Welcome to Bath

Open Day at Claverton Pumping Station
2025-09-09 10:00 - 17:00 (Europe/London) | Claverton Pumping Station, Ferry Lane, Claverton, Bath, BANES, BA2 7BH, United Kingdom
The Claverton Pumping Station is a rare surviving example of the technology of the Georgian Regency period. The pump started work in 1813, the year Pride and Prejudice was published.

The pump uses the power of the River Avon to drive a massive waterwheel, this then lifts water up 48ft into the Kennet and Avon Canal. Burning no fuel and making no waste it is the ultimate in environmentally friendly technology.

From April to October, the station welcomes visitors on the second Saturday and Tuesday of each month, as well as the Early May Bank Holiday. The pump will be run on the Saturday open days. On Tuesdays the pumphouse will be open but the pump may not be running. Running of the pump is subject to river conditions, ageing machinery, and ageing volunteers!

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An Evening with Ocean Yuong for The Emperor of Gladness
2025-09-09 18:30 - 21:00 | St Swithin’s Church, 37 The Paragon, Bath, BA1 5LY, United Kingdom
Reminded me that every word can be an incantation, and that beauty does hard and important work’ – Rebecca Solnit (praise for On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous )

Join Toppings for an evening in Bath with literary sensation Ocean Vuong to celebrate his new novel: The Emperor of Gladness.

One late summer evening in the post-industrial town of East Gladness, Connecticut, nineteen-year-old Hai stands on the edge of a bridge in pelting rain, ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river. The voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia, who convinces him to take another path. Bereft and out of options, he quickly becomes her caretaker. Over the course of the year, the unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond, one built on empathy, spiritual reckoning, and heartbreak, with the power to alter Hai’s relationship to himself, his family, and a community at the brink.

Following the cycles of history, memory, and time, The Emperor of Gladness shows the profound ways in which love, labor, and loneliness form the bedrock of American life. At its heart is a brave epic about what it means to exist on the fringes of society and to reckon with the wounds that haunt our collective soul. Hallmarks of Vuong’s writing – formal innovation, syntactic dexterity, and the ability to twin grit with grace through tenderness – are on full display in this story of loss, hope, and how far we would go to possess one of life’s most fleeting mercies: a second chance.

Ocean Vuong is the author of the critically acclaimed poetry collection Night Sky with Exit Wounds and the New York Times bestselling novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous. A recipient of the 2019 MacArthur “Genius” Grant, he is also the winner of the Whiting Award and the T.S. Eliot Prize. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, he currently lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Book here

Tim Spector on Ferment: The Life-Changing Power of Microbes
2025-09-09 19:00 - 21:00 | St Mary’s Church, Darlington Street, Bathwick, Bath, Bath & North East Somerset, BA2 4EB, United Kingdom
The legendary Tim Spector joins Toppings for his new cookbook Ferment: The Life-Changing Power of Microbes.

Tim Spector, MD, is Professor of Epidemiology at King’s College London. He is the bestselling author of The Diet Myth, Spoon-Fed and Food for Life and scientific co-founder of ZOE, the nutrition science company.

With a focus on cutting-edge science and honoured with an OBE for his impactful work in fighting Covid-19, Tim stands at the forefront of his field. The original pioneer of microbiome research, he is among the top 100 most cited scientists in the world.

PRAISE FOR FOOD FOR LIFE:

‘A fresh look at food’ JAMIE OLIVER

‘Fascinating’ NIGELLA LAWSON

‘No fads, no nonsense, just practical, science-based advice on how to eat well’ Daily Mail, Books of the Year

Book here

An Evening with Ocean Yuong for The Emperor of Gladness
2025-09-09 19:00 - 21:00 | St Swithin’s Church, 37 The Paragon, Bath, BA1 5LY, United Kingdom
‘Reminded me that every word can be an incantation, and that beauty does hard and important work’ – Rebecca Solnit (praise for On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous )

Join Toppings for an evening in Bath with literary sensation Ocean Vuong to celebrate his new novel: The Emperor of Gladness. Caleb Azumah Nelson will be joining Ocean to chair this event.

