisson, perhaps, of history, an intangible
but real link to a past that stretches
more than 2,000 years. Bath is and has
always been a spiritual place. If you’restaying at The Gainsborough Bath Spa,it’s worth going for a walk at dusk. Turnright at the entrance and head up to Stall
Street. Take a left and you’re in the city’s
historic heart – the Roman Baths and the
adjoining Pump Room, and, through anarchway, its spires soaring into the sky,Bath Abbey, one of the glories of thisbeautiful city.
The abbey, formally known as the Abbey
Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul,is the sacred centre of the city. As far
back as the 7th century AD, this has
been a religious site, when a convent
was established here in 675AD. Even
before that, of course, the vicinity wasconsidered a hallowed site – the thermal
springs feeding what is now the Roman
Baths was a shrine that the Celtic Britons
dedicated to the goddess Sulis. With its
rich and healing mineral properties, it’sno surprise that the Romans, who arrived

in Britain in 43AD, would continue the
Celts’ tradition, building a temple and,eventually, the baths we see today overthis sacred springs. Co-opting the local
goddess and infusing her with Minerva,
the Roman deity for wisdom, the cult ofSulis Minerva was born, becoming the
focal point of what became the townof Aquae Sulis, or the 'Waters of Sulis'.
After the Roman withdrawal from Britain
in the early 5th century, both the temple
and baths fell into disrepair. By then,Christianity had already established itself
in Britain. The 7th-century convent inBath become a monastery and, although
there is no clear archaeological evidence,
it seems there was an Anglo-Saxon
church on this site, just adjacent to the
Roman Baths and the Temple of Sulis
Minerva, as early as 757AD. The first
King of all England, Edgar, was crowned
here in 973AD and the service, including
the Biblical texts used then, became theprecedent for subsequent coronationsof the English monarchs. (You can see
a fine 19th century stained glass windowcommemorating Edgar’s accession in
the abbey.)
After the Normans arrived in Britain
in 1066, the Bishop of Bath, John ofTours, launched an extensive building
programme, which including theconstruction of a new cathedral to replace

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life feature //the church. This precursor to the current
Bath Abbey was completed around 1160
and prospered until the 13th century,
when the city’s importance declined.
By the late 15th century, the abbey wasin all but ruins before the then bishop,
Oliver King, decided to tear down theNorman building and replace it with oneof the last great medieval cathedrals to
be built in England. Work started around1499 and the abbey, as it is mostly today,
was barely completed before Henry VIII’s
Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539,
when it suffered the same fate as othergreat priories and churches in England
during this time and had its valuable parts
stripped away. Its empty shell was soldbefore it was given to the city to be used
as a parish church in 1572.
Periodic restoration of the abbey took
place in the centuries since (including
a complete transformation of its interior
in the 19th century), its regeneration
mirroring the fate of the city and its
renaissance as a fashionable spa resort.
It might be ironic that the thermal springs,
the site of pagan and Roman shrines,
would contribute, indirectly, to theabbey’s fortunes. The popularity of Bathas a fashionable place ‘to take the waters’
made the city a tourist destination fromthe 17th century onwards.
Today, Bath attracts more than a million
staying tourists a year as well as close to84

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four million day visitors. Half a million ofthem visit the abbey, many drawn by its
architectural splendour – its magnificent
fan vaulting, for example, is one of thefinest in England, while the angels’ladders on the west front and flying
buttresses are spectacular. By its locationand ministration to the city’s residents,
however, Bath Abbey is more than just a
destination for sightseeing. It is as muchpart of the city’s fabric as the Roman
Baths and the thermal springs around it.
“It is, literally, the centre of Bath, bothcommunally and spiritually,” says The
Reverend Prebendary Edward Mason,
Rector of Bath Abbey. “We have acommitment to the city’s spiritual needs
as well as a duty of pastoral care toanyone who requires it.” This means
keeping the abbey’s doors open – “We
can’t be shutting off the world,” Mason
explains – and evolving continuously
to make itself relevant as the needs ofthe community change, and becoming
engaged in the larger society. One ofits many initiatives is the Lifeline Centre,a drop-in centre offering advice andsupport for the homeless, ex-homelessand vulnerably housed, located in theabbey vaults. “We try and solve problems
but not everyone comes for that – somejust want a cup of tea and company,”
he says.
Even as the abbey looks outwards, itlife feature //continues to maintain and strengthen
its spiritual core – services and prayers,organising and supporting homegroups, as well as schemes that reachout to students and youths. There isalso a much-loved tradition of music,
both through the Klais organ and theremarkable Bath Abbey Choir. “They arequite good,” Mason shares proudly. “Andthe choristers do it because they are
passionate about it.” Under the guiding
hands of Dr Peter King, the abbey’s
Director of Music, and Shean Bowers,
the Assistant Director of Music andChoral Director for Schools, the choir,consisting of three groups – for men,boys and girls – perform not only duringservice in the abbey, but also in concert,
famously sharing the stage with the Three
Tenors at their Royal Crescent, Bath,concert in 2003, which was sponsored
by YTL Corporation.
Looking around the busy building,Mason, who has been rector since 2004
and was appointed Honorary Chaplain to
HM Queen Elizabeth II in 2015 (“A greathonour,” he says), is cognisant of theabbey’s place in the city’s larger schemeof things. “There is so much history here
and that comes with a certain burden,
which is where faith and the belief you aredoing something right or essential for thewell-being of everyone play a part.” As it
excels in its current vocations of spiritualand communal centre as well as tourist
attraction, the abbey is looking ahead.
Its multimillion-pound Footprint project
aims to carry out essential repairs to thecollapsing floor, install a new eco-friendly
heating system using the hot springs asa source of energy and creating 200 sq
m of new facilities to fulfil the abbey asa place of congregation, equal accessand hospitality. “Not everyone comes
here to pray, of course,” Mason says
with a smile. “But everyone’s welcome –whether it’s to admire the architecture,climb the towers, attend a service andlisten to the choir, or even for a bit ofquiet reflection. We’re here for you.
We have been here for a long time
and we will continue to be here for awhile longer.”

