What’s Hot – October 2014
Destinations
SCOTLAND
Anywhere visited by David Beckham is instantly hot so great to see the fantastic coverage of the Highlands on
the advert for his new single grain whisky. Watch it again on www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaMuQPmzrrU
Areas featured include Glen Affric, west of Loch Ness; Glencoe – also of course the filming location for Skyfall,
and the Isle of Skye. Gilmerton House, where the Beckhams enjoyed their anniversary, while they were here
shooting the ad, is unfortunately only available for exclusive use.
Another film to raise awareness of the Highlands’ beauty was cyclist Danny McAskill’s ‘The Ridge’. The film
shows Skye-born Danny climbing – seemingly effortlessly - to the top of the Inaccessible Pinnacle with his
mountain bike over his shoulder. The Highland outdoor adventure company, whose mountain guides worked on
the film has seen bookings dramatically increase following its popularity.
http://mediacentre.visitscotland.org/pressreleases/bookings-go-skye-high-for-adventure-company-1071540
SONNING, SOUTH EAST ENGLAND
There was much excitement along the Thames (and in the media here) recently when locals heard the new Mr
and Mrs Clooney had bought a house in Sonning. They were apparently spotted at The Bull Inn, a gastropub
with boutique bedrooms, located in the Berkshire village, where they were also reportedly looking at properties.
Sonning is around 90 minutes’ drive from London and The Good Pub Guide describes The Bull as a “picture
postcard 16th century inn' by the Thames, and it featured in Jerome K Jerome’s classic book Three Men in a
Boat. http://bullinnsonning.co.uk
And following their wedding in Venice, the Clooneys hosted a reception party at Danesfield House & Spa in the
pretty riverside town of Marlow, Buckinghamshire, around an hour’s drive from London. Danesfield describes
itself on its website as “quintessentially British” www.danesfieldhouse.co.uk. Marlow is also home to Tom
Kerridge’s two Michelin-starred pub The Hand and Flowers. www.thehandandflowers.co.uk
SALISBURY, SOUTH WEST ENGLAND
Salisbury has been named in the top 10 places to visit in 2015 by the influential Lonely Planet Guide. “Topping
the list of Lonely Planet’s special anniversaries is the 800th of the signing of the Magna Carta, and the inclusion
of Salisbury on the top cities list reflects its role in the celebrations next year”.
Salisbury, about 1.5 hours by train south-west of London (and with Stonehenge a short bus ride away) , is “home
to the best-preserved original copy of the historic document”, and will be centre stage for the events marking its
momentous anniversary, with a brand new exhibition, a flower festival and more events and talks. Salisbury will
also be part of the Magna Carta trails - six tours designed to showcase the places associated with the signing of
the Great Charter - and its beautiful Cathedral is worth visiting throughout the year. www.magnacartatrails.com
More on Salisbury Cathedral (and indeed a useful crib sheet on “What is Magna Carta”) can be found on
www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/magna-carta. It boasts the tallest cathedral spire in England and has a
particularly pretty Cathedral Close, which includes National Trust-owned Mompesson House , a film location for
Emma Thompson’s Sense and Sensibility, and if you feel like some refreshment after viewing the important
document, why not drop into the Haunch of Venison an “ancient pub oozing history, with tiny beamed rooms,
unique fittings” and “the smoke-preserved mummified hand of an 18th century card-sharp still clutching his cards”
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mompesson-house, http://restaurant-salisbury.com
SNOWDONIA, NORTH WALES
Bounce Below follows the Zip World Titan launch and opened this summer in Blaenau Ffestiniog’s underground
quarry; a space twice the size of St. Paul’s Cathedral. The caverns will be lit up in a light show while visitors will
be 'delivered 'to the deep attraction by train to bounce on giant trampolines linked by a 60ft long slide!
www.zipworld.co.uk/titan, www.bouncebelow.net
The North Wales National Park is really getting a name as a great location for adventure. There’s coasteering
nearby, ziplining of course, and next year welcomes Surf Snowdonia. Steph is our expert having visited recently
on the Countryside global trip if you want to hear more (or see her photos!)
MANCHESTER - OR 1920s NEW YORK?
Hollywood stars Jude Law, Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman, Sigourney Weaver and Liam Neeson were all reported to
be filming in Manchester recently.
Liam Neeson and Sigourney Weaver were on location for fantasy film “A Monster Calls” in Didsbury, while the
fashionable Northern Quarter was transformed into 1920s New York as Jude Law and Colin Firth filmed for
“Genius”, due to be released in 2016. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/film-news/sigourneyweaver-liam-neesons-new-7936902 and www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/film-news/pictured-colinfirth-quite-drenching-7964865
It’s not just film locations though, the city is really upping its game in terms of culture –Andy Parkinson from
Marketing Manchester recently organised a European cultural press trip to the city – with the regular opening to
the public of leading Victorian novelist Elizabeth Gaskell’s home and the reopening in February of The Whitworth
Art Gallery. On a literary theme in Manchester, Creative Tourist also put together a list of the best ‘bookish’
places to eat and drink – cafés and bars with a literary theme www.creativetourist.com/articles/fooddrink/manchester/literary-places-to-eat-and-drink-in-manchester
The Manchester International Festival is also back next year – the biennial event always includes exciting,
original, ground-breaking culture www.mif.co.uk
Of course, while you’re in town, you’ll want to eat well! Marketing Manchester gave us some tips for hot new
eateries in town:
Recently two new street food parties have sprung up, which run every weekend and have a variety of streetfood
traders, including a bar and DJ. The first being Guerilla Eats http://guerrillaeats.com located in the Northern
Quarter and the other is called B.Eat Street (@beatstreetmcr) located in the Great Northern Warehouse on
Deansgate. Sticking with street food, Viet Shack (@Vietshack), the newest addition to the Arndale Food market,
is serving authentic Vietnamese street food with a twist and there’s massive hype in city surrounding this take out
spot.