One late summer evening in the post-industrial town of East Gladness, Connecticut, nineteen-year-old Hai stands on the edge of a bridge in pelting rain, ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river. The voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia, who convinces him to take another path. Bereft and out of options, he quickly becomes her caretaker. Over the course of the year, the unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond, one built on empathy, spiritual reckoning, and heartbreak, with the power to alter Hai’s relationship to himself, his family, and a community at the brink.

Following the cycles of history, memory, and time, The Emperor of Gladness shows the profound ways in which love, labor, and loneliness form the bedrock of American life. At its heart is a brave epic about what it means to exist on the fringes of society and to reckon with the wounds that haunt our collective soul. Hallmarks of Vuong’s writing – formal innovation, syntactic dexterity, and the ability to twin grit with grace through tenderness – are on full display in this story of loss, hope, and how far we would go to possess one of life’s most fleeting mercies: a second chance.

Ocean Vuong is the author of the critically acclaimed poetry collection Night Sky with Exit Wounds and the New York Times bestselling novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous. A recipient of the 2019 MacArthur “Genius” Grant, he is also the winner of the Whiting Award and the T.S. Eliot Prize. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, he currently lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Book here

Public Space for All
2025-09-09 19:30 - 21:00 | BRLSI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Bath & North East Somerset, BA1 2HN, United Kingdom
Have you ever entered a space, a room, a building and felt that you don’t belong there, or that you’re not safe there? For some people, this is a daily occurrence.

Too much public space marginalises rather than includes, whilst safety features are often designed more to protect property than people. The existence of campaigning organisations such as “Make Space for Girls” indicates how much public spaces have not always been designed for all.

So, what makes a space “public”’? And how can such places be made accessible, safe and welcoming?

Using Bath and Bristol (among others) as examples, Professor Pippa Catterall will explore the nature and history of public space and the kind of interventions which might help to make public spaces work for everyone.

Pippa Catterall is Professor of History and Policy at the University of Westminster. She is a trustee of the Heritage of London Trust, a member of the Valuation Tribunal for England and the founding editor of National Identities. Her current research focuses on heritage, representation and inclusion in public space and recent publications include her co-authored report on Queer Perspectives on Public Space (2024).

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Jonny Cole: Armagudd'n
2025-09-09 19:30 - 21:30 | Komedia Bath, 22-23 Westgate St, Bath, BA1 1EP, United Kingdom
Alllllright owammmmya… Social media phenomenon Jonny Cole extends his tour into 2025 with his biggest and best show yet!

After amassing nearly seven million views in the last few months on social media with his brilliant songs and observations on everyday life, Jonny Cole is bringing songs and silliness to Bath in 2025! There will be loads of instruments and loads of laughs – don’t miss the chance to see the very best of Jonny Cole!

“The funniest act to come out of the Black Country since Frank Skinner” – Jasper Carrott

“Musically brilliant, clever, original and hilariously funny” – What’s On Magazine

Book here

CONTRASTS & CONNECTIONS: Hughes.Thomas.Smith
2025-09-10 00:00 - 2025-09-30 23:59 | Sandra Higgins Art Gallery, 41 Milsom Street, Bath, BANES, BA1 1DN, United Kingdom
SANDRA HIGGINS ART presents Contrasts & Connections. Three iconic British artists, Patrick Hughes, Steve Thomas and Donald Smith with three uniques styles, creating one dynamic exhibition where illusion, rhythm and colour meet in dialogue. From Hughes’ playful illusions to Thomas’ rhythmic structures and Smith’s exploration of colour and form, this exhibition will highlight the contrasts that define their practices and the surprising connections which unite them.