Clockwise, fromleft: The Reverend
Prebendary Edward
Mason, Rector of
Bath Abbey, in his
Honorary Chaplain
to HM Queen
Elizabeth II gown;
memorial stones
can be seen on thewalls of the abbey’s
interior; the abbey’s
choir tradition goesback to the 18th
century; the west
front of Bath Abbey.

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life feature //FEASTS &FESTS

Pictures courtesy of Wendy Matthews/Mark Bishop/Simon Taylor/Bath Fringe Festival

BATH FRINGE FESTIVAL

Chances are, there is almost
always something going on
when you’re visiting Bath – aliterary event, food fest or, if
you’re so inclined, a marathon
through the city and its
gorgeous surroundings.

Founded in 1981 as an alternative to the more ‘mainstream’or ‘classically minded’ International Bath Music Festival, theBath Fringe showcases a plethora of artforms that include thespoken word, digital arts & media, standup comedy, cabaret,
physical theatre, circus arts, folk and world music, Latin dance,
jazz as well as pop, rock and black music. One of the Fringe’s
highlights is the Bedlam Fair, held on the second weekend of
the festival and featuring a wide range of street performances
around the city.
bathfringe.co.uk
The International
Bath Music
Festival holds
events in someof the city’s most
picturesquevenues.

Above: The annual Bath Carnival
is a colourful parade of dance
and music through the city.

FEB

BATH LITERATURE FESTIVAL

INTERNATIONAL BATH
MUSIC FESTIVAL

Picture courtesy of Bath Festivals

Picture courtesy of Bath Festivals

86

You can enjoy awide range of street
performances during
the Bath Fringe Festival.

MAY

One of the city’s top festivals, the Bath Literature Festival
celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2015. In that time, it hasestablished itself as one of the UK’s leading literary events,
having drawn writers as diverse as JK Rowling, Hilary Mantel,
Jennifer Saunders, Kazuo Ishiguro, Alastair Campbell, Jon
Snow, Jonathan Dimbleby, Richard and Judy, Kate Mosse,David Nicholls, Omid Djalili, Mary Portas, Germaine Greer, Henry
Blofeld, Rowan Williams and Lionel Shriver. Events are held inmany of Bath’s historic buildings, including the Guildhall, MasonicHall, The Forum (just around the corner from The GainsboroughBath Spa),Holburne Museum, Milsom Place and Theatre Royal,
giving visitors a strong connection with the city, as well as nearby
towns like Midsomer Norton, Keynsham and Radstock.
bathfestivals.org.uk

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MAY

Held in the late spring of each year, the Bath International Music
Festival is one of the city’s most illustrious events. Inaugurated in
1948, the festival showcases a wide range of musical genres,
including jazz, classical, world and folk. It draws from a diverse
range of performers, ranging from established and emerging
talents, students as well as local professional and amateur
musicians. Events are held throughout Bath and include theopening day’s Party in the City , dubbed ‘The Biggest FreeShow in Bath’, which features, lterally, more than a hundred
performances spread all over the city.
bathfestivals.org.uk

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life feature //ALSO...
BATH CHILDREN’S
LITERATURE FESTIVAL

SEPT

Pictures courtesy of Felix Broedel/Yutaka Suzuki/Bath Mozartfest

BATH MOZARTFEST
Picture courtesy of Bath Tourism Plus

Picture courtesy of Bath Festivals

The biggest dedicated children’s book festival in Europe, theBath Children’s Literature Festival was established in 2007 inan effort to entertain and encourage children to read. Featuring
masterclasses, workshops, storytelling, author talks and otheractivities, the festival has attracted some of the biggest names
in children’s books, including Michael Rosen, Michael Morpurgo,
Jacqueline Wilson, Judith Kerr, Harry Hill, Meg Cabot and Axel
Scheffler. Events take place in various venues around the city,
including schools.
bathfestivals.org.uk

OCT

GREAT BATH FEASTNOVThe Bath Mozartfest celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2015
and, contrary to its name, is not exclusively about Mozart.
Created in 1991 with a bequest by Mary Purnell, in memoryof her late son, Mark, who adored the music of Mozart andthe city of Bath, the Mozartfest devotes its nine-day festival
to artistic excellence and the finest classical music. (Anothermemorial to Mark Purnell can be found in the city’s Parade
Gardens – a bronze statue of a young Mozart playing theviolin while standing on a base of Bath stone.) Shows areheld in the city's historic Guildhall, Assembly Rooms andeven Bath Abbey.
bathmozartfest.org.uk
Pictures courtesy of Bath Tourism Plus

The Bath
Children’s
Literature Festivalorganises
activities thatencouragechildren to read.

A relatively recent addition to the city’s calendar, the GreatBath Feast has become a beloved celebration of food anddrink. A melting pot of flavours and personalities, the monthlong gastronomic feast offers demonstrations, tastings, curated
activities as well as celebrity chef appearances. Taking placethroughout October, this fabulous feast features themed events,
including, memorably, an adults-only After-Dark Mad Hatter’s
Masquerade Dinner (above) to mark the 150th anniversary of
Alice in Wonderland , which was held in Bath's atmospheric
Masonic Museum.
greatbathfeast.co.uk

DEC

Picture courtesy of Bath Tourism Plus

The Bath Mozartfest has featured
some of the the classical world's
best performers, including(clockwise, from top left) the Galliard
Ensemble, Jerusalem Quartet andAndras Schiff.

There are plenty of otherevents that take place in Baththroughout the year. These
include Bath in Fashion,
which is usually held in March,
Comedy Festival (April),
Guitar Festival (July), Folk
Festival (August), Heritage
Open Week (October) andFilm Festival (December).
There are also many one-day
events, including Bike Bath,
Bath Rotary Club Fireworks
Display, Bath Carnival andBath Festival of Nature. For
those with a sportier bent, dolook out for the Bath Running
Festival, which takes placearound the beautiful hills andvalleys outside the city. The
Bath Half Marathon, on theother hand, is run entirely within
the city, while the Bristol toBath Marathon is a 42km trial
through the beautiful South
Gloucestershire countryside.

