If you’re not familiar with Bristol and west country slang you might not find the name of this cafe and bar in a tent amusing… and it probably won’t be amusing! explain it, but at least you furriners might understand!
A yurt is a Mongolian tent… actually it is the mobile home of many different peoples of the steppes who travel, following herds of animals. The structure is made of bent wood, covered by fabric and felt. They are seen in different forms across thousands of miles and although here they are nearly always thought of as Mongolian, there are many different countries in which you might see one.
The word is Turkic in origin, this doesn’t mean it comes from Turkey! Turkic is a group of languages which originated in central Asia. It means more than tent though, it means a homestead or dwelling, the place where the hearth is, where the family is.
Lush means luscious… but round here in the southwest, and further afield as well, no doubt, it means great, good, fab, brilliant, amazing! if something is really, really great, good, fab, brilliant, amazing, it is described as ‘gurt lush’ – gurt meaning ‘great’ or very… so gurt lush, becomes here Yurt Lush!!
Lois Elsden 