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Nihongo Hanasoukai
2025-09-10 18:00 - 19:00 | Studio 22, 22c New Bond Street, Bath, BANES, BA1 1BA, United Kingdom
What to learn more about Japanese language and culture? Join the Bath Beppu Friendship Association for an evening where you can learn Japanese and find out more about what happens in our twin city.

Book here: zuckmanmieko@gmail.com

Live Jazz, Funk, Soul and Swing at Green Park Brasserie
2025-09-10 18:30 - 22:00, 2025-09-11 18:30 - 22:00 | Green Park Brasserie, 6 Green Park Rd, Bath, BA1 1JB, United Kingdom
Soak up the buzzing atmosphere at Green Park Brasserie with live music four nights a week – every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, 6.30pm – 10pm.

Based in the historic old Green Park railway station, this is one of Bath’s best bars and restaurants. Enjoy cocktails,craft and beer and award winning food from their Brasserie and Bath Pizza Co kitchens – available 7 days a week.Enjoy the sunny terraces throughout the summer months or cosy up with live music and candlelit tables through the cooler seasons.

For up to date timings and booking for live music tables, click below

book here

Justin Marozzi for Captives and Companions: A History of Slavery and the Slave Trade in the Islamic World
2025-09-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Topping & Company Booksellers of Bath, York Street, Bath, BA1 1NG, United Kingdom
‘A bold, brilliant and timely history that confronts one of the most neglected and uncomfortable subjects in global history. Justin Marozzi brings to life the complexity and humanity of the Islamic world’s entanglement with slavery using an extraordinary range of sources, across more than a millennium and across sweeping geographies.’ — Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads: A New History of the World

‘A powerful and important book … [while] he is careful not to turn his book into a polemic against Islam.. it is… a masterly and thoughtful study of human cruelty and endurance — Gerard Russell’ ― Financial Times

Join Toppings for an evening with Justin Marozzi to discuss his new book: Captives and Companions: A History of Slavery and the Slave Trade in the Islamic World.

Slavery in the Islamic world has a long, diverse and controversial history. Captives and Companions is a brilliant synthesis of history and contemporary reportage that brings to life the voices of the enslaved in stories of eighth-century concubines and ninth-century revolts, thirteenth-century slave soldiers who established dynastic rule over Egypt, Syria, and Iraq, eighteenth-century corsairs and twentieth-century pearl divers in the Gulf. It also has first-hand accounts of this legacy in the twenty-first century, including the depredations of Daesh and continuing hereditary slavery in Mali and Mauritania.

Justin Marozzi traces the extraordinary variety of enslavement in the Islamic world, which ranged from agricultural labour and domestic toil to elite concubinage, guardianship of sacred spaces, political leadership and even military command. He shows how Africa bore the brunt of the demand for slave labour, fuelled throughout the nineteenth century by expanding global markets and commodity chains. Slavers plied African coasts, traders raided inland for human cargo, and millions were marched across the Sahara into captivity. Meanwhile, North African corsairs turned the Mediterranean into a slave-raiding ‘free-for-all’ between Muslims, Christians and Jews.

Taking the reader on an extraordinary historical journey from Baghdad to Bamako, Tripoli to Timbuktu, Istanbul to the Black Sea, this is the riveting human drama of those caught up in one of history’s most remarkable overlooked stories.

Justin Marozzi is a historian and journalist who has spent most of his professional life living and working in the Muslim world. His previous books include South from Barbary: Along the Slave Routes of the Libyan Sahara (2001), the bestselling Tamerlane: Sword of Islam, Conqueror of the World (2004) and The Man Who Invented History: Travels with Herodotus (2008). His last book, Baghdad: City of Peace, City of Blood (2014) won the Royal Society of Literature’s Ondaatje Prize and was praised by the judges as ‘a truly monumental achievement’.

Book here

Ixta Belfrage and Fusao: Recipes Inspired by Brazil
2025-09-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Topping & Company Booksellers of Bath, York Street, Bath, BA1 1NG, United Kingdom
Bright, vibrant food inspired by Brazil, from the once-in-a-generation talent and bestselling chef behind MEZCLA, and the co-author of OTTOLENGHI Flavour.