SEPT

BATH CHRISTMAS MARKET

JANE AUSTEN FESTIVAL
This 10-day celebration of all things Jane Austen and theRegency has gone from strength to strength since it firstbegan in 2001. Packed with concerts, talks and tours related
to Austen and her novels, there are also dance and etiquetteworkshops, as well as the Regency Costumed Promenade,which kicks off the festival. Also look out for its Annual Summer
Ball in, of course, full Regency costume.
janeaustenfestivalbath.co.uk
Pictures courtesy of Bath Tourism Plus

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If you happen to be visiting Bath in winter, you’re unlikely to missthe Bath Christmas Market. This year will see more than 170
chalets pack the streets around the Roman Baths and BathAbbey, with high-quality artisan products, including Christmas
decorations handmade toys, crafted candles, festive food anddrink, local artwork, tasty cheeses and funky jewellery. Regularly
voted one of the UK’s most popular events, it’s unlikely you won’t
find something for everyone on your Christmas gifts list here.
bathchristmasmarket.co.uk

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life feature //life feature //Bar None

You can, literally, get a drink just about anywherein Bath. If you’re staying at The GainsboroughBath Spa, however, there’s no need to step out
as The Gainsborough Bar will quench just about
any thirst you can think of.
Is there really a right or wrong time to visit abar? Does one need to wait for evening tofall before having a sundowner? Honestly,
one should go to a bar when the mood
strikes. There is, after all, no better reason
for having a single malt than simply because
one feels like it, or a glass of champagne
just for a whiff of the aroma from the fizzing
bubbles. What’s more important, however,is that the establishment one steps into, thebar itself and its furnishings, the shelves andambience, feel just right.
There is much to like at The GainsboroughBar. If you’re staying at The GainsboroughBath Spa, it is handily within reach on
the ground floor. The fact that the house
champagne is Billecart-Salmon clues you inon the seriousness of the place. A mediumsized producer, the house of Billecart-Salmon
has been creating some of the most elegant
champagnes for more than two centuries.
This is not a champagne to be sneezed at. A
look at the shelves holds more revelations – a
selection of single malts name-checks someof the best producers; a serious formationof vodkas that include Beluga, Belvedere,Ketel One, Mamont and Snow Leopard; anda hearteningly solid assortment of liqueurs
and mixers that suggests this place takes its
cocktails seriously.
And since it’s open from noon to midnight,
The Gainsborough Bar synchronises sweetly
with your dining rhythm. It’s a place for a quick
pick-me-up as well as addressing the earnest
business of drinking. Come before or after
a meal (or both!) at the Johann Lafer at The

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Gainsborough restaurant opposite. The sittingarea, partitioned from the bar, is colourfully
comfortable. You can bring a friend or a book,and be cosily ensconced within one of theleather armchairs as you sip and chat or read.
It’s a cheerful place, with a striking polyptych
of 10 panels, inspired by the history of Bath,on the wall. You could also sink into the setteeby the windows, curved around the sides justso that you can pleasantly stretch out.
The bar is wood and marble, while theback bar is illuminated. Spirits here, as
noted earlier, take pride of place. Those
who quibble over their botanicals will be
impressed by the alphabet soup of gins lined
up: Bathtub, Beckett’s, Black Cow, Boodles,
Burleigh’s, Caorunn, Edgerton’s Original Pink,
Fifty Pounds, Gordon’s Sloe, Hayman’s,Hendrick’s, Ish, Monkey 47, No 3, Portobello
Road, Sacred, Sipsmith, Tanqueray, The
Botanist, Williams... as well as the local
brew, Bath Gin, completed with a winking
Jane Austen on the label. The bartender will
make any cocktail you like, or mix something
special to suit your preference. There is anice selection of wine and sample of local
ales too.

Clockwise, from top right:
The Gainsborough Bar takes spirits
seriously; the locally-distilled
Bath Gin is among the wide rangeof gins available; leather armchairs
and a comfortable settee help makeyour stay here that much cosier; theartisanal Sacred Spirits is one of thehighlights of The Gainsborough Bar.

To go back to the original question, there
really is no wrong time to drop into a bar.
Sometimes, it’s just the bar that isn’t right. The
Gainsborough Bar, though, ticks all the rightboxes: a lovely ambience, satisfyingly snug
furnishings, attentive and accommodating
staff, and a thoughtful and thorough approachto spirits. It’s the place to quench a thirst all
right, and it feels right any time, all the time.

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life feature //Dough,A DearCelebrity baker and patissier Nigel Skelchy walks down memory lanein Bath, recalling his student days in the spa town and a more recent
adventure in search of sun, fun and a few famous Bath buns.

It was such a strange sight. Sunlightstreaming onto golden roofs and the spireof St John the Evangelist piercing a bluerthan-blue sky greeted me as the train
trundled through the tunnel as it neared
Bath Spa station. My memories of the citywere infinitely greyer as the standing jokeof England having only two weeks of sun ayear seemed to be etched in my memory
as God’s honest truth.
It had been almost 15 years since I visited
Bath and forever since I had left school.
It was a bittersweet 'homecoming'. My
first memory of Bath was when Mum,Clockwise, fromright: Bath Olivers
are a satisfying
accompanimentto cheeses, pâtés
and other soft
toppings; the BathBun is a sweetroll with a lumpof sugar baked in
the bottom; theSally Lunn Bun
has even been
immortalised in a
Gilbert and Sullivan
musical.

My dear friend, Pei, gave me a warm
welcome and we set off down memory
lane, savouring old ones and gleefully
anticipating the new. The day was warm
but the chill was just coming off themorning, with the sun shining. Before
long, we had shed our jackets and people
had begun to pour out onto the streets,
shopping, eating and, yes, taking selfies.

sewing name tags onto my blue Marks &Spencer underwear, accompanied me toschool on the InterCity 125. It has been alifetime since then. Mum passed on and,while those left behind are happy in goodmemories, the place in the heart thatcarries her memory misses her greatly.
A few good tears were shed but the city
held many happy memories and more
were waiting to be made.

