After listening to Those Rio Snappers, I’m taking a nostalgic trip through mid 80s indie bands. Here’s the Chesterfield’s classic Ask Johnny Dee. I once saw them @arnolfiniarts.bsky.social supported by Automatic Dlamini (possibly featuring a certain @pjharvey.net) music.apple.com/gb/album/ask...

It's our first Bristol Modernist walk of the year on 20th Feb and you can book here: the-modernist.org/products/all...

Sometimes an unintentional thread weaves its way through the Jotter. This month’s links encourage you to write a postcard rather than text, volunteer rather than doomscroll, browse in a bookshop rather than buy online, go to a cinema rather than stream. www.brighterside.co.uk/news/monthly...

I’m three weeks into a very enjoyable Urban Sketching course. Taught by Andy Gray, who is both enthusiastic as well as very good at explaining how to sketch to people like me who haven’t drawn since Art ‘O’ Level. An extra-curricular drawing of The Church of the Good Shepherd in Batheaston

“When people first saw it, they couldn’t describe it. And if people can’t describe something, they become very uncomfortable.” The magnificent and quirky Gradel Quadrangels, Oxford: www.eberlin.co.uk/buildings/gr...

A revamp is better than demolition. (Photo July 2023).

For fans of Bath Fire Station (e.g @westcountrymodern.bsky.social), this will be a fascinating tour. www.curiousmindsfestival.co.uk/events/walki...

“We think democracy is the flag, the ability to vote, or words in the Constitution. It is not. Democracy is an idea, an ideal, an agreement. Once you decide evidence does not matter if it hurts your team, you have already lost the thing you think you are defending.” om.co/2026/01/26/d...

Excellent news. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The Cheese Lane Shot Tower is perhaps the most unique looking building in Bristol. A striking landmark amongst the modern boxes on the banks of the Floating Harbour www.eberlin.co.uk/buildings/ch...

Another post-war Catholic Church in danger of demolition. Future generations will shake their heads at our idiocy if this mini-Liverpool Cathedral turns to dust.

Just announced - The Race For Space at Alexandra Palace, a 10(+1) year celebration. Join us if you can, please (and bring a friend). www.youtube.com/watch?v=udeP... Pre-sale starts 10am on Monday 26 Jan; general sale starts 10am on Thursday 29 Jan. FAQ here: www.patreon.com/posts/148198...

J. Willgoose, Esq. entertainingly explains why @psbhq.bsky.social are playing Ally Pally and why we all really should go: www.patreon.com/posts/148198...

The Grade II listed former Herman Miller Factory on the opposite side of the River Avon in Bath. Built in 1966 for the Bath Furniture Company, which became part of Herman Miller, until the late 90s when it was left vacant and vandalised. It now houses a Lidl and other retailers.

Bath isn’t all Georgian crescents. This is the Grade II listed high-tech Herman Miller Factory. Designed by Terry Farrell & Nicholas Grimshaw in 1976 as the ultimate flexible space. So much so that 40 years later it was transformed from a factory into the Bath Spa University School of Art & Design.

“If you were to remove ambition from the core of Robert Jenrick, he would collapse like a boneless chicken.” Matthew Parris.

In last week's newsletter I mentioned an exhibition in Bristol. The lovely people @themodernist.bsky.social are offering a guided tour in Feb. Extremely limited places. More details here: the-modernist.org/products/bau...

The first newsletter of the year is out! Would anyone like to buy a brutalist church in Somerset? Plus news of a 1930s cinema reopening and some exhibitions and events. Huge thanks to @eberlin.co.uk for permission to use his photographs of the Good Shepherd.

Always a good read.

Prompted by @westcountrymodern.bsky.social excellent write up, we had pit stop on our way back from Lyme Regis to appreciate The Amulet in Shelton Mallet. www.eberlin.co.uk/buildings/th...

Some golden tips for creativity here: www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Here is what I have enjoyed listening to most while I’ve worked and played this year. www.brighterside.co.uk/news/favouri...