In Chinatown a new Thai restaurant called Siam Smiles (@SiamSmilesCafe) which has been gaining a lot of
positive press for its authentic Thai street food. It is located in the basement of a Thai minimarket and is a bit
rough and ready but that’s part of the charm. It has gained an amazing review from The Guardian as well:
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/oct/03/siam-smiles-manchester-restaurant-review-marina-oloughlin
In Ashton-Under-Lyne a vegetarian Indian café, called Lily’s Vegetarian Indian has recently built up a great
reputation by offering excellent value for money and consistently delicious food. They've even been recognised
in the UK’s Good Food Guide 2015 as a 'readers recommend' listing.
Also two new tequila bars have sprung within months of one another. One is called El Capo (@ElCapoNQ) and
is located in the Northern Quarter and the other is called XOLO (@XoloMCR) located on Oxford Road.
THE TARDIS!
The Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff was closed for refurbishment, while new Doctor Peter Capaldi toured
the world with co-star Jenna Coleman ahead of the new series, and now features an all-new adventure with the
new Doctor! www.doctorwho.tv/events/doctor-who-experience
Eating and Drinking
One of the quirkiest new openings we’ve heard of is Deathrow Dive and Diner. It aims to be: ‘A bit surreal. A bit
cartoon. A bit graphic novel.’ They have a mission statement that explains the desire to name a restaurant
‘deathrow’, which centres on the concept of last meals and movies – read it here – and they specialise in fried
chicken and burgers, with a solid cocktail list featuring six types of Bloody Mary www.deathrowdiveanddiner.com
Liverpool’s new bar and event space Constellations calls itself ‘an intersection of art, music, food, conversation’,
and is in the Baltic Triangle, an artsy and hip neighbourhood worth exploring. Joe from Marketing Liverpool says
it has a lovely atmosphere and ace events programme. Looks like a cool and trendy hangout.
https://twitter.com/ConstellationsL
A handy article about Liverpool’s bars, clubs and nightlife here www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/mar/28/top-10bars-clubs-nightlife-liverpool
Talking of bars, Drinks International compiled a list of the world’s 50 best bars, and London made the list with 9
inclusions – more than any other city! The Artesian at The Langham topped the list (www.artesian-bar.co.uk)
while Nightjar in East London came in at number 3 (www.barnightjar.com). The American Bar at The Savoy
was number 8. Full list here www.worlds50bestbars.com/fifty-best-bars-list-2014
On the quirky end of drinks news – or maybe this will seem normal in years to come – Britain’s first ‘iPub’ has
opened! A self-service pub, where the iPad takes your order for you. There’s also a self-service ‘beer wall’ where
you can pour your own. It’s The Westbourne in Swansea, Wales www.westbourneswansea.com
Gin! Again! The distillery boom
The new Thomas Heatherwick-designed
Bombay Sapphire Distillery has now opened, and Urban Junkies
ran a special feature on places to go around the area, which is handy – mentions the luxurious Lime Wood in
the New Forest amongst others to stay at, while if you scroll down to the bottom of the page you’ll see great
eating recommendations including a new River Cottage Canteen and new Rick Stein restaurant too. Then
further down are places to visit nearby, including Highclere (aka Downton Abbey), the New Forest and the
Southampton City Gallery. http://www.urbanjunkies.com/lon/14/1002-weekend.html ,
http://distillery.bombaysapphire.com
The Lakes Distillery has just launched its first gin (they also make whisky and vodka), and will open the distillery
for tours, and its on-site bistro for bookings, from December. It’s beautifully located next to Bassenthwaite Lake
in the Lake District, in a renovated 1850s Victorian model farm. It’s got good ‘green credentials’ too. Tours are
£12.50. www.lakesdistillery.com, www.bistroatthedistillery.com
The £4 million Cotswolds Distillery is one of only five in England producing whisky, rye, liqueur and gin and
calls itself ‘one of the smallest but prettiest distilleries in Great Britain’ (and also has good eco credentials). While
visitors will have to wait until 2017 to sample the whisky, the gin is now available. The brainchild of a native New
Yorker, Dan Szor who combined a desire to move to the Cotswolds countryside with a deep-rooted passion for
dingle malt whisky, the distillery is located in Stourton, and exclusive tours and tasting sessions have been
available since this month, daily at 1pm. Tour and tasting £10, tour only £6. www.cotswoldsdistillery.com
Edinburgh Gin has just opened a distillery you can visit in, of course, Edinburgh, ‘nestled beneath the stairs at
1a Rutland Place’, and calling itself a ‘curious playground for the palate’. The stills (contraptions the gin is made
in) are called Flora and Caledonia, and you can tour the distillery and find out how they make gin – and of course
taste it too. There are three packages, ranging from a 45 minute tour (£10) to a 3 hour gin-making class (£75).
www.edinburghgindistillery.co.uk/visitor-centre
Also gin might have been in (and it still is) for a long time, but Leon Dalloway, who runs Shake Rattle and Stir gin
tours of London, has recently launched ‘The Rum Ramble’. So for those who prefer a Cuba Libre to a gin and
tonic, the new tour might be just the ticket www.shakerattleandstir.co,uk
Another spirit, Irish Whiskey (spelt with an ‘e’ unlike the Scottish version) is making a comeback! You can get a
taste in Belfast at The Hudson Bar on Thursdays www.hudsonbelfast.com
And finally, if ale is more of interest, there’s a new Nano Brewery Experience Day in the Forest of Dean & Wye
Valley in Wales. Enjoy a full day training with Hillside Brewery’s Master Brewer including detailed theory behind
the process of brewing and ingredients used, recipe development explanation, hands-on brewing experience and
tasting session of classic local ales! £100 per person. www.hillsidebrewery.com/brew-your-own
Late night eating and drinking spots
London’s Quaglino’s – a famous restaurant and late night venue in Mayfair – reopened this month following a
full-scale, multi million pound renovation. Prince Harry popped in and confirmed its Royal Hotness, live music,
entertainment and DJ sets start from 10pm and it’s open until 3am Friday and Saturday nights (1am otherwise).
