SUMMER SHOPPING IN THE SPA CITY

The flights are booked, the villa looks great but what are you going to wear? If your summer wardrobe looks “so last year” head for Bath for an update and enjoy the city at its best with the Bath stone sparkling in the sunshine.

Shopping in Bath makes perfect sense when you have limited time to tick off all those holiday essentials. It is so compact and walk-able and yet has all that you might need and lots that you don’t really need but is hard to resist. Who wants to shop in a faceless, covered shopping mall when you can enjoy the sunshine and discover the retail gems in this World Heritage City?
This summer’s fashions are so colourful and tempting. Look for a floaty, silky sundress or kaftan at one of Bath’s great independent fashion boutiques like Mee or Prey. For something a bit different, Instant Vintage has lacy tops that would be cool and cute for a hot summer’s evening. Milsom Street is the main retail artery in the city with great brands like Ted Baker, Reiss and Hobbs as well as one of the country’s oldest department stores, Jolly’s. For pretty beach baskets, cool cool bags and hampers, picnic rugs and tents visit Cath Kidston, the shop that has introduced designer camping to the Festival set.

After all this retail therapy, take a break for a coffee or light lunch. Head for the Parisien Café or the terrace at the Moon and Sixpence for al fresco fun in the courtyards of Milsom Place, Bath’s latest sophisticated shopping and dining venue at the heart of North Bath. This is about as Continental as it gets without getting on a plane.

Schools out and the party on the beach beckons so consult the Jack Wills Summer Holiday Handbook for an array of bright bikinis, vests, shorts and must have Aisling Tea Dress. As well as Jack Wills Bath has a good sized Top Shop and H&M located in Southgate and a range of teen brands clustered around the Corridor including Superdry, Weird Fish and Animal. Pulteney Bridge is not to be missed; one of the very few bridges in the world with shops over it and you will discover some great boutiques like Pink Stripes and Joules. For the unreliable British summer pack some distinctive Joules wellies but for sunnier days there are flower print shorts, cropped trousers and swim wear plus lots of very practical kit like a “Rock pooler” towelling top, in fact gear for the whole family.

For children at the bucket and spade age there is JoJo Maman Bebe or Funky Babini and check out the “babies on the beach” section at the White Company for the Olivia Frill Swimsuit and matching sunhat. The White Company also has luxurious beach towels and wraps and cover ups like their broderie anglaise tunic that doubles up as a top over jeans in the evening.
For last minute leg waxing and that important pre holiday pedicure, Bath has more than its quota of beauty parlours. Green Street House and Champneys are right in the centre but call ahead to make an appointment to avoid disappointment.

Summer celebrations require special outfits and accessories. Located in the Old Post Office L.K.Bennett has a well deserved reputation for footwear ranging from pretty pink pumps to purple patent platforms as well as smart dresses and jackets. Independents like Sassy and Boo in Margaret Buildings stock the kind of clothes that make you stand out from the crowd like Blank’s vintage style party frocks.

Bath Tourism Plus is championing the cause of Bath retailers because so many visitors love to shop in the spa city “people are attracted to Bath for all kinds of reasons;, for the history, the Georgian architecture, the Roman Baths and the hotels and restaurants but when they get here they find it hard to resist our wonderful shops,” said Jasmine Simmons of Bath Tourism Plus. For a map to take guide you through retail heaven and take you off the beaten track plus information about shopping in Bath check out www.visitbath.co.uk. The new Bath Travel Guide gives advice on access and parking but savvy shoppers use Park and Ride every time.

Angels & Demons Trailer

Bath - May Bank Holiday

It’s all singing and dancing in Bath this May Bank Holiday!

Bath will be buzzing next week with the Bath International Dance Festival, Sing for Life and the Bath Spring Flower Show all taking place over the Bank Holiday.