“When I go to the Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol, Martin sits contentedly in the corner, looking at books, looking at photos, calling out questions, getting up to reach another book, then offering to make everyone tea.” From the introduction of Utterly Lazy and Inattentive by Wendy Jones.

A space with so many possibilities is for sale in Bradford on Avon: thespaces.com/who-will-tur...

If you’d like to show your support for saving the Church of the Good Shepherd as a community space, please sign this petition. Thank you. c.org/qCdhWyxBHG

Church of the Good Shepherd, Batheaston. Permission has mistakenly been granted to demolish this rare example of brutalist architecture in Bath. I was invited inside with a group of people who are exploring an alternative future for this empty church.

Wes Anderson Archives at the Design Museum. Do go. It’s very good. If you like him that is. If you don’t, you probably won’t.

Oh good, the albums of the year have started. Time to discover some good music I've missed.

Happy 40th birthday to The Point in Milton Keynes. Britain's first American style multiplex cinema and under threat from the wrecking ball... www.eberlin.co.uk/buildings/th...

It's a good one. The first of 24 essays from 'I thought about that a lot' chimes with my sentiments about where to spend time at Christmas: www.ithoughtaboutthatalot.com/2025/christm...

A little bit of variety is good for us all, which is why protecting one brutalist building amongst the Georgian splendour of Bath is a good idea.

A trip to Dulwich beckons. observer.co.uk/culture/art/...

“When I die, please say just that: that I died.” observer.co.uk/news/columni...

Post-modernism on a Suffolk beach. www.eberlin.co.uk/buildings/al...

Bowie’s answers are golden.

A bit of post-modernism to lighten up your day. Kathryn Stevens Rare Books Library, Newnham College, Oxford. Completed in 1983. Grade II listed in 2018.

Another interesting round up of West Country modernism including unwelcome news on Bath Fire Station.

I think a return trip to Tirana beckons... www.dezeen.com/2025/10/29/e...

Patti Smith can write… “I felt a gravitational force; my being truly shaken, kindling my desire for the One, the better savage. Fate had touched us; I knew at that moment he was the one I would marry.” observer.co.uk/style/featur...

My favourite portrait photographer, Jane Bown, has an exhibition in Sussex. I love how she used to carry her one camera in a wicker basket, used natural light (with occasional help from an anglepoise lamp) and had an instinctive ability to get the photo she wanted. observer.co.uk/culture/phot...

Elliott Sargent and I, representing the Bristol branch of @themodernist.bsky.social, are teaming up with Bristol Civic Society to lead a walk around Bristol's modernist buildings: mailchi.mp/61aa797623d7...

It’s arrived… more brilliant, thoughtful, atmospheric, mizzly photos by @marcwilson.co.uk (I hope he had good waterproofs). www.marcwilson.co.uk/book-print-s...

In this month's Jotter: My first PechaKucha Night, how Bic has kept the ball rolling, visiting art galleries is good for you, Stories From The City... is still really good, Justin’s fetching t-shirts, Xavi writes perceptively about AI, 7-word autobiographies: www.brighterside.co.uk/news/monthly...

Early evening autumn sun shining on the Holburne Museum in Bath.

These zines were the prompt for our recent BRUTAL Bristol exhibition. Buy them while you can! More people visited than we hoped and our 4 walks sold out demonstrating how many people are interested in the city’s post-war architecture.

In case you missed it, here is a link to the great @municipaldreams.bsky.social blog and review of my new book: municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/03/25/b... "Clayton’s book is not only a powerful evocation of past ideals and practice but a call to action."

I’m talking about the beauty of Bristol’s brutalist buildings at the next PechaKucha evening at Strange Brew on 19th November. Tickets and more information here: pechakucha.co.uk

A walk around Bristol with @eberlin.co.uk and the Bristol Modernist

Interesting article about the background to the @themodernist.bsky.social ahead of their book fair @vitsoe.bsky.social next weekend. Our new Bristol 'branch' sneaks in a mention too www.vitsoe.com/gb/voice/mod...

BRUTAL Bristol is in the Bristol Post and our exhibition is on today and tomorrow at Sparks, Broadmead. It’s been a busy day - do come along and make it busier.