Might be a nice place to feature in any Party Britain stories. www.quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk
Blues Kitchen Camden is another fairly new nightspot with southern American soul food, and live music every
night ranging from soul, motown, blues to classic rock. Bar Chick says ‘It feels like you’ve been transported into a
Mississippi Delta bar, complete with worn-in booths, faded BB King-esque posters and one of the biggest
bourbon selections in these parts.’ Open til 2am Thurs, 3am Fri and Sat. www.theblueskitchen.com
MEATliquor is a popular and hip burger and booze restaurant with several London locations including Covent
Garden, Brixton and Hoxton, one in Brighton and a new location in the northern English city of Leeds. It’s a
restaurant with quite a party vibe, and a ‘no under 16s after 7pm’ policy http://meatliquor.com/leeds
BarChick produced a piece on where to get a drink in London after midnight – something we can use when the
24 hour Tube comes into existence next September www.barchick.com/where-to-get-a-drink-in-london-aftermidnight and another on 24 hour London www.barchick.com/24-hour-london/
Lobster- hot dish of the moment!
Talking of hot London eateries that have opened elsewhere, the acclaimed Burger & Lobster is opening in
Cardiff, at The Hayes. The concept is simple – a burger or lobster (or lobster roll) with fries and salad for £20.
www.burgerandlobster.com
Lobster Safari in Llandudno, Wales, was part of the recent Countryside press trip and a nice quirky and handson thing to do! Go out on a boat and catch your own lobster, see seals and other sealife, then come back and eat
your catch at The St George Hotel! The safaris run April –October. www.stgeorgeswales.co.uk/lobster-safari
In London, the new Lobster Kitchen is a ‘New England-inspired lobster shack, serving up the king of
crustaceans in a variety of different dishes, both innovative and traditional.’ It just opened, near Tottenham Court
Road. http://www.lobsterkitchen.co.uk The new Smack Lobster Roll deli has just opened in Mayfair, a new
‘fast-food dining concept’ and the ‘naughty little sister’ of Burger and Lobster, (https://twitter.com/smacklobster) ,
and there’s also Fraq’s Lobster Shack opening in November in Fitzrovia www.fraqslobstershack.com
Secret dining
The Gingerline is a ‘clandestine dining venture’ which operates in secret and different locations on London’s rail
network. It began life on the London Overground – orange on the Tube map, hence the name ‘Gingerline’, and
this year took on the Jubilee line. This might be one for more adventurous journalists, since the idea is that you
turn up somewhere on the Jubilee line on the night, wait for a text message that tells you which station to ride to,
get there, follow markers to a secret destination and then enjoy a four course gourmet night of foodie delights.
www.gingerline.co.uk
Strange dining
There’s a wave of new dishes on offer in North East Wales, making it a hotspot for foodies and the curious alike.
Orchard Pigs – a pie and pastry shop based in North East Wales – has created the world’s most expensive
loaf of bread! Chef Robert Didier’s bread uses the finest local ingredients where possible, including Ty Nant
water from the Cambrian Mountains and Anglesey sea salt. Most of the water in the dough has been replaced
with champagne and edible 24 carat gold flakes run through the loaf as well as on top. The edible gold flakes
are also said to have medicinal properties and herbalists believe they can help boost circulation.
http://orchardpigs.co.uk
Innovative Wrexham-based chocolatier Jo Edwards has launched a new milk chocolate truffle with a heady
ingredient – Wrexham Lager. For Jo, being Wrexham born and bred with parents who ran a pub, adding a taste
of Wrexham Lager to her creation was the obvious choice. The chocolates have been created as a sweet treat to
compliment the creamy texture of the iconic lager which was first brewed in the UK in 1881 and served on the
Titanic in 1912. The Cocoa Rooms is in Wrexham. www.aballu.co.uk
And finally, a new range of sausages made with chocolate and fudge have been developed by young farmer
and trainee butcher Arran Davies and his butchery mentor Brin Kelly at Abbey Farm in Llangollen. The secret
recipe for the sausages, which also uses pork from pigs raised on the family farm, includes chocolate chunks
and come in both the dark and milk chocolate varieties. There is also a fudge version which caramelises the
sausages as they cook, giving them a sweeter taste. There are cottages, caravans, camping and a tea room too.
www.abbeyfarmcaravans.co.uk/butchers-farm-shop-llangollen
Coffee that’s more than just coffee – an article from Urban Junkies
‘First, there is the one-stop shop model. Coffee and coiffing seems to be the most popular pairing. Sharps Barber
and Shop were the trailblazers: a barbershop with a coffee shop attached. Taking it up a notch is Hurwundeki,
the café and Korean restaurant plus salon specialising in 15 minute cuts. It's so popular they opened up another
branch down the road.
Next, everyone loves a double identity. ‘Ask for Janice' in Barbican has all the traits of a café – pastries, baristas,
and an 8am opening time – but come 5pm the basement turns into a bar. The same goes for Soho Grind. The
Dead Dolls Club in Bethnal Green functions as a café during the day, espresso bar in the evening, and past 9pm
the back doors open to a big ol’ disco shed. Then, there are the cafés with alter-egos. Both Lantana cafes
(Fitzrovia and Shoreditch) are set to transform into restaurants by night under pseudonym ‘Shindig’, until the sun
rises and it’s back to Lantana.’
And how about tea that’s more than just tea?!
T &Shop has recently opened in London’s Stoke Newington, offering – you guessed it – tea (and other delicious
drinks), as well as a carefully selected of products to buy, ranging from jewellery to stationery to decorations.
