Each week Bristol Business News gives a prominent member of the city’s business community the last word on our weekly e-bulletin.
This week Simon Hewes, partner in the Bristol office of transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson, answers our 10 questions.
What was the LAST:
Film you watched? Phantom Thread. My wife was very keen, as never happier than when creating something to wear. I hope it hasn’t put ideas into her mind and am viewing mushroom omelettes with some suspicion!
Book you read? Other Minds by Peter Godfrey-Smith, which is about cephalopods (octopuses, cuttlefish, etc). My daughter gave it to me as a present after I read a very favourable review of it. It’s incredible how things and ideas come into the mainstream, as at the time this was very esoteric but after Blue Planet 2 and In our Time, we all know how amazing these creatures are.
Music you bought or downloaded? Taking Liberties by Elvis Costello. I was a huge Costello fan (The Attractions were a phenomenally good live band). I got the original record in 1980 – I don’t think it was released in the UK – but good to have it on the iPhone. It has some cracking songs on it, mostly B-sides so not that well known.
Concert or play you went to? Amadeus at the National Theatre. It’s still on, I’d recommend it.
Sporting event you attended? Bath v Gloucester. Bath won!
Holiday you went on? If it can be called a holiday, cycling from Avignon to Nice last autumn with one of my brothers and some mates. Great fun, particularly liked going up Mont Ventoux on my (non-racing) bike.
Restaurant you ate in? The Scallop Shell. An excellent and, dare I say it, rather trendy fish and chip restaurant in Bath. Just before Phantom Thread (see above). Shocked to see that you now need to book (but thankfully they let us in).
Thing that annoyed you? While I would not advocate Robert Winston style ‘internet bullying’ (but Robert I’m with you), people who treat the train to London as their office and talk on the phone as if no-one else were there. I find it incredible (and also can’t believe that people are treating confidential information in this way). A couple of years ago, I was sitting opposite someone who rang an employee up and then proceeded to sack them!
Thing that made you laugh out loud? A present from a client just before Christmas. What might it be? A case of wine? No, a set of Wombles (no ordinary ones, apparently they had been purchased over 20 years ago!). I have the pictures to prove it!
Piece of good advice you were given? “Wait ‘til the other person has stopped talking before you launch in”. That is the advice which my wife has been giving me for a number of years (since we first met?), but I come from a very large and loud family. But I’m trying to follow that advice, honest.
Simon Hewes was born and raised near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk and still has family there. But, having discovered there were no corporate legal jobs in the region, headed for Birmingham, coming to Bristol almost 20 years ago. He has been with Womble Bond Dickinson (previously Bond Pearce and Bond Dickinson) for more than 25 years. His hobbies, apart from tractor driving, pottering round the garden, leaning against a gate staring at the middle distance and digging holes (all very popular in Suffolk when he was a lad) are drumming and motor racing. The drumming is on hold as his group has disbanded. He is, however, open to offers.