“FUSÃO (fusion) is a deeply personal cookbook that celebrates the vibrant flavours of Brazil, my mother’s homeland. In this context, the word fusão reflects both my own mixed heritage and Brazilian cuisine, which fuses Indigenous, Portuguese and West African influences along with contributions from countless immigrant communities… It’s an invitation to explore, not through sweeping generalisations of a vast country, but through personal connections I’ve formed with some incredible people and places.”

Ixta Belfrage is one of the most exciting voices on the food scene. Her signature style is unique and creative, drawing on her upbringing where she absorbed the food traditions of Italy, Mexico and Brazil. Ixta cut her teeth at Ottolenghi NOPI, before playing a key part in Ottolenghi’s core food team and co-authoring OTTOLENGHI Flavour. In 2022, Ixta published her debut solo book, MEZCLA, which was a Sunday Times bestseller.

In her stunning new book, FUSÃO, Ixta is focussing on the food and stories of her mother’s homeland, Brazil. FUSÃO (fusion in Portuguese) is Ixta’s proudly untraditional take on the kaleidoscopic food cultures of Brazil. She adopts an intimate approach, focusing on lesser-known places and people to bring a collection of recipes and stories that pay homage to this beautiful country, and acknowledge the influences on Brazil’s cuisine from indigenous communities, colonisation, enslavement, and immigration.

Complete with Ixta’s thoughtful notes on Brazil’s food, music, politics, landscapes and people, this special book is a considered, creative exploration of FUSÃO food culture. Take Moqueca, a seafood stew from Brasil’s northeastern state of Bahia: Ixta reimagines this traditional recipe as a Moqueca Fish Burger served with extra sauce for dipping and devouring. Or enjoy

Ixta’s spin on the decadence of the famed Brazilian Picanha (a large piece of rump cap) through Ixta’s spin which adds the wow factor with a stunning coffee and chilli butter spooned over a more accessible rump steak. Breathtaking photography from across the country, intertwined with personal stories and recipes sun-soaked and bursting with Ixta’s signature flair, this is food to excite and inspire, and a cookbook to treasure. An unmissable evening!

Book here

Crescent Jazz Live
2025-09-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, The Royal Crescent, 16 Royal Cres, Bath, Bath & North East Somerset, BA1 2LS, United Kingdom
Live jazz evenings will take place regularly across the summer season, with world-renowned saxophonist Iain Ballamy and his Crescent Jazz Trio performing a vibrant mix of classic jazz, original compositions and samba and bossa nova rhythm, fortnightly on Wednesday evenings on the heated terrace at Montagu’s Mews.

The newly opened Taittinger Champagne Terrace provides the perfect place to unwind on a warm summer’s afternoon or evening. Surrounded by manicured gardens, regency architecture and sun-drenched corners, guests are invited to sit back, relax and sip on chilled glasses of Taittinger Champagne

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Surround Sound with Mark Kermode and Jenny Nelson
2025-09-10 19:30 - 21:30 | Komedia Bath, 22-23 Westgate St, Bath, BA1 1EP, United Kingdom
How can a film score make you cheer, shiver, cry or punch the air?

Join the UK’s favourite film critic, Mark Kermode, and radio producer Jenny Nelson as they explore the emotional connection between great musical scores and the silver screen audience. Their brilliant new book, Surround Sound is a fascinating trip down the glorious rabbit hole of film composition.

Telling the stories behind iconic soundtracks and sharing some of their personal favourites, Mark and Jenny will reveal how what we hear has an impact on what we see and they will celebrate the magic that happens when a soundtrack takes on a life of its own.

This event will be followed by a book signing, copies available to purchase on the night. Thank you to Mr B’s Emporium of Books.

This event is brought to you by FilmBath in partnerships with Curious Minds: a festival to ignite ideas.