Lots of the products and produce are locally sourced, and on the food and drinks side there’s a real focus on
healthy ingredients and alternative options like almond milk for coffee and gluten free cakes. Owner Emily is very
nice and welcoming, and it could be a friendly place to take media who want to explore a neighbourhood that
isn’t touristy – Stoke Newington has become quite trendy in the last few years, with lots of cute boutiques and
some good restaurants. www.tandshop.com, https://twitter.com/T_and_SHOP
Healthy eating – on the menu
We found out about an interesting sounding place called The Good Life Eatery in South Kensington/Chelsea
from Bacchus PR, which is London’s first ‘cold pressed juice bar’ – apparently cold pressed coffee is all the
range, but take out the caffeine and it’s even better! www.goodlifeeatery.com
We also found out about some interesting healthy options in Manchester: a new healthy express food bar has
opened up in Spinningfields, called Wahu www.wahufood.com. There is a juice bar on Deansgate which has
been open for about a year and half, which is now very popular in the city, called The Fruit Exchange
(@thefruitxchange). Jonathan from Marketing Manchester is a lovely café serving fresh juices, smoothies, ice
cream shakes, frozen yoghurt and a variety of healthy fresh food. There are also two very popular vegetarian,
organic cafes/juice bars in Manchester which have been here for a quite a while now The 8th day café on
Oxford Road and Earth Café in the Northern Quarter. http://8thday.coop www.earthcafe.co
In Wales, there’s a new café and shop at the Humble by Nature farm in Monmouthshire, which is owned by a UK
TV presenter Kate Humble. The farm runs specialist courses in animal husbandry, rural skills and cookery, hosts
food events, and also offers country stays in a range of self-catering accommodation. The new café, open on
Fridays and weekends. www.humblebynature.com
Shopping and spas
Victoria Beckham opened her first ever shop last month and it’s had rave reviews so far. The store, over three
floors in fashionable Dover Street, London, is dominated by dark-mirrored walls and an imposing polished
concrete staircase, the clothes hanging from chains on the ceiling or a jagged rail.
www.victoriabeckham.com/look/doverstreet
Liverpool has got its first concept store and box store, Rex, with everything on sale from Art, Fashion, Vintage,
Kids, Jewellery, Accessories, Homeware, Gifts and home to the City's first box store which sees all the City's
independents finest creations on sale from individual box displays. There’s a nice coffee shop on site
www.revolverretail.com/pages/project-rex-the-concept-store
Also in Liverpool, a new flagship Michael Kors store opened in Liverpool ONE
Spotlight on Edinburgh for shopping
Joey D - a very quirky shop run by Joey D himself - a lot of the stuff is re-conditioned form other things, think
bike chain keys chains etc. www.joey-d.co.uk
Under the Stairs - just off candle maker row, quite hidden, so cool with really mismatched, but cosy and funky,
furniture. Also the most amazing carrot cake EVER (we have this according to trusted sources from Visit
Scotland!) www.underthestairs.org
Judy R Clark - Celebrated Scottish fashion designer and most recent winner of Scottish Womenswear Designer
of the Year (at the Scottish Style Awards) Judy R Clark is about to move to a brand new studio, just off
Edinburgh’s London road. To be housed in the same building as other artists, designers and even a weaver, it
will be the perfect location for fashion fans to visit. http://judyrclark.com
Eteaket - Making tea fashionable again with this bijou city centre store www.eteaket.co.uk
US Yoga/Fitness Brand Lululemon has opened a showroom on Castle Street in Edinburgh, and is offering free
Yoga Classes on Saturday Mornings. Good for any health and fitness stories.
http://info.lululemon.co.uk/edinburgh/edinburghshowroom
A new Apple store has opened in Edinburgh, which cost £1million to kit out. It’s on the prestigious Princes Street
www.apple.com/uk/retail/princesstreet
Origins of British Luxury walking tours – The Connaught Hotel (whose bar was named 11th best in the world
by Drinks International, see above) has launched a series of walking tours that explore the origins of British
luxury, organised by Fox and Squirrel. The tours will cover everything from Burberry trench coats that were
inspired by explorers of the early 19th century, to the evolution of men’s tailoring on Saville Row, promising to
educate and enlighten you along the way. Tours take place on the last Thursday of every month – the next is
Adventure, Travel and Exploration on 27th November. Drawing of the role that exploration had on fashion,
participants will be given access to the archives of Royal Warrant Holders whose origins laid in travel. It also
promises a tour of Gieves & Hawkes, the bespoke tailor with a royal seal of approval. £125 per person.
www.foxandsquirrel.com/product/origins-british-luxury-royal-warrant-series
Spas and beauty
There have been some new openings in London lately, including:
- a new Cheeky Parlour at the Hox Hotel Holborn (www.urcheeky.com) – it’s girl AND guy-friendly and
reasonably priced yet funky and hip
- an interesting new one in Notting Hill called Privet. It’s garden-themed (and once again, unisex), with ‘Bonsai
makeovers’, and ‘Tanning in the Orangery’, as well as a ‘Manicured garden’ (www.privetbody.co.uk)
- the Agua Bathhouse at Mondrian sounds like a fun spa – Urban Junkies says it has a ‘party atmosphere’, and
there are Mud Party packages (champagne cocktails with mud treatments) and you can get a chocolate sundae
as you get pampered (www.morganshotelgroup.com/mondrian/mondrian-london/spa-fitness/agua-spa).
