Its All Happening

Lottie’s Lowdown: The Best of Bristol

Pictured above Giffords Circus

Guest blogger and committed Bristolite Lottie Storey lines up her favourite West Country happenings for Spring

Clifton Hill Costume and Textiles

Tucked away down a little side street in Clifton, Bristol, is Clifton Hill Costume and Textiles. For many years, it was run by Gillian Hodder but has been closed since her death in 2011. Now, vintage clothing and antique fans are in for a treat. The shop is re-opening, newly refurbished and with the very best selection of vintage gems from Gillian’s 30-year collection available to view and buy once more. To celebrate the shop’s re-opening, Clifton Hill Costume and Textiles are holding a launch party at Clifton Hill House. Think The Great Gatsby meets Midnight in Paris, the party promises to be an evening of glamour, fashion and fun, with live tableaux, music, stalls, a catwalk show, and vintage hair and make-up artists on hand to give you a retro do. read more

It’s All Happening in Exeter

Exeter is often overlooked in favour of trendier Bristol or Bath, yet scratch the surface and you’ll find a laid-back vibrant city full of stark contasts. At once a cultural haven with its landmark cathedral, a mecca for student yahs and a thriving market town, Exeter is both arrestingly pretty and blisteringly ugly depending on where you’re standing. Encircled by the beautiful River Exe yet bombed heavily in the war, this town has a concrete jungle at its heart. But don’t let that put you off –  with quirky shops, a cool soul club, one of the best restaurants in the SW and a whole quayside to explore, it’s the ultimate road trip. read more

Top 10 Places to Visit in….Castle Cary

Castle Cary, a pretty market town known to many thousands as the gateway to Glastonbury Festival is a place of hidden depths. On the surface, it seems a sweet, old fashioned kind of place without the swagger of nearby Bruton (largely thanks to killer restaurant At the Chapel) – scratch the surface, however, and you’ll find all sorts of surprises. read more

It’s All Happening In Weymouth…..

Photo: Weymouth and Portland Borough Council

With the Olympics about to arrive in Weymouth and Portland we’ve lined up some of our favourite haunts in this traditional Georgian seaside town. Whether you want to catch the Olympic sailing and windsurfing (starts July 27) or some of the great London 2012 Cultural Olympiad by The Sea events or just fancy a trip to the beautiful crescent shaped beach it’s definitely Weymouth time… read more

It’s All Happening in the Cotswolds

We’ve fallen big time for the Cotswolds as we give you the low down – with info from our Gloucestershire insider Katerina Kitkat Gibb – on where to find the best antiques and home ware outside of London, our favourite clothes boutiques and with a few knock out lunch spots thrown in. We’re thinking of moving … read more

It’s All Happening In Shaftesbury (Not)…

You could not, in your wildest imagingings, describe Shaftesbury as a happening town and that’s partly why we love it. Home to the steep cobbled street of Hovis advert fame, a gentleman’s outfitters that makes Are You Being Served look cutting edge and a haberdashers that ages you thirty years the moment you cross the threshold, unlike most modern towns Shaftesbury has hung onto its identity. read more

It’s All Happening In Falmouth

Falmouth harbour at dusk.

Falmouth on a cold winter’s day. Unlike many other Cornish towns which seem to wither and die out of season, Falmouth is alive with its thriving mix of art students, ex-hippies and ancient mariners. There are no tourists in early January yet the streets are full with the hustle and bustle of a working town. Like many other parts of Cornwall, Falmouth has had a cool makeover – the National Maritime Museum, Rick Stein’s foodie emporium, the hipster Gylly Beach Café – but its busy harbour (the third biggest natural harbour in the world) ensures this historical town keeps its salty sea dog credentials. read more

It’s All Happening in Penzance…

Penzance, marooned at the bottom corner of England, is like nowhere else. We’re a stone’s throw from Land’s End here so this is pretty much the end of the line and yet it doesn’t feel like that at all. Arty, surfy, piratey and above all quirky – there is so much to love in this extraordinary fishing town. read more

It’s All Happening in ….Bridport

Bridport is one of those places where the locals appear to have metamorphosed into one, strident personality. read more

Its All Happening in…Frome

The beauty of Frome is in the mix – cider-soaked crusties rubbing shoulders with yummy mummies from the neighbouring prep schools. It’s a little bit grim, it’s a little bit posh – a town which doesn’t seem to be capable of making its mind up and that’s partly why we love it. A medieval hilltop town with a new age feel – hippyville but not as you know it. read more