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Newbie Night (Open Mic)
2025-09-10 19:30 - 22:00 | The Jesters, 17 Alfred St, Bath, BANES, BA1 2QU, United Kingdom
Every Wednesday, The Jesters opens the stage to 12 brand-new or developing acts, each with 5 minutes to make some noise, test some material, and maybe even bring the house down. No need to be ‘in the scene’ just turn up, sign up, and give it a go. Sign-up runs from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the club. Names are drawn at 7:30pm sharp, with the show starting shortly after. Come to perform, or come to support comedy’s newest fools—all for just £1. In partnership with Big Squash Comedy at The Saracen’s Head, performers can double up and do two open mics in one night meaning more stage time, more fun, more jester energy.Doors: 7:30 PM | Show: 8:00 PM | Tickets: £1

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Big Squash Comedy
2025-09-10 20:00 - 22:00 | Saracen’s Head, 42 Broad Street, Bath, BANES, BA1 5LP, United Kingdom
A weekly new material comedy night located in Bath’s oldest pub. Free of charge with a new lineup of excellent acts each week

Book here

Emma
2025-09-11 00:00 - 2025-09-20 23:59 | Theatre Royal, Sawclose, Bath, Bath & North East Somerset, BA1 1ET, United Kingdom
The 250th anniversary of Bath’s favourite writer is celebrated in fitting style with a new stage adaptation of Jane Austen’s comedy of manners, Emma.

The historic Theatre Royal Bath is the perfect setting to launch this new tour as the Georgian splendour of the city encapsulates the backdrop for many of Austen’s characters and stories.

The beautiful, high-spirited Emma Woodhouse is determined that she will never marry but loves to meddle in her friends’ and neighbours’ relationships. When her confidante and former governess, Miss Taylor weds her fiancé Mr Weston, Emma, having introduced the couple, takes credit for the marriage and decides that a future in matchmaking lies ahead of her.

So begins a comic journey through the lives and loves of Emma’s friends and neighbours, embracing the burgeoning Regency social scene of Bath and Weymouth. But as the romantic web she weaves amongst her friends becomes ever more entangled, will Emma herself get swept up in true love’s wake…?

Jane Austen’s enduring novel is filled with memorable characters – the dashing Mr Knightley, Emma’s friends Jane Fairfax and Harriet Smith, the mercenary Reverend Elton and his delightfully pretentious wife Augusta. This new 250th anniversary stage production is adapted by Ryan Craig, whose recent works includes the world premiere of Charlotte and Theodore in the Ustinov Studio and 1984 in the Main House.

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WOW! Thursdays - SUMMER FINALE! - w/ WOWAOKE! - Drinks from 99p! - FREE BOMB with all tickets!
2025-09-11 08:00 - 17:00 | Labyrinth, 8 North Parade, Bath, BA1 6BY
WOW! – Bath’s longest running weekly club night! WOWAOKE! in botanic, South West’s best DJs, drinks from 99p!

Book your ticket with a FREE BOMB now!

Doors open & WOWAOKE! from 10PM

EVERY THURSDAY AT WOW!

DRINKS from 99p WOWAOKE! in Botanic Rooms 4 Rooms / 3 Music Policies £3.50 Doubles all night! TED leading the party FREE WOW! Merch WOW! TV episode filming 1000’s giveaways & freebies CRAZY themes & takeovers OPEN UNTIL 3AM!

WOW! DRINKS DEALS!!!

The cheapest drink in town every Thursday… 99p BOMBS before 11:30pm / £1.50 after 11:30pm £2.50 VKs all night £3 Sol & Budweiser all night £2.50 House Spirit & Mixer all night £3.50 Double House Spirit & Mixer all night

WOW! DJ’s

Main Room: DJ Paul Carroll – Dance, Urban, DnB Disco Disco: DJ Haigh – Chart & Cheese Botanic: WOWAOKE!

WOWAOKE!

Sing your heart out with WOWAOKE! in the botanic rooms from 9:30pm!