- Workshop at the Bulgari Hotel spa is ultra-health focused – the offer a FRAMEWORK assessment, which
involves an a movement and nutrition genetic analysis, food intolerance tests and metabolic testing, ending up
with a tailored health and fitness regime specifically for you. london-membership@bulgarihotels.co.uk
Fast Beauty – the new St Martin’s Courtyard area near Covent Garden has a ‘fast salon’ called Blow Ltd, where
you can get ‘gorgeous hair, nails and make-up to you in 45 minutes or less’. It’s very handy for theatre-land, and
there are some other good shops in the courtyard, with Sevel Dials just a stone’s throw away.
www.stmartinscourtyard.co.uk/blow-ltd
There’s a great article about 24 hour beauty on the Stylist website, with tips on where to get a blow dry at 3am
(should you wish to!) and a leg wax at any hour! It’s useful because it’s not just London but recommends places
all over the UK http://www.stylist.co.uk/beauty/rise-of-the-24-hour-beauty Another good one for any Party
Britain/24 hour stories.
Hot exhibitions
It’s not often that older people are considered hot …but this autumn the focus at two outstanding exhibitions is on
art produced at the end of the painter’s life. At Tate Britain, Late Turner - Painting Set Free concentrates on
work by the painter towards the end of his life – and with Mike Leigh’s film Mr Turner, out 31 October in the UK,
and trailing great reviews from Cannes and other festivals where it has been shown, he’s really the man of the
moment! More details including release dates on www.imdb.com/title/tt2473794. Film locations included Petworth
in Sussex, a lovely stately home where Turner spent quite a lot of time painting, Kingsand in Cornwall, and
Luton Hoo in Bedfordshire. During his life Turner painted all round Britain – including Salisbury where another
Turner exhibition runs in summer 2015, while in January you can see some of his outstanding watercolours in
Edinburgh –they go on show each year, free, for just a month. And of course there is the Turner Contemporary
in Margate, Kent, named after him, which topped the Twitter list of Kent attractions based on Twitter mentions!
Rembrandt: The Late Works is packing them in at the National Gallery, and has the same focus on some
amazing masterpieces he painted later in his life -in fact it’s so hot they are warning that comp press tickets may
not be available after the first eight weeks.
And surely @ScienceMuseum’s new Information Age galleries must be hot after the Queen opened them, by
sending her first tweet – it covers “more than 200 years of innovation in communication and information
technologies”, from the cable to the web. Continuing the techy theme, Game Masters (5 December – 20 April) is
expected to be a hot ticket with “computer game legends” such as Pac Man, Sonic the Hedgehog and Angry
Birds descending on the National Museum of Scotland, the exhibition featuring over 100 playable games “from
across a period when gaming has evolved from a niche interest to a global industy” and also highlighting
Scotland’s own contributions.
Looking ahead to 2015, exhibitions which we think will sizzle include Savage Beauty - Alexander McQueen at
the Victoria and Albert Museum, one of the most popular exhibitions ever when it was shown at the Metropolitan
Museum in New York; while Shoes – Pain and Pleasure, also at the V and A looks fun – haven’t we all felt the
pain that goes with the pleasure of wearing a new, ultra-cool (but not very practical) pair of shoes? Look out too
for Damian Hirst’s new gallery, due to open in the Spring which will no doubt put Nine Elms on the South Bank
firmly on the map. While later in the year the spotlight will be on another outstanding and controversial
contemporary artist, when the Royal Academy shows the work of China’s Ai Weiwei. Kids are in for a treat in
March when the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich lets Punchdrunk in the building to curate an exhibit for
6-12 year olds – the people behind some of the best experimental theatre will present Against Captain’s Orders –
A Journey into the Uncharted.
Outside London, Manchester’s Whitworth Gallery reopens in February with The 1960s: BOOM, featuring art
from the 1960s, while Jackson Pollock should pull in the crowds at the Tate Liverpool next summer, while Andy
Warhol will no doubt pull in the crowds there from next week.
Back in the 17th century any cool dude or fashionable young aristocrat would go on the Grand Tour of Europe to
learn about art, their “education” then influencing the collections they put together back home, and in 2015
museums and galleries in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire are creating a “modern Grand Tour” with the aim of
providing “exhilarating encounters between leading contemporary artists and ….world-class collections”.
There will be a big focus on Bristol in 2015 as it is European Green Capital and one of the big shows in
summer/autumn is “Nature Camera Action!” revealing the secrets of making incredible wildlife films – the BBC
Natural History Unit is based in the city (and the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition takes place every
year in the city). In Edinburgh, photography of a different kind will be in focus - hundreds of photographs by
David Bailey, one of the world’s most famous photographers will be on show there.
As always London is full of great exhibitions all year round – with the National Gallery offering
Impressionism, and Goya Portraits; the Tate Modern going Pop – World Pop Art in fact. And there will be Greeks
with beautiful bodies, Celts and Indigenous Australians at the British Museum (not at the same time) while the V
and A will offer the Fabric of India and questioning What is Luxury?
On now or opening soon
Late Turner – Painting Set Free, Tate Britain, LONDON
10 September 2014 – 25 January 2015
Bringing together spectacular works from the UK and abroad, this exhibition celebrates Turner’s astonishing
creative flowering in these later years when he produced many of his finest pictures but was also controversial
and unjustly misunderstood.
www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/ey-exhibition-late-turner-painting-set-free
@tate
Rembrandt: The Late Works, National Gallery, LONDON
15 October 2014 – 18 January 2015
Rembrandt’s later years were turbulent and marked with controversy, but they also produced some of his most
soulful, deeply moving and strikingly modern works. From the 1650s until his death in 1669, Rembrandt pursued
an artistic style that was expressive and radical, and earning him a reputation as the greatest master of the
Dutch Golden Age.
www.nationalgallery.org.uk/; @nationalgallery
Information Age – new galleries at Science Museum, LONDON
Opened 24 October by The Queen
More than 200 years of innovation in communication and information technologies are celebrated in Information
Age: Six Networks That Changed Our World, our biggest and most ambitious gallery to date.
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/visitmuseum/plan_your_visit/exhibitions/information_age.aspx
Artes Mundi, various locations in Cardiff, WALES
24 October – 22 January 2015
Artes Mundi 6 is the UK’s largest contemporary art prize, with the winner receiving the generous sum of £40,000.
