Things to do in Bath

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I can recall distant memories of various primary school trips to Bath to see the famous ancient Roman baths, but I remember little about the city. Recently I learnt that, after London and Edinburgh, Bath is the most popular and most visited city in the UK. Invited to review a quaint little hotel nearby, I grabbed the opportunity to spend the weekend in this historic idyll.

To stay

Old Manor – those keen on relaxing will adore this atmospheric, charming abode outside the city. The hotel reopened six months ago under new ownership, spruced up and redecorated. With their own livestock and fresh produce grown on site, Old Manor is set to be an unmissable foodie destination. I found the characterful, 500-year-old building inspiring and very comfortable.

To eat

Bath Priory – located in the cosy but grand hotel of the same name, this Michelin star-awarded restaurant presents the fine food and impeccable service. Executive chef Sam Moody cooks creative and unique dishes using the best seasonal ingredients. A three course lunch with wine may take half the afternoon but it is so worth it.

To drink

Colonna and Small’s – this coffee haven is renowned for its meticulously sourced, perfectly blended coffee. Co-owner and multi-award winning barista Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood serves up the best ground beans in Bath and would even be competition for London’s caffeine hotspots. Choose from a variety of beans for your special cup of coffee.

To see 

Roman Baths – the main attraction in Bath city centre is unsurprisingly top of everyone’s to do list when they visit Bath. The ancient baths are well preserved and offer an insight into the history of this public bathing tradition.

To do

Thermae Baths – Splash about in the turquoise blue rooftop bath whatever the weather. Here you can bathe in the natural thermal water like the Romans did 2000 years ago. The building is luxurious and well designed, with private treatment rooms for soothing massages and facials and a restaurant for light meals and fresh juices.

The First Great Western train ride from London to Bath is simple and speedy with picturesque views from the window.

Thoroughly Modern Milly travelled on the First Great Western First Class service from London Paddington to Bath Spa.

Many thanks to Visit Bath for their help with this trip, more information here.

THOROUGHLY MODERN MAN: Philip Pullman’s Grimm Tales

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This review will be unusually brief, as the feelings of intrigue and mystery created by Philip Pullman’s masterful reimagining of the fairy tale is better experienced than described. This is theatre-in-the-round at its best, with characters weaving in and out of the clusters of audience members scattered throughout the perfectly eerie performance spaces. The performers’ fluid transition from narration to acting creates a seamless chronicle that flows at a good pace. This pace is what makes the minimalist storyline fly, unencumbered by the trappings of modern storytelling like backstory and description. To borrow from Einstein, storytelling “should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler”. Suffice it to say that, of the five stories, the ones you think you know beforehand you’ll see in a new light, and the ones you hadn’t known existed previously – here I am specifically thinking of the half-man half-hedgehog who rides on the back of a cockerel, playing his bagpipes – will be left engrained in your memory. Get yourself down to the Shoreditch Town Hall basement, and let yourself be carried away by the ambience, the acting, and above all the reinvention of stories handed down generation to generation.

Continues until 24 April, book here.

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, James Bomford.

The Fable, Chancery Lane

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The Fable is the newest restaurant from imaginative group Drake and Morgan; each establishment has its own distinctive character and theme but similar food, this new eatery follows suit. The design evokes the atmosphere of fairytales and fantasies with a focus on the Fables of Aesop, there are various indicators: piles of books surround a table, a flower shop occupies one entrance, the bathrooms are mirrored boudoirs. Each of the three floors provides a different vibe and guests can pick their table dependant on intention: a cocktail making class, a sit-down meal, a quick drink with friends. With the capacity to hold over 1000 guests at any time the space is also ideal for events.

We sat on the lowest floor, where the kitchen is based. It was not very relaxing, a bunch of rowdy business boys on one side, and a barrage of loud music from a booming speaker on the other side. Once the group had left and the music turned down, the ambience improved considerably.

Our waitress was perfectly sweet but a little clueless, drifting to and from our table looking bewildered, I found it distracting that she smelt quite strongly of cigarettes. It took a while for our starters to arrive but once they did mains came in quick succession after. The menu offers cuisine from around the globe: Asian inspired starters, steaks and burgers, pastas and salads, Mediterranean style sharing boards. I chose chicken satay skewers with peanut sauce and prawn crackers, the meat was tender and well marinated and the sauce had a satisfyingly spicy kick, though it was disappointingly served cold. My friend chose lobster and parmesan croquettes coated in a golden crunchy layer of breadcrumbs with a soft and tasty filling. Both were served with handfuls of rocket, I wondered if this was for colour or for taste?

Mains immediately replaced the clean starter plates… fillet steak was cooked perfectly for me with a nice chargrilled edge and a good flavour. The chips were sadly just out of a bag and were rather uninteresting, peppercorn sauce was little more than cream with a hint of pepper flavouring despite containing whole peppercorns. The crab and crayfish linguine looked delicious, and my friend was delighted to find chunky pieces of crayfish amongst the strands of pasta. Again both dishes were presented with a helping of rocket, it was becoming a bit of a trend!

For dessert we opted for the selection of mini pudding shots, all exceptionally sweet but tasty. I favoured the knickerbocker glory with whole cherries and honeycomb, though the white chocolate crème brulee was yummy too. Our round of fresh mint tea was completely forgotten about, and after waiting for half an hour we headed home.

I had such high hopes for this new fairytale venue, and though parts of the décor are whimsical and captivating, the atmosphere and menu lack charm and character.

More information here: www.thefablebar.co.uk