Book here

Mental Health First Aid Refresh Course
2025-09-11 09:30 - 14:00 | Online
The online half-day Mental Health First Aid Refresh course helps maintain your awareness of mental health support strategies and updates your knowledge on influencing factors. Designed for those who completed the Adult MHFA® or MHFA Champion course 2-3 years ago, you’ll practice the Mental Health First Aid action plan, gain access to course resources and keep your Mental Health First Aider qualification active.

Third sector and non-profit discounts available. Email training@bathmind.org.uk for details.

Book here

Throwing Ceramics
2025-09-11 10:00 - 16:00 | Bath Spa University – Locksbrook Road Campus, The Street, Locksbrook Road, Bath, BANES, BA1 3EL, United Kingdom
During this Throwing Ceramics course, you’ll be shown the basic throwing skills on the pottery wheel under the guidance and support of Louise Blois, Technical Demonstrator – Ceramics at Bath Spa University. You’ll then explore making a variety of forms including cylinders, bowls, and plates with plenty of hands-on guidance.

After making your pieces you’ll explore surface decoration using Locksbrook Campus studio’s collection of decorative coloured slips, learning how to add colour to your pieces.

By the end of the course, you’ll have produced a series of custom ceramic pieces, which will then be fired for you to collect three – four weeks later.

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Introduction to Screenprinting - Cut it like Matisse
2025-09-11 10:00 - 17:00 | Bath Spa University – Locksbrook Road Campus, The Street, Locksbrook Road, Bath, BANES, BA1 3EL, United Kingdom
Explore the vibrant world of Screenprinting through the lens of Henri Matisse’s paper cut-outs. This one-day course is ideal for beginners or those looking to refresh their skills in a creative, supportive studio environment.

You’ll first learn how to “draw with scissors” and then create bold, abstract designs using paper stencils. You will then expose these shapes onto screens and print in layers to produce colourful, collaborative works on paper.

Working both individually and as a group, you’ll gain a strong foundation in Screenprinting techniques – from stencil-making and screen preparation to printing and registration.

At the end of the course, you’ll have produced a selection of prints to display, including your own design.

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Extending Cyanotypes
2025-09-11 18:00 - 20:00 | Bath Spa University – Locksbrook Road Campus, The Street, Locksbrook Road, Bath, BANES, BA1 3EL, United Kingdom
Usually made on dry sensitised paper, in this Extended Cyanotypes workshop you’ll explore making experimental ‘wet’ cyanotypes. In the creative and supportive environment of a small group, watch the process being done, handle several examples and then try the process for yourself.

Bath Spa University’s Extended Cyanotypes workshop is designed so everyone can participate at whatever level suits them. The process is experimental so there is no right or wrong. No former experience is needed to create surprising and beautiful outcomes using cyanotype chemicals combined with everyday materials such as turmeric, salt and beetroot juice.

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Calibre 100 – Network Launch News
2025-09-11 18:00 - 20:30 | House of St Johns, 1 Queen Square, Bath, BANES, BA2 2HA, United Kingdom
Are you looking to grow your client base in and around the City of Bath?

Then don’t miss the official launch of Calibre 100 – Bath’s premier business networking experience.

Price: £95 per person

Join an exceptional evening of opportunity, insight, and influence:

1. World-Class Speaker:Be inspired by Casper Craven, international keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and bestselling author, sharing strategies for leadership, resilience, and business growth.

2. Gourmet Canapés:Enjoy a specially curated menu by acclaimed executive chef Daniel Moon, known for his creative flair and fine-dining excellence.

3. Complimentary Bar:Raise a glass with peers over exotic cocktails and premium refreshments – all included with your ticket.

4. Meet the Calibre100 Ambassadors:Their ambassadors will help connect you with some of the region’s most dynamic professionals.

David (Kav) Kavanagh L.ISPPaula HarsleyDarren EarneyMichelle PowSally Quinlan

5. Most importantly – people like you.Business owners, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers who are serious about creating meaningful relationships and unlocking real growth.