The prize is open to artists whose work explores and comments on the human condition.
This year’s prize show takes place across three venues including National Museum Cardiff, Chapter Gallery and
Ffotogallery, Penarth. Highlights of this year’s prize show include the world premiere of A complicated
Relationship between Heaven and Earth or When We Believe (2014) by Theaster Gates (USA). Renzo Martens
(Netherlands) presents the first work from The Institute for Human Activities, in the Democratic Republic of
Congo; 3D-printed, chocolate self-portraits made by Congolese plantation workers.
www.artesmundi.org
Transmitting Andy Warhol, Tate Liverpool, LIVERPOOL
7 November – 8 February 2015
Discover the man who transformed the modern art world. Transmitting Andy Warhol brings together more than
100 artworks from one of the most influential, controversial and notorious artists of the twentieth century. The
exhibition provides a new insight into the breadth of Warhol’s artistic processes, his philosophies, as well as the
social, political and aesthetic implications of his ground-breaking practice.
www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-liverpool/exhibition/transmitting-andy-warhol
Game Masters – National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, SCOTLAND
5 December 2014– 20 April 2015
The exhibition will feature over 100 playable games from across a period when gaming has evolved from a niche
interest to a global industry. As well as computer games legends such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario,
it will include Scotland’s contributions with both playable games and original artwork including early sketches and
scripts for Grand Theft Auto and Lemmings.
http://www.nms.ac.uk/gamemasters
2015 onwards
Turner in January 2015, Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh SCOTLAND
1st − 31st January 2015
These works, bequeathed to the Gallery by collector Henry Vaughan, span Turner’s career, from his early
topographical wash drawings to his atmospheric sketches of continental Europe from the 1830s and ‘40s and
Vaughan stipulated they should be ‘exhibited to the public all at one time, free of charge, during the month of
January’ which has happened for more than a century..
www.nationalgalleries.org/whatson/on-now-coming-soon/turner-in-january-2015/ @NatGalleriesSco
The 1960s: BOOM: Whitworth Art Gallery MANCHESTER
Opens with the gallery on 14 February 2015
Reflecting a uniquely British artistic perspective, works by Peter Blake, Allen Jones, Bridget Riley and Peter
Phillips manifest the riot of colour, fashion and art of the era. Richard Hamilton’s acerbic riposte to a western
obsession with youth and consumerism, Colin Self’s chilling reflection of subversive cold war activity and
Elizabeth Frink’s brutish depictions of masculinity also serve to remind us of the incendiary nature of this radical
decade
www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/upcomingexhibitions/the1960s/
Inventing Impressionism: How Paul Durand-Ruel created the Modern Art Market, National Gallery,
LONDON
4 March – 31 May 2015
Impressionism produced some of the most controversial images of its time; yet is now one of painting’s bestloved movements. It owes much of its global success to the endeavours of one man: art dealer Paul DurandRuel (1831-1922) a key figure that discovered Monet, Pissarro, Degas and Renoir in the early 1870s, buying
their works when they were still largely ignored or ridiculed.
www.nationalgallery.org.uk
Alexander McQueen – Savage Beauty, Victoria and Albert Museum, LONDON
14 March – 19 July 2015
Celebrating the extraordinary creative talent of one of the most innovative designers of recent times, Alexander
McQueen: Savage Beauty will be the first and largest retrospective of McQueen's work to be presented in
Europe. When originally shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2011 it became one of the Museum's top
10 most visited exhibitions. The V and A exhibition will have more emphasis on his London roots.
www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/exhibition-alexander-mcqueen-savage-beauty
The Body Beautiful: Art and Thought in Ancient Greece, British Museum,
26 March – 05 July 2015
The ancient Greeks invented the modern idea of the human body in art as an object of sensory delight and as an
expression of the intelligent mind. The exhibition invites visitors to engage with artworks that have shaped the
way we think about ourselves , with over 100 artworks spanning over 2000 years, including 10 pieces of free
standing sculpture.
www.britishmuseum.org
Against Captain’s Orders: A Journey into the Uncharted, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich,
LONDON
28 March – August 2015
In an exclusive first for the museum industry, the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich is collaborating with
Punchdrunk Enrichment to create an exhibit for six to twelve year olds and their families. With so much history
secured in one museum: so many objects, so many stories, so many doorways to other times and other worlds,
Against Captain’s Orders: A Journey into the Unchartered, takes audience members on the adventure of a
lifetime through the National Maritime Museum’s extraordinary collection of maritime artefacts. Exciting,
enlightening, and, who knows, perhaps just a tiny bit dangerous, Against Captain’s Orders: A Journey into the
Unchartered promises a theatrical journey through the museum, the like of which has never been seen before.
www.rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum
Indigenous Australia: Enduring Civilisation, British Museum, LONDON
23 April – 02 August 2015
Discover Indigenous Australian objects – products of a continuing culture dating back over 55,000 years. The
impact of European colonialism was profound leaving a legacy that is still contested. This exhibition showcases
remarkable objects from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries and includes some of the oldest objects collected in
Australia.
www.britishmuseum.org
What is Luxury? Victoria and Albert Museum, LONDON
25 April – 27 September 2015
The exhibition will interrogate ideas of luxury today and address how luxury is made and understood in a
physical, conceptual and cultural capacity. Extraordinary works of craftsmanship will be on display including a
couture gown by fashion designer Iris van Herpen and fine examples of haute horlogerie by British watchmaker
George Daniels.
