Bath Voice December 2022

Housing crisis in Bath deepens

Harry Mottram: Even the cheapest house prices in Bath could be more than 18 times the average salary, a local housing official has warned.

Graham

housing, said that the cheapest quarter of homes on the market in the district cost more than 12 times what the average person makes in a year.

He added that this figure was for the council area as a whole and that for the city of Bath itself, where

houses were more expensive, prices would probably be 18 to 20 times higher than the average salary.

This puts even the cheapest houses out of the reach of many first-time buyers. Mr Sabourn said: “78 per cent cannot afford to buy a

By Local Democracy Reporter John Wimperis with additions from

Saborn, Bath and North East Somerset Council’s head of

Contacts

Harry Mottram News Editor news@bathvoice.co.uk

Erica Benson Publisher and sales 07402 441485 erica@bathvoice.co.uk

George Benson Distribution 07970 767606 george@bathvoice.co.uk

My MP?

Wera Hobhouse MP 26 Charles Street, Bath, BA1 1HU 01225 307024

office@werahobhouse.co.uk

Jacob Rees-Mogg House of Commons Westminster London SW1A 0AA jacob.reesmogg.mp@parliament.uk

My councillor?

Oldfield Park: Shaun Stephenson-McGall 07483 299240

Shaun_Mcgall@bathnes.gov.uk

Widcombe & Lyncombe: Alison Born 01225 319188

Alison_born@bathnes.gov.uk

Winston Duguid 07899 066440

Winston_Duguid@bathnes.gov.uk

Moorlands: Jess David 07977 500804

Jess_david@bathnes.gov.uk

Southdown: Paul Crossley 07718 632959 paul_crossley@bathnes.gov.uk

Combe Down: Gerry Curan 01225 330349 / 07900684562

Gerry_curran@bathnes.go.uk

Bharat Ramji Nathoo Pankhania Bharat_pankhania@bathnes.gov.uk 07464 867554

Odd Down: Joel Hirst 07792 869044

joel_hirst@bathnes.gov.uk

Steve Hedges 07971270879

steve_hedges@bathnes.gov.uk

Twerton: Sarah Moore 07807013635

Sarah_moore@bathnes.gov.uk

Tim Ball 01225 400834 / 07970461674

Tim_ball@bathnes.gov.uk

Westmoreland: June Player 07967 920064

June_Player@bathnes.gov.uk

Colin Blackburn 07796 807157

n NEWS 6,000 on the housing list but only 500-600 places available

Continued from page 1

two bed terraced property in the district, which is quite an eyeopener.”

He told the council: “Affordability is continuing to get worse in the district.”

According to the latest national figures for 2021, the English national average was for the cheapest quarter of houses to cost eight times the average salary, although the figure for the house prices in the South West was higher at 9.9 times salary.

Mr Sabourn also highlighted that the average market rent for a two-bed flat was just under £1,200, but that people on housing benefit only receive £847 a month.

He said: “This effectively means, if you’re on housing benefit, forget trying to rent an average two-bed property in the district because you can’t do it.”

housing being built as a requirement in larger housing developments.

This has seen 1,848 affordable homes built in the district over the last ten years, three quarters of which have been to rent and the rest for sale.

The housing head revealed these figures in a meeting of the council’s scrutiny panel where he was explaining the council’s aim to build council housing.

Approximately 6,000 people are on the waiting list for social housing in Bath and North East Somerset but only 500-600 social properties become available each year. Last year, this dropped to only 479.

sites which should be built on to relieve the lack of low cost housing.

Bath Labour’s chairman Pam Richards said the Council needed to call the bluff of developers and insist on land such as that of the old Pitman site were developed for rent or affordable housing.

Nationally Labour’s housing plans include a commitment to reform the private rented sector with a new private renters’ charter, which would include ending no-fault evictions, the right to make home alterations, the right to have pets, a four-month notice period for landlords, and a national register of landlords.

begins a process of using compulsory purchase orders on properties that have been vacant for longest.

“We would seek to ensure that all new housing developments are mixed developments, with an aim of at least 50% not privately owned.”

The Bath Conservatives believe that there should be more Affordable Housing by regenerating brownfield sites and giving priority to local residents. They believe that greenbelt sites should be protected against unnecessary development while pushing for more affordable housing on the Bath Quays redevelopment project.