Bath International Dance Festival 2nd – 4th May
Join the fabulous Bath International Dance Festival and participate in some of the latest and traditional styles of dance and take home some new moves! Alternatively, sit back, relax and enjoy the spectacle of some of the worlds best dancers perform in the famous heritage venues of Bath. As well as watching stars like Vincent & Flavia from Strictly Come Dancing, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved, not least of all, the World Record Attempt for the Waltz on Sunday morning which is open to anyone who would like to take part! Tickets for the events and workshops are now on sale from the Dance Festival website www.bathdancefest.org.uk or the Bath Festivals Box Office on 01225 463362. The website also provides details of how to take part in the World Record Attempt for the Waltz.

Sing for Life 1st – 4th May
Some of the musical talent performing at the Bath Sing for Life will include the famous City of Bath Male Choir (from the 2008 BBC’s Last Choir Standing), theatre groups and music students. There will be four concerts taking place on Friday evening in city centre churches, featuring all types of music from classical to glorious gospel. Saturday will see music students performing ‘free to watch and enjoy’ performances in a number of city venues. Top choral conductor Mike Brewer OBE will be leading a World Music workshop at the Bath Forum with hundreds of young people taking part and the world famous Rodolfus choir, one the top youth choirs in the UK, will be in concert at Bath Abbey. On Sunday evening top jazz star Claire Teal will perform a glitzy jazz and swing performance at the Pavilion. The festival will be supporting three local charities: the Dorothy House Hospice, the RUH Forever Friends and Golden-Oldies. All tickets are available from the Bath Festivals Box Office 01225 463362.

Bath Spring Flower Show 2nd – 4th May
The Annual Spring Flower Show, now in its 23rd year, will be held again in the beautiful surroundings of the Royal Victoria Park. There will be a wide array of displays and activites including a beautiful Floral Art display by members of the area’s Floral Art Clubs, a British Food and Farming marquee selling first class British farm produce, cookery demonstrations and a marquee with local Women’s Institutes and Townswomen’s Guilds selling delicious home baked cakes and preserves. The Show is also great for children who can spend time in the Children’s Activity Marquee. Food and drink is available throughout the day and bands and dancers will be providing entertainment. And there’s no need to worry about the weather as most of the Show is held under cover with parking available close to the showground. The entrance charge is £7.50 for adults, £5 for OAP’s and all unaccompanied children. Accompanied children under 16 come free.

For further details on the above events and for more information on what to see and do in Bath visit the official tourism website www.visitbath.co.uk.

Finding the Best English Language Schools

Coming to the UK in 2009 to study English?

Looking for the best school and courses?

Looking for the best areas to visit?

How are you going to make such a difficult choice?


Well, that's easy - first of all, just ask a friend ... at GoUK.com you can get impartial advice from one of our consultants (just think of them as friends) simply by completing a Find A School Request online. For more information about our FREE service, just click here.

If you are planning to come to the UK, one of your biggest choices will be the area or city you chose to study in. The BIG Three ELT centres that we get the most enquiries about are - no surprise here - London, Oxford and Cambridge.

Each of the Big 3 has excellent schools and sublime resources for would-be students, but they're not right for everyone - especially London. London is so vast that some people will find the hustle and bustle of the city and the possibly large travelling distances between schools and accommodation too much to bear. If you are set on studying in London and if you are letting your school select your accommodation for you, then take care to find out where you will be staying and how long your journey will take. In general, it is best if you can stay close to the centre of the city or to the western suburbs. Historically, most cities in the UK have their best housing in the west and their industrial areas/utilities to the east (especially their sewage works) because the prevailing winds in the UK run west to east and so it traditionally made sense for people to build their homes upwind of any smells or pollution.

Of the 2 great university cities, Cambridge is very self-contained, flat, friendly and easy to navigate with its pedestrianised city centre. Oxford sprawls a little more and has more tourists (because of its position in the more heavily populated centre of the country and its proximity to major transport resources such as Heathrow Airport) but is a wonderful city year round.