Book here

Women's Health Workshop Series - Balance
2025-09-11 18:30 - 20:00 | Bath Natural Remedies, 11 Northumberland Place, Bath, BANES, BA1 5AR, United Kingdom
Gill and Nicola join forces to empower you to take back control of your health inside and out through the holistic approach of homeopathy and nutrition.

Week 1 – Balance

The ebb and flow of our monthly cycle impacts our moods, energy and wellbeing.

Homeopathy can help provide balance within the cycle by reducing extremes of physical symptoms, mood swings and releasing energy to get through the day.

Nourishing our bodies with the right nutrients and revitalizing our cells brings us back to an alkaline state, unlocking a vibrant flow of vitality, energy, and inner calm.

Both homeopathy and nutrition provide a powerful way to feel balanced, refreshed, and truly alive.

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Tracy Borman for The Stolen Crown: Treachery, Deceit and the Death of the Tudor Dynasty
2025-09-11 19:00 - 21:00 | Bath Elim Church, Charlotte Street, Bath, BANES, BA1 2ND, United Kingdom
The explosive account of the succession of Elizabeth I from bestselling author Tracy Borman, Chief Historian at Historic Royal Palaces.

‘Compelling and brilliant’ – ALISON WEIR‘Part political thriller . . . A thrilling achievement’ – KATE WILLIAMS, author of Rival Queens

In March 1603, Queen Elizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch, lies dying at Richmond Palace. The queen’s ministers cluster round her bedside, urging her to name her successor – something she has stubbornly resisted throughout her reign. Almost with her last breath she whispers that James VI of Scotland should succeed her.

Or so we’ve been led to believe.

But, as enthralling new research shows, this is not what happened. Elizabeth went to her grave without formally naming an heir. The notion of an approved succession from Tudors to Stuarts is little more than an elaborately constructed fiction – a fiction that went on to have devastating consequences. The Stuart regime rapidly descended into turbulence and uncertainty, conspiracy and persecution, witchcraft and gunpowder.

With a combination of rigorous research and brilliant storytelling, The Stolen Crown takes us behind palace doors to reveal the secret history of the Tudor succession.

Tracy Borman OBE is Chief Historian at Historic Royal Palaces and Chief Executive of the Heritage Education Trust. She studied and taught history at the University of Hull.

Tracy is the author of a number of highly acclaimed books including Crown & Sceptre, Henry VIII and the Men Who Made Him, The Private Lives of the Tudors: Uncovering the Secrets of Britain’s Greatest Dynasty, Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII’s Most Faithful Servant, Matilda: Wife of the Conqueror, First Queen of England, Elizabeth’s Women: The Hidden Story of the Virgin Queen and Witches: A Tale of Sorcery, Scandal and Seduction.

Tracy is also a regular broadcaster and public speaker, giving talks on her books across the UK and abroad.

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Max Hastings in Bath
2025-09-11 19:00 - 21:00 | St Swithin’s Church, 37 The Paragon, Bath, BA1 5LY, United Kingdom
Join long-time friend of the bookshop, Max Hastings, to talk about his incredible new book, Sword: D-Day – Trial by Battle. Please note, any event vouchers can be redeemed against the price of a copy of Sword from publication date on the 8th May.

On 6 June 1944 when the allied armies landed on D-Day, the Second World War had already lasted almost five years.

Yet many of the British and American troops who invaded Normandy were virgin soldiers, never before committed to battle. They quit summer England to face within hours a storm of machine-gun and mortar fire. They witnessed scenes, above all of sudden death, such as no exercise had prepared them for.

This is D-Day as you have never heard it told before, with the blend of narrative, analysis and human insight that made Max Hastings’ last book Operation Biting a Sunday Times No.1 bestseller.

Max Hastings is the author of over thirty books, most about conflict, and between 1986 and 2002 served as editor-in-chief of the Daily Telegraph, then editor of the Evening Standard. He has won many prizes both for journalism and his books, of which the most recent are Chastise, Operation Pedestal and Abyss, bestsellers translated around the world.