The council believes delivering its own council housing will help solve this crisis and has plans to construct almost 200 general needs council housing. Work has only begun on seven homes to date, which are almost complete and expected to welcome their first tenants this winter.

The Bath Green Party said they would increase the amount of council housing as well as co-housing and housing cooperatives.

Like traffic and congestion housing is a highly contentious subject in Bath as there are no obvious quick fix solutions.

Designated affordable housing, where homes are sold or rented at a set amount below market rate, are being built in Bath and North East Somerset through a combination of affordable housing commissioned by the council and affordable

Affordable Housing Labour have strongly criticised the Council over a lack of affordable housing when there are brownfield

They said: “These type of housing should be the priority in any housing development for the foreseeable future. Bath needs a socially mixed population and the Green Party will endeavour to serve this need.

Reading between the lines all the main parties appear to agree on more affordable housing and protecting green belt sites while preferring brown field ones for development.

Colin_Blackburn@bathnes.gov.uk Despite

“We would ensure the council surveys all empty property, including privately owned, and

It’s another key issue for the 2023 elections with the main conundrum being there are too few low cost homes available.

Dine Romero 01225 477496 dine_romero@bathnes.gov.uk

Housing News: The Council met in October to hear an update on the provision of new council homes in Bath and North East Somerset.

They heard that in the ten years up to March 2022 the council created 1,848 affordable homes, largely through Section 106 agreements negotiated with developers.

A further 750 affordable housing units have planning consent and are in the process of being opened or constructed.

The panel heard that to date, the ‘B&NES Homes’ programme, which directly delivers council housing by developing existing council properties and surplus land, has completed 26 units and has a further 21 units under construction.

Of the 24 completed units, 22 are supported housing providing move-on accommodation for former rough sleepers.

Two new build three-bedroom homes delivered by Aequus construction Limited (ACL), the council’s construction and development company, at St Joseph’s Terrace, Sladebrook Road are shared ownership.

The former council offices at 117 Newbridge Hill have been refurbished and will be handed over to the council to be let at social rent levels. These properties will initially be managed directly by the council.

Other sites to be developed in Bath include Argyle Works, which has planning permission for eight social housing units and 19 Westgate Street, which has planning permission for refurbishment into three one-bed apartments.

Clean Air Zone in Bristol: Last month the clean air zone (CAZ) came into force in Bristol.

It is generally seen as slightly tougher than Bath’s CAZ and covering a much wider area.

To see the area it covers and to check your vehicle to see if it will be charged go to https://www.bristol. gov.uk/residents/streets-travel/ bristols-caz

Free speech: The Council has responded to criticism from opposition parties in the Guildhall over free speech.

Earlier this year the Council changed the rules to request anyone who wished to speak at a council meeting to submit in writing their question ahead of the meeting.

The Conservatives reported that the Liberal Democrat run council had passed a motion requiring any member of the public wishing to address the Council at the beginning of meetings to submit

Cost of Living Crisis: Many residents are finding their monthly bills have shot up leaving them in despair as to how to pay them.

Bath based Clean Slate is a not for profit community interest company that helps people to sort out their finances - especially when it is affecting their family, health and well being.

their remarks, in full, and in writing, two days in advance which was not according to the in the constitution they said.

In a reply to Bath Voice the Council said: “The council’s Constitution approved in July 2022 states that speakers need to give advance notice in writing of their intention to speak and the subject matter. Nothing further is required.”

Inquest: The death of Max McMullen, 15, an exchange student from Beechen Cliff School has been ruled as accidental.

The BBC’s Emma Elgee and Jules Causton reported: “Max McMullen fell out of his host family’s apartment on 19 October 2019

Clean Slate’s Naomi Contopoulos (pictured) of Widcombe said they can meet people in Bath to help them overcome their money problems by checking if they are entitled to unclaimed benefits, helping their online skills and auditing their outgoings - all of which save people money and heartache.

while on an exchange trip in Córdoba.

“The inquest heard the pupil from Bath might have been trying to fix a window shutter before he fell to his death.”

The court heard there was no evidence of violence on his body or that there was any evidence it was suicide but appeared to be a tragic case of an accident when he attempted to adjust the window shutter which was discovered close to his body.