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Bath is a tourist attraction. It’s almost atheme park. On a warm, sunny day inlate spring, it’s golden. All buildings inBath are, by city ordinance, built of Bathstone, a type of limestone which, until the
18th century, was deemed unsuitable forconstruction as it was considered too soft.
Its popularity was due to a Cornishman,
Ralph Allen, who used it to build a proof ofconcept, which would eventually become
my old school, Prior Park College.
The city dates back almost 2,000 years
when it was an important Roman spa town
for the worship of Sulis, a Roman mothergoddess of Celtic origins. People used tocome to 'take the waters' and bring votive
offerings to Sulis Minerva. After the fall of

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life feature //life feature //Sally Lunn’s
Historic Eating
House, in Bath’s
Parade Passage, issaid to be the city’soldest building andis famous for its
Sally Lunn Buns,
served either
sweet or savory.

Battle of Badon (an old name for Bath).
Alexander Pope, the poet, lived here at
Ralph Allen’s residence, my old school,
for a while. In more recent times, thedeposed and exiled Emperor of Ethiopia
also lived in Fairfield House. Christopher
Patten, the last British Governor of Hong
Kong before its reversion to China in
1997, was a long-serving MP of Bath Spa
from 1979 to 1992. In a corner of BathAbbey, there’s also a small memorial to
the famous castrato, Venanzio Rauzzini.
What we might find ironic is that he had
quite a reputation for being a 'casanova'.
The memorial is hidden behind some
scaffolding and bric-a-brac in the southeast end of the abbey.

Left: Enjoy the quintessential
English Afternoon Tea at The
Gainsborough Bath Spa's
Canvas Room.
Above: Delicious Bath Buns canbe found at The Bath Bun Tea
Shoppe in Abbey Green.

and breaking into a rich, buttery, fruity BathBun after a Shepherd’s Pie made the birds
positively sing and the cherry blossoms
flower.

the Roman Empire, Aquae Sulis or 'Watersof Sulis', as it was then known, fell into
general decline, It experienced a revival
only in the 17th century when it once
again became a spa town and this time
known as Bath Spa. The city experienced
a renaissance during the Stuart period
as it was a stronghold for Charles I and,as such, enjoyed the royal patronage ofCharles II after the Restoration of the
English monarchy in 1660 and, especially,
the later Georgian period during theRegency and Mad King George’s reign.
Bath had always been traditionally part ofSomerset and, for an interregnum, waspart of County Avon from 1974 till 1996,
when Avon was abolished and Bath once
again, became the principle centre of what
is now known as Bath and North-East
Somerset. It is also a UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
Nobility and the gentry came from aroundthe country to partake of the curative
waters of Bath Spa and, in many ways,
it was as busy as parts of London today.
Bath has been connected with momentsof history, which have changed theworld. King Arthur was supposed to havedefeated the Anglo-Saxons here at the94

THE YTL LUXURY MAGAZINE“Bath Buns are a sweet roll andcan be made with a brioche or amilk dough. They were reputedly
created by one Dr William Oliver,
although this theory has since beendisproved by a local scholar.”Pei, who is also a street photographer,and I continued to walk along Dorchester
Street before taking a left onto Manvers
Street while walking past the St John’s
the Evangelist Catholic Church towards
a new bakery called Bertinet’s. Richard
Bertinet is a French pastry chef who
specialises in bread but has been working
in Britain since the 1980s. We had tosample the de rigueur Bath Buns. BathBuns are a sweet roll and can be madewith a brioche (rich egg, yeast dough) or amilk dough (yeast, milk, flour). They werereputedly created by one Dr William Oliver(although this theory has since beendisproved by a local scholar).
Dr Oliver was notably a physician, wellknown to Bath society and generally

well regarded. Like Ralph Allen, who he
was close to, he was born in Cornwall,
educated at Cambridge and the Universityof Leyden. He attached great store to thecurative mineral waters of Bath for bothdrinking and bathing. The popular chef,
Jamie Oliver, (no relation to Dr Oliver)has a recipe for it that, by all accounts,
is authentic right down to the liquorice-ycaraway seeds and the sugar cube
shoved into the 'bum' of the bun. Yes, thepun is deliberate.
We meandered our way to Queen Square
on a day that was fast becoming glorious.
It was one of those days that the British
talk about when they first greet someone.
Sitting on a park bench with a view of theBeau Nash Obelisk in the Square’s centre

It did, however, sit in the tummy. As a bit ofa snide aside aimed at a mean aunt, Jane
Austen is reported to have said she would
make herself an inexpensive guest by“disordering my stomach with Bath buns”
in catty reference to their richness. As
such, Pei and I were both very grateful that
we decided to walk a little more, a practicedeemed good for the constitution, like
Oliver’s true and authentic creation, BathOlivers. Essentially, flour, butter, yeast, andmilk, Bath Olivers are a hard, dry biscuit. It
was said the good doctor created it for the
benefit of his rheumatic patients. This, wewere assured, is a true story.
Bath Olivers make a perfectly neutral,
textured foil for pâtés, cheeses andall sorts of soft toppings, lending asatisfying crunch to a flavourful mouthful.
In his generosity, and in recognition of his
service, Oliver bequeathed his coachman,a Mr Atkins, the recipe along with £100
and 10 sacks of the finest wheat flour.
Needless to say, Mr Atkins was industrious
and clever enough to make a bundle
selling these biccies.

