Each week Bristol Business News gives a prominent member of the area’s business community the last word on its weekly e-bulletin. This week Jamie Breese, entrepreneur, broadcaster and director of Business Showcase South West, answers our 10 questions.
What was the LAST: 
Film you watched? My favourite question first! The Remains of the Day. This would be the sixth or seventh time. It was made at the peak of Merchant Ivory’s power and remains as haunting a take on unrequited love as the book was. It’s a lot of talented international filmmakers in collaboration and though there’s not a bad note among the talent, Sir Anthony Hopkins (fresh off his Oscar win for The Silence of the Lambs) delivers the searing, peerless masterclass. The important emotional events that are unfolding ‘below stairs’ seem to be perfectly mirrored by the events leading up to the outbreak of the Second World War, many of which are connected to the film’s main character – Darlington Hall. I’ve visited most of the locations – which all happen to be in the West Country (including Dyrham Park) and even chatted to actors who did walk-ons in the film, to learn more about how it was made. It was lovely to revisit this magical film a few years on and I encourage anyone who’s not read the book or seen the picture to take a few hours out and let this often dream-like uncommonly good tale take hold. As the author once said, it’s the ultimate rulebook on how to waste your life.
Book you read? As above! Both offer something new.
Music you bought/downloaded? I’ve suddenly clocked how very good Ed Sheeran really is. I think it was his solo performance at the recent Brit Awards which closed the deal for me. Started with downloading Thinking Out Loud. His story is an epic example of patience and persistence paying off.
Concert or play you went to? It was a while ago now and at Bristol’s iconic The Corrie Tap in Clifton Village. The proprietors have a great eclectic taste in jazz and if you look carefully, you can sometimes see world-class acts. James Morton, Bristol’s Music Ambassador, (www.jamesmortonsax.com) has become a bit of a jazz icon. He plays sax and I saw him play with Ian Matthews (drummer for a little-known rock band called Kasabian) and a few other talented jazzers. As a band, I’ve seen them play several times now and it is literally mind-blowing. I managed to twist their arms to come and play at the Lord Mayor’s Charity Gala Dinner at the Bristol Royal Marriott Hotel in late April. It is going to be great to see them raise the roof at a formal black-tie event!
Sporting event you attended? On Wednesday me and my go karting team mates were defeated at a huge charity race, but we had a lot of fun trying.
Holiday you went on? I don’t tend to take holidays as such. I am a West Country convert and honestly prefer roadtrips or jaunts over the bridge to Wales. The Brecons are 45 minutes away as are the Cotswolds. I’ve had a few US work visas now for various projects. Most recently I was commuting to The States – mainly Atlanta, Georgia, for quite a long time which was fun and had a hint of holiday about it. That show we recorded is called Auction Kings is now airing again around the world on Discovery. I suspect I am like many people who run their own businesses: it’s genuinely hard to switch off. And I have no problem with that!
Restaurant you ate in? Steak of The Art, Cathedral Walk, Bristol Harbourside. I was invited to the ‘friends and family’ opening of their second restaurant in Cardiff recently. It’s a novel concept – supporting local art (a passion), and providing good value food. The staff retention is high, so people get to know you by name and I’ve hosted a few dinner parties in their lovely private dining room. And the food is excellent.
Thing that annoyed you? My inability to effectively tackle my most recent ‘to do’ list!
Thing that made you laugh out loud? They play audio from Fawlty Towers on loop in the washrooms in Steak of the Art! It’s amazing that something that was made when I probably wasn’t even born can remain so iconic. And funny.
Piece of good advice you were given? There was this really great guy called Tony who I met quite a few years ago now in Bristol and who I cold called to ask if he’d support a short film I was making. He turned out to be really helpful to the project and is well-known in a sector of the global business community. He simply said to remember, especially when the chips were down, that ‘fortune favours the brave’. It’s simple and is useful to remember.
Jamie Breese is the founder of Only Connect, one of the region’s largest business networking events, and organises the Business Showcase South West (businessshowcasesouthwest.com) event which takes place in May 2015 at Bristol’s Colston Hall. He has presented hundreds of TV shows for all the major networks, been a regular on Sky News as a newspaper reviewer and has been a columnist for 15 years with The Sunday Mirror. Previously, he had a ‘first look’ directing deal with Dreamworks in Hollywood, authored two books and was a writer for Business Life Magazine among dozens of other high street titles. He studied at the University of the West of England, lives in Bristol and is a charity auctioneer in his spare time.
Photo of Jamie Breese courtesy of Kingbridge Photography