Max’s family said in a statement they were left traumatised by his death. He was said to be ‘a happy young man who loved sport.’

The coroner Maria Voisin asked the academy trust that Beechen Cliff School is a part, for measures to be put in place to ensure such a death did not happen again

Baby remembrance: families who have lost a baby are being invited to a winter baby remembrance service, organised by the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, at All Saints Church in Weston, Bath.

The event, which is being run by the RUH’s Chaplaincy team and the stillbirth and neonatal death charity Sands, takes place on Saturday 3 December at 1.30pm.

Plus they help with training in getting people who have been out unemployed work experience and employment. They have a free magazine called Quids In which features top tips and money saving ideas and case studies showing how people have been helped out their difficulties. To learn more visit cleanslateltd.co.uk

The Reverend Narinder Tegally, RUH Lead Chaplain, said: “The service is an opportunity for families who have lost a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death to come together and remember at the beginning of a season that can be hard for so many.

“The service, for people of all faiths or none, will include readings, music, an act of remembrance for our special babies and the opportunity to place an ornament bearing your baby’s name on the church’s Christmas tree.”

There is no need to book in advance to attend the service. If you are unable to attend the service in person, please email Narinder – narinder.tegally@nhs.net – with your baby’s name so it can be written on an ornament and placed on the tree for you.

The Trust offers a full bereavement and support service for grieving parents and families, including a purpose-built bereavement suite that provides space and privacy they need at a particularly difficult time. For more information about Sands go to: https://www.sands.org.uk

n NEWS IN BRIEF

news

Tens of thousands of disabled people have had their benefits stopped during extended hospital stays under a rule which charities say penalises the most vulnerable.

It comes after a court case was withdrawn which had been set to challenge the lawfulness of the so-called “hospitalisation rule” through an application for judicial review.

Under this rule, a person’s entitlement to the disability benefit Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is suspended if they have received care in a hospital or a similar institution for 28 days or more.

Affected families said they were needed to help care for their disabled relatives in hospital which led to extra expenses during this time.

The government says while somebody is receiving long-term NHS care, it does not pay benefits in order to stop the taxpayer from paying double.

The BBC Shared Data Unit analysed figures released under the Freedom of Information Act over the past three years.

It found:

• The total number of people who had disability benefit paused while in hospital has increased from 30,860 in 2020, to 45,850 in 2022.

• The highest numbers of suspensions were for people with mental health conditions.

Golf news: A new operator has been appointed for the Approach golf course.

Future Golf Ventures has been awarded a four-year contract by B&NES Council and will provide pitch and putt golf, footgolf, a café, and toilets, along with community benefits.

Entry Hill: The Entry Hill Residents’ Association has poured scorn on the notion of the bike park at the former Entry Hill Gold Course.

In messages on social media they have raised concerns over the construction of a fence around the cycle track as the fence posts will penetrate the top soil and may disturb the potentially toxic waste materials below.

The golf course has not been restored since the Covid crisis and it has become essentially a park and green space owned by the Council.

The plans have been for a paying cycle track to take over part

of the park with a section left free for the public - with a date of construction to be confirmed soon.

The site was previously used as a land fill site in an era when harmful waste was dumped alongside household rubbish.

Farm news: Bath City Farm are launching an appeal to raise £30,000 to care for the animals and improve facilities. To donate visit www http://crowdfunder.co.uk/p/ bathcityfarm

Car parking: Parking fees rose last month in Bath. Hourly charges for council car parks go from £1.60 to £1.70 and a four-hour visit increasing from £6.40 to £6.80.

Overnight from 8pm and 8am there’s a £1.50 charge.

Season tickets for Charlotte Street, Avon Street, and Manvers street are now £222.30 a month.

This means users of Avon Street and Manvers Street car parks will pay about £51 more a month but, for people who have had Monday to Friday tickets for non-reserved spaces at the more affordable car park at Charlotte Street, it is an increase of £105.

The price of a season ticket, valid all seven days of the week at Charlotte Street, will more than

double from £135.58 to £337.16, while an annual ticket will go from £1,633.50 to over £4,045.86.

All reserved spaces at the car park are also being returned to general use. The changes will also see the scrapping of the 10 per cent parking discount for Bath and North East Somerset residents and introduce charges for people parking at park and rides but not using the bus. It will cost £1 to leave your car at a park and ride for an hour, or £2 for 24 hours, but parking will remain free for people using the park and ride bus.