Outside of the Big 3, there are plenty of smaller towns and cities to consider such as Bournemouth (a truly vibrant and young city), Brighton (London by the sea), Harrogate (a gem of destination), Exeter (gateway to the great outdoors that is Devon and Cornwall), and Edinburgh (the effervescent capital of Scotland).

But there's a fundamental truth that dare not speak it's name ... but here goes anyway ... it isn't a town or city that will make your stay in the UK happy. It isn't a school. It isn't a specific course. It isn't a host family. It isn't an individual friend or even a group of friends. Nope. The thing that will make YOU happy is your own attitude ... any school, town, course, family can be enjoyable if you put your heart and soul into everything you do; and yet the very same school, town, course, family can be utter misery for you if you come with a negative frame of mind and waste time looking for faults and problems instead of seizing the wonderful opportunity that you have in the palms of your hands.

Grab the opportunity to come to the UK now and make the most of your time here. Become part of the school and the wider community and suck the marrow of the experience for all it is worth. Sure, you'll have some low moments, but add those lows to the rich tapestry of your experience and learn from them.

We wish you well in your studies for 2009 - may the year bring you every possible happiness and success. The harder you work and the more effort you put in, the luckier and happier you will be.

City Guides - click here and then choose A to Z City Directory on the bottom left hand side.

Tourism Guide - click here.

Pictures of the UK - click here.

Great courses - click here.

Make a wish - click here and let us know what you're wishing for this year in our comments box. We'll grant every wish we can ;-)

Apple maul MS

Take a look at the pic of the students in the auditorium.

Go into any Apple store and you'll find it heaving with young people buying Macs.

If this is a generational thing, then the future for MS has got to look bleak.

Bath Literature Festival: 28th February - 8th March

Take part in one of the most exciting literature events in the country next month and join the annual Bath Literature Festival for stimulating debate, lively conversation and fascinating insights from leading authors, scientists and poets. Promising to be bigger and better than ever, the festival will celebrate writing in all its forms with a programme of over 100 events. And with a number of attractive accommodation offers available on www.visitbath.co.uk enjoy a short break and make the most of all that the festival has to offer while taking time to explore the beautiful World Heritage city of Bath.

This year’s festival will explore a number of ‘strands’ rather than an over-arching theme which will include debates and presentations on: Retrospectives, Wild Places, Intimate Lives, The Cutting Edge and Best of British literature. And to mark the bicentenary of Charles Darwin’s birth, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his On the Origin Species, there will also be a Darwin strand. Best-selling novelist Alexander McCall Smith, broadcaster, feminist and writer Joan Bakewell, former MP Chris Patten, outspoken and opinionated socialist Tony Benn and hugely popular poet Wendy Cope are just some of the well-established literary figures who will be taking part in the festival. In addition, authors from every corner of the globe will be joining the Literature Festival making it a truly cosmopolitan affair.

Stay in Bath on the 4th and 5th March and take advantage of the exclusive Bath Literature Festival package available on the official tourism website: www.visitbath.co.uk/festival. Choose from a number of accommodation options, starting from £130, and buy tickets for 5 Literature Festival events for just £30 (a total saving of £18). Accommodation options include dinner, bed and breakfast at the 5 star Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel, a contemporary and stylish self-catering cottage at The Malthouse and bed and breakfast at School Cottages in nearby village Farmborough.


While in Bath a visit to learn more about one of the city’s most famous residents - Jane Austen - cannot be missed. Find out about this influential writer who is still so popular today at the Jane Austen Centre and discover about her life and writing in Bath, purchase her books from the shop, or take tea in the Regency Tea Rooms above the museum in true Jane Austen style! The Museum can be found in the centre of the city on Gay Street and is one of Bath’s most popular attractions. Alternatively, download a free mp3 walking tour from www.visitbath.co.uk. This audio tour celebrates Jane Austen’s life and work and takes listeners around the highlights of the city while playing extracts from her novels and letters.