www.vam.ac.uk
Turner’s Wessex: Architecture and Ambition, Salisbury Museum, Wiltshire, ENGLAND
22 May – 27 September 2015
The exhibition throws new light on the earliest work of the young Turner in and around Salisbury and its
magnificent cathedral. Turner first visited Salisbury in 1795 when he was 20 years old and later returned to paint
an area that captivated him as an artist. His depictions of Stonehenge in particular proved to be among his most
hauntingly atmospheric works and he produced a series of watercolours of Salisbury, while the third part of this
exhibition will chart Turner’s fascination with the wider Wessex region – spanning the area of Wiltshire around
Salisbury, as well as the Dorset coast, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. It culminates in Turner’s record of the
historic visit made by the French King, the first such visit to England since the fourteenth century, to Queen
Victoria in 1844.
www.salisburymuseum.org.uk @SalisburyMuseum
Shoes – Pain and Pleasure, Victoria and Albert Museum, LONDON
13 June 2015 – 31 January 2016
This exhibition will look at the extremes of footwear from around the globe, presenting around 200 pairs of shoes
ranging from a sandal decorated in pure gold leaf originating from ancient Egypt to the most elaborate designs
by contemporary makers. It will consider the cultural significance and transformative capacity of shoes and will
examine the latest developments in footwear technology creating the possibility of ever higher heels and
dramatic shapes. Examples from famous shoe wearers and collectors will be shown alongside a dazzling range
of historic shoes, many of which have not been displayed before.
www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/shoes-pleasure-and-pain @V_and_A
Jackson Pollock: Blind Spots, Tate Liverpool, LIVERPOOL
30 June – 18 October 2015
Widely considered to be one of the most influential and provocative American artists of the twentieth century,
Pollock famously pioneered action painting, a process that saw him drip paint on canvases resting on the studio
floor. Jackson Pollock: Blind Spots presents the first exhibition in more than three decades of Pollock’s paintings
made between 1951 and 1953, shedding light on a less well known but extremely influential part of his practice
and departure from his signature technique.
www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-liverpool/exhibition/jackson-pollock-blind-spots
“The Grand Tour Season One”: Nottingham Contemporary, Chatsworth, Derby Museums and the Harley
Gallery, Welbeck, East Midlands, ENGLAND
July – September 2015
Contemporary artists including Turner Prize-winner Simon Starling, Peter Blake and architect Rem Koolhaas
have been invited to create work in this modern Grand Tour aiming to reveal hidden treasures from private
collections, juxtaposing them with contemporary art exhibitions across the four venues.
www.thegrandtour.uk.com
Bailey’s Stardust, National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh
18 July – 18 October 2015
Hundreds of photographs by David Bailey, one of the world’s most famous photographers will be on show from
July to October 2015 in the largest exhibition of David Bailey’s portraits to be shown in the UK. It will feature
more than 300 portraits including works that depict Bailey's time in East Africa, Papua New Guinea, Australia,
Delhi and the Naga Hills, as well as icons from the worlds of fashion and the arts, striking portraits of the Rolling
Stones, Catherine Bailey and the East End of London.
www.nationalgalleries.org/whatson/on-now-coming-soon/baileys-stardust
Nature Camera Action! M Shed, Bristol, ENGLAND
18 July – 1 November 2015 (NB exact dates shortly to be confirmed)
Celebrating Bristol European Green Capital it will reveal the secrets of making incredible wildlife films, and is
produced with support from the BBC Natural History Unit, BBC Earth and BBC History.
www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/PlanAVisit/Exhibitions/NatureCameraAction/About.aspx
THE WORLD GOES POP, Tate Modern, LONDON
17 September 2015 – 24 January 2016
This groundbreaking exhibition will reveal how artists around the world engaged with the spirit of pop art, from
Latin America to Asia, and from Europe to the Middle East. Exploding the traditional story of pop art, The World
Goes Pop shows how different cultures contributed, re-thought and responded to the movement. Around 200
works from the 1960s and 1970s will be brought together, many shown in the UK for the first time. The exhibition
will reveal how pop art was never just a celebration of western consumer culture, but was often a subversive
international language.
www.tate.org.uk
Ai Weiwei, Royal Academy of Arts, LONDON
19 September 2015 – 13 December 2015
The Royal Academy will present a landmark exhibition of the Honorary RA, Ai Weiwei. As the first significant
British survey of his artistic output, the exhibition will include major works spanning Ai Weiwei’s career, as well as
including new work by the artist.
www.royalacademy.org.uk/article/from-rubens-to-ai-weiwei-2015
Celts: British Museum, LONDON
24 September 2015 – 31 January 2016
Celtic art flourished in Britain and Europe from 500 BC and was reinvented and transformed during the Roman
and early medieval periods, particularly in the British Isles. Powerful objects decorated with Celtic art helped
shape the identities of the ancient peoples who made and used them, and the real and imagined legacy of the
ancient Celts continues to influence modern identities across the British Isles and beyond.
www.britishmuseum.org
The Fabric of India, Victoria and Albert Museum, LONDON
26 September 2015 – 10 January 2016
The highlight of the V&A’s India Season, this will be the first major exhibition to explore the dynamic and
multifaceted world of handmade textiles from India from the 3rd to the 21st century, including a spectacular 18thcentury tent belonging to Tipu Sultan, a stunning range of historic costume, highly prized textiles made for trade,
and fashion by contemporary Indian designers such as Manish Arora and Rajesh Pratap Singh.
www.vam.ac.uk
Goya: The Portraits, National Gallery, LONDON
7 October 2015 – 10 January 2016
Francisco de Goya y Lucientes (1746 -1828) is one of Spain’s most celebrated artists, considered a supremely
gifted portrait painter and an excellent social commentator who took the genre of portraiture to new heights
through his ability to reveal the psychology of his sitter. The first ever focusing solely on his portraits will reappraise Goya’s genius as a portraitist and provide a penetrating insight into both public and private aspects of
his life.