The cost of a permit for resident car parks will rise to £237.75 and the Southview Road car park in Oldfield Park will also become residents only.

Manda Rigby, Bath and North East Somerset Council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “These are relatively small changes and only the second time in 12 years that they have increased.

“We want to help shift the way people get around to encourage more walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport, especially for shorter journeys, as part of our Journey to Net Zero ambitions.”

Covid 19 boosters and flu vaccinations for those 18 years and over, subject to eligibility Check what you’re eligible for on the NHS webiste or phone 119 For those under 18, please find out how to get your vaccinations on the www nhs uk website

Disabled

by Alex Homer, Local Democracy Reporter:

The BBC published this photograph of Max along with national and local media

Pudsey: The children of Oldfield Park Infants and Oldfield Park Juniors put in a fundraising shift last month for Children In Need.

The pupils raised £400 for the cause (pictured). They also combined for a joint school quiz and were also active on Poppy Day at Bath Abbey for the service held there.

Headteacher David Gouch said it was a ‘special morning for the Oldfield Park family as members of

the school and BANEs Councillors paid their respects at Bath Abbey.’

Lyncombe Hill Fields News: A meeting in October with the B&NES Estates Department with the Friends of Lyncombe Hill Fields including Cllr Alison Born was a chance to review the progress that has been made in the last year together with their proposals for the coming year.

Friends of Lyncombe Hill Fields” has been awarded level 5 “Outstanding” in the RHS - Royal

Horticultural Society IYN scheme giving the Friends a moral boost.

The award assesses community participation, environmental responsibility and gardening achievement.

Bath in Bloom also thanked FLHF for supporting them to achieve “Silver Gilt” in the RHS National finals and “Gold” in the South West in Bloom Champion of Champions category.

For details of the fields and on how

to volunteer and to donate visit friendsoflyncombehillfields.co.uk

Pavement danger writes Ind Cllr June Player of Westmoreland Ward: would like to point out that the hoarding along Lower Bristol Rd in front of the Dick Lovett construction site is encroaching so far on to the pavement that pedestrians are struggling to get by the bus stop along there and almost being forced on to or seriously close to the road.

n LETTERS

Combe Down

The news that BANES has applied to move a public footpath crossing the historic Combe Down stone quarry to facilitate a new housing development, should be greeted with a mixture of sadness and exasperation by anyone concerned with the heritage of our City. (https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/sites/ default/files/sitedocuments/ Streets-and-Highway-Maintenance/ FootpathsandPublicrightsofway/ bc62-3_site_notice.pdf )

I declare an interest here. Born and raised on Combe Down before it was even part of political Bath, stone dust is, quite literally, in my blood.

As a child, the one’o’clock whump as the blasting took place was a weekly occurrence. The streets of the village regularly turned white, the fine dust of the stone coating everything, Even the mud was white.

The miners and masons, many of who lived in the slightly rough cottages of Tyning Road, made the journey across the path to the quarry 4 times a day, For in those days, ‘dinner’ at lunch time was a meal at home, re-fortifying the bodies of men whose daily physical efforts sucked the calories from them like the dust that sucked the breath from their lungs. Coated head to foot, white-faced and white booted, these stone warriors appeared like ghosts to a six-year old watching them trudge down the road.

The footpath that links the old De Montfort road to Mount Pleasant, cleaves the quarry workings in two. On the left, the main quarry entrance to cavernous spaces supported by cathedral-like pillars of rough cut stone.,On the right, the processing plant that converted the huge slabs of limestone into the familiar Ashlar blocks that the City is built from. No high-pitched, teeth-grinding whine of the modern circular saw, just a steady rhythm of the reciprocating donkey saws working their way methodically through the stone.

Even then, in the quiet of sunny evenings, a walk across the path inevitably yielded basking, scuttling lizards, rabbits in the gradually deserted workings and innumerable swallows, starlings, bats and butterflies.

As the quarry gave up the last of its bounty, it retreated into a graceful old age, nature reclaiming the land to make a new, increasingly special place. In modern parlance, some would call it re-wilding.