Hearing from top literary writers and visiting the Jane Austen Centre may leave you feeling inspired to read, so head to one of Bath’s book shops where there is an abundance to choose from, with all the usual high street chains as well as several independent shops tucked away on quiet cobbled streets. Bath Topping & Company is one of Bath’s most popular stores situated on The Paragon. It provides a cornucopia of over 30,000 titles and hosts a number of author events throughout the year.

More information on the Bath Literature Festival and accommodation offers can be found on the official tourism website www.visitbath.co.uk. Tickets for the Bath Literature Festival range from £3 to £17 and bookings can be made by visiting www.bathlitfest.org.uk.

Nab Cottage 2009

Greetings from all of us at Nab Cottage

We have an exciting programme for 2009

Dates/Prices @ Nab Cottage 2009

1.
General English for adults

Available any time between June 20 and September 20.

Price: £440 a week. This includes:
Registration
Shared accommodation (there is a supplement of £85 for a single room)
Teaching/learning programme minimum 35 hours a week
All meals
Activity programme


2.
English and Yoga

September 6-13 and 13-20


Price: £440 a week. This includes:
Registration
Shared accommodation (there is a supplement of £85 for a single room)
Teaching/learning programme 15 hours a week
All meals
Full social programme


3.
English and Walking

April 19-25 and October 4-10

Price: £440 a week. This includes:
Registration
Shared accommodation (there is a supplement of £85 for a single room) Teaching/learning programme 15 hours a week
All meals
Full social programme



4.
One to one

Available any time between June 20 and September 20

Price: £740 a week. This includes:
Registration
Shared accommodation (there is a supplement of £85 for a single room) Tuition/learning programme
All meals
Activity programme

5.
Language and Development Training

Available any time between October 5 and June 20 2010


Price: £930 per person (for a group of 6) - £2010 (for a group of 2). This includes:
Registration
Tuition/learning programme minimum 35 hours a week
Single accommodation
All meals
Activity programme

6.
Cambridge exam courses

Available any time between June 20 and September 20.


Price: £440 a week. This includes:
Registration
Shared accommodation (there is a supplement of £85 for a single room)
Tuition/learning programme 35 hours per week
All meals
Activity programme

For more information, visit: http://www.nabcottage.com

New Image Galleries for 2009

Happy New Year!

To launch 2009, we have published 3 new web galleries for you:

Tyneham Village in Dorset
CLICK HERE

One of the most unusual sites in the UK, the village of Tyneham which was emptied of occupants on the army's orders in 1943. A village trapped in time.



Swanage
CLICK HERE

Pictures of Swanage to Durlston Head in Dorset.



Castle Coombe, Wiltshire
CLICK HERE

A very pretty village in Wiltshire used in a number of films, including the 1967 version of Doctor Dolittle (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061584/) and the wonderful film Stardust (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486655/).

For Stardust, Castle Coombe was the village of Wall.

http://www.stardustmovie.com/index2.html

Stardust [2007]

Highlights in Bath in 2009

Highlights in Bath in 2009

Bath Tourism Plus is highlighting the many reasons to pay a visit to the beautiful World Heritage City of Bath in 2009 including the inaugural Comedy Festival which will bring cheer to the streets of Bath in April, the first phase of a much awaited new shopping area opening its doors after 2 years of development, new entertainment venue Komedia showing performances of cabaret, comedy and music and relaxing treatments to enjoy including the new ‘watsu for two’ at the Thermae Bath Spa. And added to this is the winning formula that has attracted visitors to Bath for over 2,000 years – history, heritage, great food and attractions, and a cosmopolitan atmosphere.