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British Museum Lectures: Ice Age Art Now
2025-09-11 19:00 - 21:00 | Topping & Company Booksellers of Bath, York Street, Bath, BA1 1NG, United Kingdom
Join Toppings as they pair once more with the British Museum to bring to life an evening that celebrates humankind’s connection and drive towards artmaking. Curator Jill Cook takes us through Ice Age Art Now – a beautifully illustrated book that demonstrates how artistic creativity existed thousands of years before traditional art histories suggest, as an essential part of human life.

Ice Age Art Now presents work by people living in Europe at the end of the last Ice Age. These astounding pieces, some as much as 32,000 years old, reveal the deep roots of drawing, sculpture, realism, abstraction, signs, symbols and more. Six thematic sections delve into specific artworks to highlighting the skill and vision of artists through objects such as a spear thrower made around 11,000 years ago, which was ingeniously sculpted in the round from reindeer antler in the form of a clearly identifiable mammoth. The extraordinary skill and imagination of these early image makers find echoes in modern and contemporary art, with works by Goya, Rembrandt, Henri Matisse, David Hockney and Maggi Hambling also illustrated. A final section explores what life might have been like for the people making art at the time, immersing the reader in the cave itself.

Jill Cook is the Keeper of the Britain, Europe and Prehistory Department at the British Museum. She curated the exhibition Ice Age Art: the arrival of the modern mind in 2013 and is the curator of the exhibition Ice Age Art Now at Cliffe Castle, Keighley, part of the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture celebrations.

Ice Age Art Now is a British Museum partnership project with Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and Bradford District Museums & Galleries opening at Cliffe Castle Museum, Keighley in the Bradford district, on 21 June.

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Trace fossils - evidence of life with no bones
2025-09-11 19:30 - 21:00 | BRLSI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Bath & North East Somerset, BA1 2HN, United Kingdom
Trace fossils are marks and patterns in sedimentary rocks produced by the activities of animals and plants. Footprints and burrows are obvious examples and they record many aspects of the way animals lived.

This talk explores these useful fossils, including tales of dinosaur trackways in Wales and burrows large enough to drive a car into!

Professor Maurice Tucker is Visiting Professor in the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol. Before retiring to the South West, he was Professor of Geology at the University of Durham and Master of University College, Durham. He does research on the formation and maturation of sedimentary rocks, including the role of viruses in carbonate precipitation, the Permian geology of NE England and North Sea, the limestones of Montserrat, as well as the Jurassic oolites and Bath building stone

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Christine Collister – Children of the Sea & Beyond
2025-09-11 19:30 - 22:00 | Chapel Arts, Basement, St James Memorial Hall, 9 Lower Borough Walls, Bath, Bath & North East Somerset, BA1 1QR, United Kingdom
With a voice described by The Times as “personally delivered by God,”
Christine Collister returns to the stage this year with a beautifully expanded live experience based around her acclaimed 2024 project Children of the Sea — a spellbinding suite of original songs inspired by the folklore of her native Isle of Man.
Following a warm reception for both the album and its richly illustrated companion book, Christine is thrilled to bring audiences deeper into this magical world. In 2025, she shares additional new material drawn from the same thematic well, alongside a fresh collection of video storytelling created for earlier fan favourites — all seamlessly woven into an intimate evening of music, myth and memory.

The Irregulars
2025-09-11 19:30 - 22:00 | The Jesters, 17 Alfred St, Bath, BANES, BA1 2QU, United Kingdom
These aren’t your average open micers. These are the comics who’ve been grafting on the circuit for years, sharpening their sets in pubs, clubs, basements and backrooms – and they’re just starting to break into the mainstream. You’ll see TV-ready talent before they hit the panel shows, right here in The Jesters’ underground comedy club.Doors: 7:30 PM | Show: 8:00 PM | Tickets: £8 / £5 Students

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