www.nationalgallery.org.uk
Celeb-spotting
Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins (who is supporting VB’s Countryside campaign when it launches in January
2015) recently got married at Hampton Court Palace. www.hrp.org.uk/HamptonCourtPalace
Elsewhere, Hollywood heavyweights have been enjoying British hospitality; if media reports are correct, the new
Mr and Mrs Clooney were spotted at The Bull Inn, a gastropub with boutique bedrooms, located in the village of
Berkshire, Sonning, where they were also reportedly looking at properties. Sonning is around 90 minutes’ drive
from London. http://bullinnsonning.co.uk
Keeping it in the south of England, the Clooneys also hosted a reception party at Danesfield House & Spa in the
pretty riverside town of Marlow, Buckinghamshire, around an hour’s drive from London.
www.danesfieldhouse.co.uk
Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, meanwhile, was seen by one of our very own PR managers at the launch party
of one of London’s newest hotels, the Mondrian, located on the South Bank.
www.morganshotelgroup.com/mondrian/mondrian-london
Fellow American, singer songwriter Taylor Swift, was pictured visiting the Shard www.theviewfromtheshard.com
on a recent trip to London while Beyoncé and Jay Z enjoyed a night at Mayfair’s The Arts Club and were spotted
in Regent’s Park attending the Frieze Art Fair when they were in town. www.theartsclub.co.uk.
Meanwhile, hot British couple Kate Moss and husband Jamie Hince partied at the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch,
while Downton Abbey favourite Elizabeth McGovern, who plays Lady Cora, attended a dinner at Harry’s Bar.
http://harrys.co.uk
Look out for possible celebrity spotting at The Punchbowl in London’s Mayfair – which used to be owned by Guy
Ritchie and was a hotspot for film and music stars, and has now reopened under new management. Just
Opened London tips it as a celeb hotspot-to-be www.punchbowllondon.com
Quirky miscellany!
Swingers is a new East London venue for crazy-golf, street food and cocktail bar – it says it’s a pop up, but
seems to be going until at least January 2015 (and possibly afterwards). It could be good for bloggers or press
trips with an element of socialising/participation – brought to you by the ‘Institute of Competitive Socialising’ after
all! Another good place in the same neighbourhood is Bar Kick, which always has a good buzz and has football
tables to play on. In Shoreditch. http://swingersldn.co.uk, www.cafekick.co.uk
From our network
Earlier in the month most of you were in town for the staff conference and PR workshop, and got busy visiting
places!
Margot provided some handy feedback on the hotel trips:

Ham Yard Hotel – Truly amazing interior designed by Kit and Tim Kemp. Very personal, calm and
colourful. Every space has its own style, which gives it a very unique feel. The bar and hotel are also
frequented by locals, which gives it a bit more of a local touch. Highlights are the 50’s bowling alley
downstairs, the small theatre and peaceful rooftop garden. Media rates and complimentary nights are
depending on availability

Hoxton Hotel – the new Hoxton Hotel on Holborn High had only opened for two weeks when we
visited, which we noticed as staff was still a bit chaotic, but trendy Londoners and travellers apparently
had no problem finding the place. The lobby looks and feels like a café. The Hotel is very accessible
and tries to encourage locals to come and work and eat/drink there as well, so there’s always a buzz in
the place. The rooms in the hotel are not that big, but look funky and have a good price point (small
from £99, medium from £159, big from £199 - £249). The chicken restaurant in the basement didn’t
impress us that much, but the café upstairs looked more appealing. The interior is hipster-chique with
retro and industrial furnishing. Highlights: the nail bar, huge selection of magazine (many many editions
of National Geographic) and breakfast in brown paper bag. Media rates and complimentary nights are
depending on availability

Shangri La At The Shard – A smart, luxury hotel, but of course the best feature is the view. When you
enter the hotel your bags first need to go through a scanner as a security measure, you are also asked
if you are staying at the hotel any time you enter the place, which might be slightly annoying for guests,
but understandable because of safety reasons. The rooms are spacious and luxurious, nice feature in
the rooms are the binoculars to fully enjoy the view. The restaurant and bar are nice and more
affordable than you might think. Nice story is the option to visit the Borough Market next door with one
of the chefs, pick your ingredients and a 6-course dinner will be cooked for you. Highlights: of course
the view and the pool on 45th floor. Media rate is £320 and the hotel has approximately 30
complimentary rooms per month to give away. If you request far in advance there is a fair chance.
Dana recap’ed the UK team’s movements on their visit:

Dorchester – Katrina and I haven’t been to the Dorchester before so it was nice to get a quick overview
on the restaurants and overall feel of the hotel.

45 Park Lane – Very different style from the Dorchester, more modern and sleek.

Imperial War Museum – The WW1 exhibit was interactive, creative and moving. It was nice to see the
exhibit packed with people of all ages.

The London Edition and Berners Tavern – It goes without saying that the hotel and restaurant are
both very hot! Purple PR has also been great to work with.

Granger & Co. – The restaurant has a really nice atmosphere and the food was an eclectic mix of
cuisines. Will definitely suggest it to appropriate journalists on their next visit.

Afternoon tea at The Langham – Beautiful hotel with impeccable service. A great quintessential
afternoon tea!
And looking ahead to our accommodation update next month…
Have you ever grown tired of stomping up and down steps and longed for the days when you could bounce
downstairs in a sleeping bag? A luxurious bunkhouse in the Brecon Beacons has the solution.
A brand new tubular slide has been built inside a new bunkhouse, thanks to a collaboration with a
local playground designer, so that guests can slip down freely from floor to floor on their own adult’s helter
skelter. The slide means a sharp exit from the huge sofas on the top level down to the ground level, adding a
playful twist to your average group holiday away.
The stylish bunkhouse is a converted chapel next door to Wye Valley Canoe Centre's River Cafe where visitors
can hire canoes, kayaks, mountain bikes, tandems and Vespas. It is a great venue for large groups with 14 beds
(sleeping 2 to 22) from £38 per person, per night.
www.wyevalleycanoes.co.uk/bunkhouse.html