Bath – City of Festivals

Bath will welcome a new festival to its busy and diverse year-round programme of events in 2009. The Bath Comedy Festival will start on April Fool’s Day and finish on the 12^th April. There will be an exciting line up of performances and entertainment with street theatre, stand-up comedy, film, plays, competitions and caricature spilling out onto Bath's historic streets and taking place across a selection of venues - all celebrating the art of making people laugh! Well-known comedians Paul Merton, Dave Spikey, Count Arthur Strong and Jenny Éclair will feature with more names yet to be announced. The festival joins a long list of events that Bath hosts every year including the Bath Literature Festival (28th February - 8th March), Fringe Festival (22nd May - 7th June), International Music Festival (22nd May - 6th June) and the Jane Austen Festival (18th - 27th September). More details including a full listing of events can be found on www.visitbath.co.uk/whats-on.

Boutique Bath

Bath has been a fashionable place to shop since Georgian times, when fashionistas flocked to the city to purchase the latest styles and trends. Today it still offers visitors that 'something special' with a city centre that is packed with small, independent shops, alongside all the usual high street names. Shopping in Bath has undergone exciting developments at both ends of the city. Milsom Place, formerly known as Shire’s Yard, has been completely refurbished into a chic shopping area housing several cafes and restaurants as well as boutique and independent shops. At the other end of town, Bath’s high street shops will be boosted next year with the opening of the first phase of the much awaited new shopping area in Southgate. In 2007 a major development started in the city with the demolition of ill-fitting 1970’s buildings in place of a brand new bus station and shops in Georgian-style architecture which will blend perfectly into the cityscape.

Twilight Bath

Bath comes alive at night with a fusion of music, food, theatre, film, comedy, dancing and relaxation taking place across historic and modern venues. A recent addition to Bath’s nightlife is brand new entertainment venue Komedia. Opened in November in the former Beau Nash Cinema which has been completely renovated, Komedia offers an exciting and diverse programme of national and international touring acts including stand-up comedians, cabaret and bands. Following in European style, at many performances customers can also enjoy a meal while watching a show. Or, for a pre-show dinner choose from one of the many restaurants that line the streets of Bath serving food to suit all tastes. The newest addition to Bath’s food scene is Jamie’s Italian - Jamie Oliver’s flagship Italian restaurant which opened in Milsom Place in October. Nightlife in Bath is diverse with a huge choice of things to do; from cinema to theatre, pubs to clubs and walking tours to spa culture. See www.visitbath.co.uk/site/things-to-do for further information.

Bath Spa

Feel good in the New Year and take advantage of Thermae Bath Spa’s new treatments. The Spa’s signature treatment, ‘watsu’ (a Shiatsu massage in the natural thermal waters), was previously only performed one person at a time, but now couples or friends will be able to enjoy this relaxing treatment together in the historic Hot Bath with the new ‘Watsu for Two’ option. In addition, Thermae will be offering new body wraps, vichy showers, manicures and flotation treatments and a new product range called Ligne Tropicale - beautifully zesty and fruity fragrances designed to leave your skin looking healthy and rejuvinated.

Head out of Bath to the luxurious Lucknam Park Hotel and experience a spectacular spa complex complete with a 20 metre indoor swimming pool, an indoor-outdoor hydrotherapy pool and an outdoor saltwater plunge pool. Newly opened in November this impressive spa also has 9 treatment rooms, extensive thermal cabins as well as an open kitchen with a wood-fired oven serving healthy and nourishing dishes.

Although an historic city, Bath is not trapped in time - there is so much to see and do with lively evening entertainment, festivals to enjoy and a range of interesting shops to explore, so make Bath a date in your diary for 2009! The official tourism website www.visitbath.co.uk is the perfect guide to plan a visit to the city.

The Little Match-Seller - Andersen

The Little Match-Seller
by Hans Christian Andersen

It was terribly cold and nearly dark on the last evening of the old year, and the snow was falling fast. In the cold and the darkness, a poor little girl, with bare head and naked feet, roamed through the streets. It is true she had on a pair of slippers when she left home, but they were not of much use. They were very large, so large, indeed, that they had belonged to her mother, and the poor little creature had lost them in running across the street to avoid two carriages that were rolling along at a terrible rate. One of the slippers she could not find, and a boy seized upon the other and ran away with it, saying that he could use it as a cradle, when he had children of his own. So, the little girl went on with her little naked feet, which were quite red and blue with the cold. In an old apron, she carried a number of matches, and had a bundle of them in her hands. No one had bought anything of her the whole day, nor had anyone given her even a penny. Shivering with cold and hunger, she crept along; poor little child, she looked the picture of misery. The snowflakes fell on her long, fair hair, which hung in curls on her shoulders, but she regarded them not.