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life feature //life feature //“The original
recipe of the
Sally Lunn Bun
is passed downalong with thedeed to thehouse, which wasbuilt in 1482.”
By all accounts, the recipe passed toJames Fortt in the 1950s and is now
currently produced by United Biscuits
which owns the Jacob’s brand – the same
one behind the famous cream crackers.
The great irony is that William Oliver, aphysician, made this intentionally healthy
treat for rheumatic sufferers but sufferedfrom gout himself for many a year before
his death.
Rudyard Kipling, the author of The Jungle
Book, references Bath Olivers in his book
Puck of Pook's Hill, a historical fantasy,
where he writes “… the child heroes ofthe story … took their supper – hardboiled eggs, Bath Oliver biscuits, andsalt in an envelope – with them.” In every
reference to Bath Olivers, it sets a sceneof Englishness: the stiff upper lip, gentility,
scones and crumpets, which they wereinvariably served with; not to mention thecharlady.
The next little, well, maybe not so little,
thing is another must-try for the Bathvisitor: a Sally Lunn Bun. Now, here’s
the thing; Sally Lunn wasn’t Sally Lunnat all. In fact, it is speculated, that she
was a Huguenot refugee by the nameof Solange Luyon, who fled France
to escape persecution by the French
Catholics.

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Top: Visitors to Bathwill not go wanting
where baked goods
are concerned.
Bottom: Sally Lunn’s
Historic Eating
House draws both
locals as well as
visitors from all over
the world.

The Sally Lunn Bun uses a rich brioche
dough and its shape actually calls to mind
a chef’s hat (not the toque) and is almost
as large. That is to say the size of a small
dinner plate at its largest point. Unlike theBath Bun, it doesn’t have any fruit or filling.
It’s very light and fluffy, with an almost paleyellow colouring on the inside. It’s equallydelicious with savoury salt beef as it iswith butter and jam.

cadet houses of the Plantagenet dynasty,
the Houses of York and Lancaster. By
the time Sally Lunn came to occupy thehouse, the 'Merry Monarch', Charles
II, had been back on the throne fora good 20 years. The house itself isacknowledged to be the oldest in Bath.
There is even a masonry oven in thebasement that dates back to the 12th
century.

The original recipe of the Sally Lunn Bun
is passed down along with the deed to
Sally Lunn's Historic Eating House, which
was built in 1482, during the closing yearsof the Wars of the Roses between two

It seems appropriate that Sally Lunn isimmortalised in song by the great duo,
Gilbert and Sullivan, in their work, The
Sorceror, who sings of “…the gay Sally
Lunn! The rollicking, rollicking bun!”

Out and
About In
The Country
Bath is indeed beautiful. But
given the proximity of
The Gainsborough Bath Spa
to some of England’s most
picturesque and historicalsights, it would be a shame notto spend a day exploring someof these timeless lovelies.

Corsham

The name Poldark might not be instantly recognisable to mostpeople living outside of Britain, but the BBC series, which features
lots of bodice-ripping and a particularly popular brooding male leadby the name of Aidan Turner, is a big hit indeed, with millions of fansand counting. It is pretty-as-a-picture Corsham, which provided thesetting for what was 18th-century Truro in the series. Located at thesouth-western edge of the Cotswolds, there’s plenty to see anddo in this historic market town; from touring Corsham Court andits extensive gardens to a leisurely stop at The Flemish Weaver forsomething with which to fortify the constitution. Corsham is also

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life feature //referred to in the Domesday Book as Cosseham. Those with aninterest in heraldry should stop and pay attention to the mythicalwyvern, a popular symbol in what was once known as the WestCountry Kingdom of Wessex, on the façade of the town hall. And,
as you wander the high street, nipping in and out of shops, don’t be
surprised if you see a peacock, and not the proverbial chicken, crossthe road. Corsham is particularly famous for its peacock population,
which, traditionally, have lived on the grounds of Corsham Court
since the time of Elizabeth I (peacocks are also the symbol of themanor house) but may generally be found roaming about freely.

Lacock

Lacock Village might have been popularised of late as a favourite
television and film location, but photography enthusiasts would dowell to know that Lacock Abbey is, in fact, the birthplace of modern
day picture-taking after William Henry Fox Talbot took the very first
photographic negative in 1835. If you’re spending the day here,
make time to discover all the secrets of Lacock Abbey and thehistory of photography. If you prefer to be behind the camera, thenhead over to the Abbey garden and grounds where it would be
literally blooming in spring. There are paths to traipse down, leading
you to, perhaps, the apple orchard or rose garden (June is said tobe the best month to catch the blossoms, with the perfume of theflowers hanging heavy in the air), while the Bide Brook stream is apleasant place to while away a few hours with a snack or a goodbook. If your youngsters are being stroppy over a day out in the
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The villages of Lacockand Castle Combe areamong the most beautiful
in England. Make time to
explore Castle Combe's
beautiful St Andrew's
Church, which dates backto the 13th century. Whilein Corsham, be sure towatch out for peacocks,
which, althoughtechnically relegated to
the gardens of Corsham
Court, tend to wander theentire village.

several of the Harry Potter movies. They might recognise Lacock
Abbey’s warming room as a classroom in Harry Potter and thePhilosopher’s Stone or Chapter House, which can be seen in
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Such is the Harry Potter
connection with Lacock Abbey that it has since been teasingly
referred to as 'Harrywood'. Lacock’s other brushes with cinematicfame may be seen in the film version of The Other Boleyn Girl andthe BBC’s production of Pride and Prejudice. Anyone seen Mr
Darcy yet?

Castle Combe

If there’s a reason why Castle Combe looks familiar, it’s probably
because it has been the setting for numerous films, including
Steven Spielberg’s 2010 movie, War Horse. Hollywood glamour
aside, Castle Combe is also known as 'the prettiest village inEngland' and should you be lucky enough to pay it a visit, you’dsoon see why. 'Charming' might be a clichéd word but Castle
Combe simply oozes it; from the little By Brook which runs throughit to the 13th century St Andrew’s Church, which houses a rare
English medieval clock (still in use) and the tomb of Sir Walter

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life feature //de Dunstanville, the Baron of Castlecombe, who died in 1270,
presumably on crusade. It is of particular interest to point out toyounger visitors the absolute lack of television antennas and othersigns of modern alteration, including telegraph poles and satellite
dishes. There are a few spots for afternoon tea, although it might
be a nicer idea to pack along a picnic, to be enjoyed by the By
Brook, or perhaps under the shade of the beautiful 14th century
market cross in the square, erected when the village was granted
the privilege of holding a weekly market.