Of course, in other places, we

rightly take responsibility for restoring the landscape, greening old open cast quarries and mines for new use. But this was not a quarry for aggregates and road-building, for filling foundations and crushing for dust. The hill we know as Combe Down gave its heart to build the city the world admires. It deserves a quiet, respectful retirement, every bit as much a part of the World Heritage city as the Circus, the Crescents, the houses and architecture it inspired and built. And an integral part of that heritage is the old footpath which for two hundred years bore the tread of countless, anonymous quarrymen, without whom, there would be no City. Its route, its upkeep and its use deserves our respect and our recognition.

Simon Banks Bath

Buses

As you may know, a number of bus services were cut across Bath and North East Somerset last month, when bus company First withdrew from their contract, and the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), who let our local “supported” bus contracts, had not managed to find alternative companies to cover all the affected routes.

I have been working closely with my Lib Dem Councillor colleagues, and with Bath and North East Somerset staff on a plan to restore our vital bus services, and have been lobbying WECA very hard on our residents’ behalf. It’s taken a lot of work behind the

scenes, but happily we can now announce that the bus company the Big Lemon, based in Brighton, is planning to pick up the number 11, 12 and 20 routes as of 28th November.

I understand the company are still procuring vehicles, and have an intention to provide these services as of 28th November. We’re keeping everything crossed for a grand launch on that date!

I am aware that further routes have been cut, including the 178 and 42 in particular, which are not included in this arrangement with the Big Lemon, and that many of the communities on those routes remain much inconvenienced.

Cllr Sarah Warren Bath

Trains

Public transport has to be made viable for truly mass use to address the climate crisis. That being said, if that public transport is not green public transport then we will only be solving part of the problem.

The slow progress on electrification of the rail network and the phasing out of diesel trains are prime examples of these delays costing us in the fight against climate change.

Great Western Railways fleet having barely over 1 in 10 trains electrified shows the scale of the challenge we are facing. Without the Government investing in green infrastructure for our railways they are passively allowing us to miss our climate targets. It is

unacceptable in the face of such a potentially large disaster for us all.

The delay misses the bigger picture. What Conservative Governments have consistently failed to realise is that the need to transition to green modes of transport is a huge opportunity.

We Liberal Democrats are calling for large scale investment in the research and development of exciting new technologies such as regenerative braking to decarbonise the railways.

The fruits of this investment will be of benefit to us all. Net Zero presents an exciting future for growth and society at large. We should be grasping the opportunity, not dithering and missing out on having those benefits now.

Wera Hobhouse MP

Conservatives

Local Conservatives are talking to residents across the city with a simply message: Bath deserves better from the current Administration in Bath and NESomerset Council.

Since the end of Summer, local conservatives have been selecting candidates for several wards, resulting in thousands of leaflets being delivered and hundreds of conversations being held with residents.

Cllr Kumar, Conservative councillor for Bathwick, and currently the only Conservative councillor in Bath, says the message is clear:

“Whether we are talking to residents in my own ward of beautiful Bathwick, or to residents in other parts of our beautiful city, we hear the same thing: people are very frustrated by the traffic chaos the LibDems are causing, and think the city centre looks a mess, with overflowing rubbish bins, and weed in the pavements. They are wasting money on pet projects without consulting properly with residents.

“Conservatives wants to save Bath from these people and their crazy, wasteful schemes. We need a welcoming city, that looks as a world heritage city should. Bath deserves better than the current regime running BANES!”

Local elections in the local authority take place on May 4th 2023, when all Council seats across the city will be up for re-election.

Cllr Vic Pritchard Chew Valley

Lyncombe Hill Fields visit: Linda Legge Estates Surveyor for Bath and North East Somerset Council (second left) and Alison Born, Councillor for Widcombe and Lyncombe (right) with Chris and Maurice - photo Anita Breeze.

This busy looking scene was posted on the Widcombe Association’s Twitter account showing the Christmas Market last month. The two day event on November 19-20 was successful with a large number of stalls and a good turn out by residents in search of Christmas gifts.

Coming up The Bear Flat Artists are holding a Christmas Art Fair and Market, at the Methodist Church Hall, Bruton Avenue in Bear Flat from 10am on Saturday 3rd December where more artworks created locally will be on sale should you be searching for a gift with a difference.