Lights were shining from every window, and .... to read the rest of the story, click here.

Oxford International Study Centre….winter offer!

Oxford International Study Centre….winter offer!

15% discount on all our courses between January 12th and April 5th… please see our website for the full range of programmes www.oxintstudycentre.com.

Enjoy an exciting educational experience in the beautiful university city of Oxford!

Oxford International Study Centre

tel 44 1865 201009

fax 44 1865 201006

www.oxintstudycentre.com

GIFT CERTS

Budget Bath

Enjoy a 2 night break in Bath for under £100

For cost-conscious holiday-makers looking to plan a break in 2009 Bath is the perfect place to visit with good accommodation deals available, plenty of free things to do and promotions and offers on entry to attractions. Voted the 4th best European City in a 2008 TripAdvisor survey, Bath is a popular choice and it’s easy to see why; sweeping crescents, elegant Georgian architecture, Roman history and modern spa culture - the ideal place to explore and unwind, even on a limited budget.

Accommodation

Stay at the 3 star Royal Hotel in the heart of Bath and enjoy 2 nights bed and breakfast plus a delicious dinner both nights from just £49 per person per night (Sunday-Thursday). Further details about this offer and others are available at: http://www.visitbath.co.uk/site/short-breaks-and-offers.

Free things to do

Bath is brimming with things to do including options that don’t even have to cost a penny:

• Mayor’s Honorary Guides – Free 2 hour walking tours of the city of Bath with knowledgeable and experienced guides, starting from the entrance to the Pump Room.
• Victoria Art Gallery – This popular gallery situated on Bridge Street has free entry and is home to the works of Gainsborough, Sickert and Zoffany as well as frequent and changing exhibitions.
• Explore Bath’s architecture – One of the main attractions of Bath is its unique and beautiful Georgian architecture. With over 5,000 listed buildings Bath truly is an architectural gem and no visit is complete without seeing the Royal Crescent, Circus and Pulteney Bridge and due to its compact nature, it’s easy to get around Bath on foot.
• Jane Austen – Bath’s most famous resident lived here and based two of her novels in the city. Download a free audio walking tour from the www.visitbath.co.uk website and learn more about Jane Austen, her life in Bath and her novels.
• Parks and Gardens – Bath has several picturesque parks and gardens including Royal Victoria Park which spans over 57 acres and boasts the iconic Royal Crescent as its backdrop – an ideal place to enjoy a picnic.

Money Saving Tips

For visitors wanting to explore Bath’s attractions, there are a number of packages and promotions available to save money:

• If you travel by train take advantage of First Great Western’s offer of 2 for 1 entry into some of Bath’s major attractions including the Roman Baths and the Jane Austen Centre. www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk has more details.
• Purchase a joint ticket for the Roman Baths and Fashion Museum for just £14, making a saving of £4.
• For £37.50 the Twilight Package at Thermae Bath Spa offers the chance to bathe in the natural thermal waters for 3 hours - for the price of 2 - and also enjoy a meal in the café and hire of a robe, towel and slippers.
• Buy a visitor card from the Tourist Information Centre for £3 and receive all sorts of discounts and offers for restaurants, cafes, shops and attractions.
• Buy discounted tickets for a performance at the 200 year old, Georgian Theatre Royal - 40 standby tickets are available for purchase on the day of the performance for £5 and once sold, standing places can be purchased for just £3.

For further details on how to enjoy a break in Bath on a budget see the official website http://www.visitbath.co.uk/site/bath-on-a-budget for more ideas and inspiration.