Avebury

If you have already ticked off magical, mystical Stonehenge fromyour 'must-see' list and are still hankering for the touch of sacredstones, then a visit to Avebury, just 30km south, is in order. Locals
would actually recommend Avebury over Stonehenge, as it isless crowded and more accessible, with visitors being able toget up close to the ancient megaliths themselves. Avebury is also
older than Stonehenge and, according to general consensus,
more spectacular. Certainly, as you approach the largest known
stone ring in the world, you would realise the significance andimportance of this complex prehistoric site. Cloaked in mystery,
there’s certainly no shortage of folklore or legends. One of themost massive megaliths has been given the name, The Devil’s
Chair, due to the stone’s natural seat-like formation. It was said
that young women would sit there on Beltane, or the Gaelic May
Day festival, to make a wish. It has also been said that the massiverock formations were chosen to depict man and woman, withthe rectangles and diamonds representing male and female,respectively.

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life feature //StonehengeWith its mystical connections to the fabled druids as well as King
Arthur and Merlin, it’s no wonder this windswept place in Wiltshire’s
Salisbury Plain remains as the most important prehistoricmonument as well as one of the most visited sites in Britain. Whoand why this circle of trilithons – gigantic stones placed upright witha cross lintel on top – was built remains a mystery but scholars, forthe most part, have agreed that it is a primitive temple of the sun,aligned to its movements, and built around 4,500 years ago bysophisticated prehistoric people. Come early in the morning or in
the late afternoon to avoid the crowds and, if you are in tune withthe spirit of the sacred, the summer solstice is, without doubt, themost important time to be here as it is believed to be the longest

day of the year, happening when the tilt of the Earth’s axis isinclined most to the sun. Thousands descend upon Stonehenge
to witness the sun rise on this date and, in recent years, has taken
on an almost festival-like atmosphere.

Wells

Just as peacocks are synonymous with Corsham, swans are
inextricably linked with Wells. For over 800 years, these gracefulbirds have patrolled the 13th century Bishop’s Palace – the official
home of the Bishop of Bath and Wells. By law, all swans in England
belong to the Crown but the swans of Wells are special. If you waitby the Bishop’s Palace moat, fed by the city’s ancient springs, lookout for the gatehouse bell where the swans have been trained

to ring the bell by the Palace drawbridge if they want to be fed.
And although Wells is known as England’s 'smallest city', its mainplace of worship, the Cathedral Church of St Andrew, is a toweringgem. Make time to marvel or admire the illustrated bible stories orgasp at the gorgeous Gothic interior as well as wait for the chimingof the famous 623-year-old cathedral clock, which strikes every
quarter. It’s reputed to be the second oldest clock mechanism
still surviving and in use in the world today. Festival days are
particularly wonderful to soak up the atmosphere of Wells, with
Palm Sunday, the start of the Holy Week, which ends with Easter,
being the most colourful and festive, complete with the voices ofchoristers singing and trumpets sounding from holes carved in
between ecclesiastical sculptures.

Clockwise, from top left: If
you believe in the power ofsacred geometry, soak up the
mystic vibe of Stonehenge,
arguably the UK's most
famous prehistoric site,whose origins and purpose
continue to baffle and intrigue
scholars; the Cathedral
Church of St Andrew in Wells
is an ecclesiastical gem; thewindswept plains of Wiltshireis also home to anotherprecious prehistoric site –Avebury, home to the largest
known stone ring in the world
as well as massive rockformations that are believed
to depict man and woman.

life feature //Luxury in theHeart of History
The ancient spa city of Bath has been attracting visitors for more than two
millennia, drawn by its healing thermal waters and history. One of its bestkept secrets, The Townhouse at Hetling Court Bath, offers unparalleledaccess to both and to really know what it’s like living within so much history.
It’s a late spring evening, the sky finally darkening, and I’m exploring
the myriad pleasures of The Canary Gin & Wine Bar in Bath.
Located on Queen Street, the bar – home to its own Bath Gineven as its shelves groan with more than 130 brands of gin fromaround the world – is one of the new discoveries I stumbled into
while exploring the city of Bath’s historic heart.
If Bath doesn’t exactly sprawl in the way that, say, London (amere 90-minute train ride away) does, its centre is positively
tiny, effortlessly accessible on foot, but packed with a historicalsignificance that belies its size. Not for nothing is Bath a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site: just around the corner from The Canary is the
Guildhall, which dates back to the late 18th century. Across thestreet, literally, is the imposing Bath Abbey. While the present-day
building was started in 1499, the site has been a place of worshipsince Anglo-Saxon times.
Directly in front of the abbey is an even older attraction – theRoman Baths, which first began construction around 60-70AD
on a site that once held a Celtic shrine from the 8th century
BC, dedicated to the goddess Sulis (hence Aquae Sulis, or thewaters of Sulis, the Roman name for Bath). One of the moreinteresting exhibits in the Roman Baths is the Beau Street Hoard,a collection of more than 17,000 silver Roman coins, spanningthe period from 32BC to 274AD, that were discovered during theconstruction of The Gainsborough Bath Spa.

The five-storey The Townhouse at
Hetling Court Bath is one of thecity's best-kept secrets.

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Built on a Celtic shrine that dates
back to the 8th century BC, theRoman Baths is one of the city's
most popular tourist attractions.

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“At The Townhouseat Hetling Court Bath,time is at a standstill.
On the other side of thedoor, history and thecenturies swirl, waiting
your discovery.”Clockwise from top: The Master Suite's copper
bath in front of the imposing fireplace; the largeorange sofas in the Drawing Room offer cosy
comfort; the Master Suite is decorated in teal,silver and grey accents; the kitchen in The
Townhouse at Hetling Court Bath, with a pink
Smeg referigerator for a touch of colour.