Rondo Theatre appeal: The theatre in St Saviour’s Road has launched an appeal to raise £75,000 to upgrade the seating and fixtures and fittings.

You can donate via Crowdfunder, or Sponsor A Seat and see your name immortalised on the new comfy seats.

Established in 1989, the former church hall was purchased in 1976 by Doreen and Wilf Williams, who subsequently founded The Rondo Trust for the Performing Arts.

Since then the theatre has been a hub for locally and nationally based theatre companies, comedy and music nights as well as being a social centre for the area.

To donate visit: https:// rondotheatre.co.uk/rondorevamp/ Christmas Carol News: If you live in the Circus in Bath or have friends and relatives there then there is an open invitation to an open air carol service in the circular space.

The Salvation Army will provide the music at 7pm on Friday, Dec 17.

Letter from Rob Coles on Working images: Photographer Nicola Wenman’s exhibition, “All day long, 50 Photographs of Bath at work” was formally opened at

the Museum of Bath at Work by the Mayor of Bath, Cllr Bob Appleyard.

In addition to being excellent photographic portraits they showed the working environment and were accompanied by a description of the work by the subject.

The intention of Nicola is to carry the project forward and cover many more occupations.

Nicola (pictured) must be congratulated for her excellent work which will become increasingly valuable as time passes. How much more meaningful it would if something

was known of the subjects in the black and white Edwardian photos by Bath’s Leaman studio that are also on display in the museum.

Victoria Art Gallery: The museum has a painting that depicts one of the defining images of the Christian world. The Adoration of the Magi or Adoration of the Kings is one of the museum’s oldest paintings dated to 1480.

The scene of the Three Kings is always a feature of Nativity playsand remains a popular theme of Christmas cards and general Christmas imagery to this day.

Images of the royal trio date to the 4th century AD when they were portrayed in catacomb paintings and sarcophagus reliefs.

In the new year it will be heading to Berlin, to be included in a major exhibition so if you want to see it you’d better get down to the Victoria Art Gallery - although no need to take gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Big Lemon Bus Company: The Big Lemon bus service is coming to Bath. The new service commenced on Monday the 28th of November, covering route 11 (bus station to Bathampton), route 12 (bus station

to Haycombe Cemetery) and route 20 (University of Bath to Twerton).

More information at: https:// newsroom.bathnes.gov.uk/.../ big-lemon-bus-service...

Three Ways School: The school is launching a ‘sponsor a student’ campaign for 3 Cafe Kitchen to give aspiring youngsters a boost in their careers and learning experience.

It is such a vital place to give students work experience and confidence and your sponsorship would make a difference to a young Bathonian’s life.

Three Ways School is a coeducational special school with academy status in Odd Down, created in 2005 with its new site opened two years later.

For more information about the school and how to sponsor a student visit www.threeways.co.uk

n LETTERS

Britain in Bloom: Bath in Bloom won two Royal Horticultural Society competitions in October this year.

In the regional RHS Southwest in Bloom competition Bath won Gold in the Champion of Champions category, which is one of the highest levels of category in the competition.

This was for the fabulous floral displays throughout the city, it’s large community involvement, and it’s sustainable and environmental achievements.

In other awards at the ceremony Bath Parks Dept won a large trophy for the best municipal horticultural display, the Southgate Shopping Centre won a trophy for “an outstanding commercial site” for its wonderful floral and art displays, and Milsom Place won GOLD in the ‘Business, Leisure and Tourism’ category. Several of our local pubs also won Gold awards for their floral displays.

Also of the 17 community groups that were entered from Bath, 13 of them won the highest standard of ‘outstanding’ with another 3 getting the second highest standard. A brilliant effort by a lot of very hardworking

volunteers throughout Bath. This year Bath were also invited to take part in the RHS BRITAIN IN BLOOM UK FINALS. In this competition Bath won SILVER-GILT in the ‘small city’ category. This was an extremely tough group with three out of the four entrants winning silver-gilt. Rochdale won the category with the only gold. There were other satisfying awards for Bath at this prestigious ceremony held at the RHS headquarters in London. Of the 45 groups of finalists in these finals, only 3 groups were recognised for their ‘innovation in community engagement’ and proudly Bath were one of those award winners. An outstanding achievement and recognition for all of our local volunteers.