The just-opened The Gainsborough Bath Spa is the latest addition
to the YTL Classic Hotels portfolio and its Georgian façade will
enclose the UK’s only natural thermal spa within a hotel. It is rightnext door to the publicly accessible Thermae Bath Spa (a YTL
wellness operation), which is a quick stroll from the Roman Baths.
A few cobblestone steps away is another YTL gem and one of thecity’s best-kept secrets – the luxurious The Townhouse at Hetling
Court Bath. This gorgeous property is part of Hetling House, formerly
known as Abbey Church House, and is probably the city’s last
surviving Elizabethan building.
While parts of it date back to the late 16th century, the five-storey
The Townhouse at Hetling Court Bath is anything but antique. The
sumptuous interiors were designed by Peter Higgins of Bath-based
Eton Design, who was also responsible for the refurbishment of
the MUSE Bray Cottages in Berkshire, England. The discreet front
door opens into a soothing garden room that also includes a large

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glass table with cushion chairs for meetings or informal meals.
Further back, through a short passage, is the thoroughly fitted out
kitchen, with a marble top breakfast bar for two. Standing out,
incongruously, from all the modern amenities is a pink Smeg
refrigerator, filled with tempting goodies that the house manager,
has personally selected, including pastries, confectioneries,
cheeses and wines.
One floor up the thickly carpeted stairs is the Drawing Room,dominated by a pair of plush orange sofas – too large to
fit through the doorway, they were actually put together
in the room itself – and a velvet ottoman. A small library,music system and Bang & Olufsen flatscreen see to yourleisurely pursuits, while a well-curated drinks tray add to therelaxing ambience.
The capacious Master Suite, on the third level, features anenticing copper freestanding bath, thoughtfully placed before
the imposing fireplace. A king-sized canopied bed, with 18-inch
mattress, silk bed linen and sumptuous pillows, ensures a snug
night in among the room’s pale teal, silver and grey accents.

While the bath easily fits two, an adjoining bathroom, with walk-in
shower and twin vanities, is just steps away. While The Townhouseat Hetling Court Bath is the perfectly private escape for two,
there’s more than enough space for five. Apart from a single
room on the fourth floor, the Queen Bedroom on the top level is acolourfully decorated self-contained suite, with a large double bed,
fireplace and enclosed shower amidst the pretty cream, pink andlilac hues .
It will take more than a night’s stay to fully appreciate the full details– I took particular delight in the ribbed fabric pig doorstops – of theluxurious sanctuary that is The Townhouse at Hetling Court Bath.
Yet, it is its location, within the busiest part of the city, that appeals
most. As night falls, a tranquil hush descends and, apart from theoccasional footsteps or subdued murmurs outside, there is nothing
to interrupt your quiet enjoyment of the house. As you enjoy a glassof wine while watching the television or curl up in bed with a book,it’s truly impossible to believe that you are in the heart of Bath. Here,
within The Townhouse at Hetling Court Bath, time is at a standstill.
On the other side of the door, history and the centuries swirl, waiting
your discovery.

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Set within the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, Gaya Island
Resort is a gem located just off Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
Golden sand beaches and crystal clear waters that teem withmarine life beckon, while the Spa Village offers guests a
unique experience of Borneo-inspired healing and wellness
traditions.
www.gayaislandresort.com

Located off the Straits of Malacca, this luxurious resort
boasts an entire tropical island all to itself. Villas aretucked into the hillside or gracefully perched on stilts
above the water, while an award-winning Spa Village offers
world-class treatments to leave you feeling recharged,
relaxed and rejuvenated.
www.pangkorlautresort.com

Embodying the essence of Malay culture and tradition,
Tanjong Jara Resort on the East Coast of Peninsular
Malaysia offers the perfect experience of Malay hospitality.
Fronted by the South China Sea and surrounded by the lush
green beauty of the local countryside, Tanjong Jara offers
you an experience of Malaysia like no other.
www.tanjongjararesort.com

This unique hill station combines all the splendour, romanceand nostalgia of the area's grand colonial heritage while
the resort, with its luxurious rooms and award-winning
Spa Village, remains the best place to experience it all, fromverdant hills, tea plantations, rose gardens and strawberry
patches.
www.cameronhighlandsresort.com

Fully restored to its former glory, this elegant property
which dates back to the 1930s, is an Art Deco monument thatblends history with world-class hospitality. Dining options
include Hainanese favourites at the Colonial Café or aninteractive dining experience at Contango, while the rooms
are a blend of contemporary style and Old world elegance.
www.majestickl.com

Regarded as the cradle of Malaysian history, exploring
Malacca is like stepping back in time, when the port-city used
to welcome spice traders, sultans and warriors from bygone
days. Soak up all the magic at The Majestic Malacca, one of thecity's finest hotels whose structure dates back to the 1920s
and whose interiors are a reflection of the city's fine past.
www.majesticmalacca.com

Its name already conjures up images of old world eleganceand opulence. located in Kuala Lumpur's downtown Golden
Triangle business district, this luxury hotel is conveniently
located to upscale shopping, dining and entertainment. It also
boasts of its own award-winning spa while gourmets would be
hard-pressed to find better Cantonese cuisine than at Li Yen,
its fine dining Chinese restaurant.
www.ytlhotels.com

Located right along Bukit Bintang road in the heart ofKuala Lumpur, the JW Marriott is ideal for all travellers.
From busy executives to families wishing to soak up the city's
sights, sounds and world-class shopping, this well-placed
hotel with its extensive range of facilities is undoubtedly theperfect choice.
www.ytlhotels.com

The heart of the village is Niseko Village's main pulse where paved intimate walkways are flanked by contemporary shoppingand dining concepts. Just moments from Niseko Village's award-winning hotels, residences and lifts, its slopeside location
allows for a seamless ski-in, ski-out access bteween mountain adventures and indoor diversions. The modern and the
traditional are interwoven to evoke a genteel lifestyle at the village with its authentic Japanese machiya architectural setting.
Après-ski is excitingly redefined at Niseko Village.
www.niseko-village.com

Situated at the base of Mount Niseko Annupuri, Kasara Niseko Village Townhouse occupies a unique position at the heart of
Niseko Village. Eight exclusive 3-bedroom townhouses mark the first highly anticipated phase of YTL Hotels' redefinitionof alpine living at Niseko Village with ski runs and lifts a mere heartbeat away. Embodying authentic Japanese charm with
contemporary elegance and sensitivity towards nature, the dwellings are an ode to Japan's heritage townhouses that were
inhabited by craftsmen and wealthy merchants toward the end of the Edo period.
www.kasara.com

Set at the foot of Mount Niseko Annupuri, the Hilton Niseko
Village offers year-round activities, from skiing during thewinter season to a host of wholesome, family-friendly activities
during summer. There are also two 18-hole championshipgolf courses, a tennis complex an equestrian centre and anature-based activity centre.
www.hiltonnisekovillage.jp

Located in the heart of Niseko Village in Hokkaido, Japan,
this premium contemporary resort offers guests a seamlessexperience of stay, snow and ski. Goshiki offers a wide rangeof flavours to suit every palate while après-ski drinks are
best enjoyed at the contemporary Tomioka White Lounge.
www.thegreenleafhotel.com

Situated on Pansea Beach, without doubt one of Phuket’s
loveliest and most private, The Surin offers a perfect sliceof thai beach life. Charming cottages and suites are all
discreetly built into a carefully conserved landscape amidst
coconut trees. From sumptuous cuisine to watersports,
a world-class spa and spectacular sunsets, it combines
idyllic tropical charm with all the warmth and grace of Thai
hospitality.
Www.Thesurinphuket.Com

Black volcanic sand, majestic Mount Agung, the deep blueof the indian ocean and the mystical balinese way of life allcome together in style at the Spa Village Resort Tembok, Bali.
Set in the north of the island, it is a place of enchanting
peacefulness and a haven of wellness, where guests canenjoy all the benefits and pleasures of spa life in tranquil,
spiritual surroundings.
Www.Spavillageresort.Com/tembokbali

More than a train service, the Eastern & Oriental Express
epitomises the grandeur, luxury and romance of rail travelfrom a bygone era. Relive it today as you journey fromSingapore to Bangkok via the entire length of Peninsular
Malaysia in true luxury and ultimate overland style.
www.ytlhotels.com

The Gainsborough Bath Spa exclusively offers the only
natural thermal spa within a hotel in the United Kingdom.
Keystone to the geographic heart of Bath, the hotel is a
moment's stroll from Bath Abbey. The high street-shoppingon Milsom Street, the Roman Baths and is the best locationfrom which to explore the city and its other pre-eminent
attractions.
www.thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk

Guests who wish to enjoy a more spacious stay while exploring
the historical soul of Bath would do well to consider the
Elizabethan charms of the MUSE Townhouses. Spread out
over five levels, each with its own individual character, theMUSE Townhouses combine spaciousness, modern comfort
and quiet elegance all within the heart of this fine ancient
Roman spa town.
www.muse-hotels.com

Muse Bray Cottages are situated in the heart of the picturesquevillage of Bray-on-Thames, Berkshire, England. The renovatedperiod properties consist of Bray House, originally the stables
for the nearby Manor House of Bray in the 1780's. Dormer
Cottage is a particularly quaint and beautiful 500 year old
cottage while Lavender House is one of the most stunninghouses in this beautiful 14th century village.
www.muse-hotels.com

Spa Village Pangkor LautSpa Village Cameron Highlands

A glamorous yet private hideaway in stunning Saint Tropez,
living the south of France lifestyle doesn’t get better than at
the Muse Saint Tropez. Located in Ramatuelle and surroundedby forests of umbrella pines, this bijou property boasts just
15 suites, each named after famous ‘muses’. Make it your baseto exlore all the sights, sounds and delights of this jewel ofthe Riviera.
www.muse-hotels.com

Two gorgeous and luxurious villas, with 9 and 6 bedrooms
respectively, offer countryside living, tranquility and peace
as well as the security of an exclusive residential estate, yetremain in close proximity to all types of amenities and are
ideal for exploring the famous costa del sol.
www.muse-hotels.com

Spa Village Malacca

Spa Village Gaya Island

The Spa Villages honour the healing culture of the region in which each is built. Each Spa Village has its own character andauthenticity, working with local healers and traditions.
www.spavillage.com

Shook! Shanghai occupies the penthouse floor of The Swatch
Art Peace Hotel, A Renaissance-style 1906 heritage landmark
on the Bund. The celebrated restaurant features a show
kitchen where signature dishes for four different cuisines
are created around the senses, flirting with seasonal trends.
www.shookrestaurantshanghai.com

Choice is the key word when it comes to dining at Shook KL
and Lot 10 Hutong. The former offers four cuisines fromfour live kitchens, including Italian, Japanese, Chinese and
the Grill, while the latter is the de facto destination when it
comes to enjoying the best of Malaysian street food under
one well-formed roof.
www.starhillgallery.com
www.lot10hutong.com

Each Australian Marriott Hotel is situated within the central business district of its city and ideally positioned to serve bothbusiness and leisure travellers alike. the 563-room Sydney Harbour Marriott is set in the heart of Circular Quay, overlooking
iconic landmarks the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. The 186-room Melbourne Marriott is close to the city's theatre
precinct, the shopping districts and Chinatown. The Brisbane Marriott, with 263 rooms and 4 suites, is situated between
Brisbane's CBD and the Fortitude Valley hub, close to shopping, riverside dining, and the city's corporate and cultural
locales.
www.marriott.com

Embrace the new Vistana vibes in three choice locations across Malaysia as we take business travel to the next level, Brisk,
efficient service; be it at check-in or departure. Comfortable rooms with practical amenities suited to work or relaxation plus
complimentary WiFi throughout the hotel. Pause at Barista, the 24-hour coffee bar, and adjacent communications centre,
Hub 247, for a quick business breakfast, or sit down to fresh hot meals at Cafe. Be it for work, rest or leisure, Vistana Hotels
is always welcoming, always connected, Always here. Experience the new Vistana vibes.
www.vistanahotels.com