Also Bath we’re one of only four winners (out of the 45 finalists) for an award for ‘outstanding horticultural achievement.’

A fantastic couple of weeks for Bath in Bloom and a great credit to all of the volunteers, Bath Parks Department, the Council, Bath Business Improvement District, businesses and individuals who work tirelessly to keep Bath the

beautiful city that we all enjoy.

Musical travels: Bath Male Choir founded in 2007, have returned from a hugely successful visit to Nashville Tennessee in the USA.

The 50 members of the City of Bath Male Choir arrived in Nashville on Saturday, October 22, and stayed Downtown for eight days.

The Choir performed at a number of famous venues during the stay, including the historic Ryman Theatre, the Grand Ole Opry and recorded two songs in the famous RCA Studio B, made famous by none other than Elvis!

During the week they also sang at two sell out concerts, on Thursday at Gallatin First United Methodist Church as guests of The Chancel Choir, Choir Director

Ashley Vance said: “The choir sang beautifully and their enthusiasm and kindness was a gift to all of us. We raised over $1000 for our music students. Thank you for a lovely evening, we will have to visit you all in Bath!”

On our final evening we were guests of The Nashville Singers, at Covenant Presbyterian Church.

The photograph shows the Mayor of Crewkerne (near where the award ceremony was held) presenting our award to the Chairman of Bath in Bloom, Stephen Brook and fellow Bath in Bloom committee members.

Stephen Brook Chairman of Bath in Bloom

Adoration of the Magi by Hugo van der Goes

Grenville Jones

Bath Male Choir

FEATURE

Panto stories: Arabian-Chinese mash up and rags to riches Cinders n

By Harry Mottram: This Christmas there’s a choice of pantomimes between Aladdin and Cinderella

In Bristol’s Hippodrome their big panto production is Cinderella with Lauren Hampton in the titular role while Bath’s Jon Monie appears in Aladdin in the strange mash up of Arabia and China. However you can also catch a production of Cinderella in Bath at the Roper Theatre.

At the turn of the 20th century Snow White ruled supreme alongside Cinderella as the two most popular pantomimes. In the last few years Aladdin Cinderella and Snow White have been the most popular pantomime productions.

However to see Snow White you’ll need to travel to Henley-on-Thames to witness her seven dwarfs. In Wiltshire there are productions of Cinderella and Aladdin in Salisbury while Swindon has Beauty and the Beast at the Wyvern Theatre. In nearby Bristol apart from Cinderella there are productions of Aladdin and Dick Whittington. In Somerset there is another production of Dick Whittington in Yeovil at the Octagon.

Other popular pantos include Jack and the Beanstalk and the perennial Peter Pan who have been given a year off locally. Less commonly produced are

Babes In The Wood, Mother Goose and Puss-in-Boots while Hansel and Gretal, Treasure Island, Little Red Riding Hood are even rarer.

Aladdin is a strange mixture of the Far East and Middle East set as it is in China despite it being a sort of Arabian folk tale. The rags to riches story emerges originally as a Middle Eastern folk tale although from the beginning it blends elements of the Far East with more home grown cultural references.

It first became a pantomime in Britain in 1788 by John O’Keefe for the

Theatre Royal, Covent Garden and with its magic carpets, Genies, lamps and cast of comedy characters has been in the top ten ever since.

Cinderella is sometimes referred to as the story of The Little Glass Slipper emerging from central Europe as a folk story in the 16th century although certainly dates back into the mists of time as a story of good triumphing over evil with a persecuted heroine at its core.

In older versions of the story she exacts terrible revenge upon her

step-sisters but the Brothers Grimm cleaned up some of the sharper aspects of the narrative and when pantomime took the story to its heart the main motifs of the tale had been settled: the glass slipper, the hunt for its wearer, the impoverished father and his selfish and cruel daughters and the final scene when the once put-upon Cinders marries the Prince.

Also thought to have come from central Europe is Snow White or Schneewittchen although it tends to be thought of as distinctly German – mainly due to a version of the fairy story being published by the Brothers Grimm in 1812.

I love the blend of traditional lines, slapstick, song and dance and nods to classical plays and contemporary events and politics.

Some snooty types know find them plain silly - but they are a long standing theatrical genre with their roots in Commedia dell’arte and even earlier Mystery Plays and Shakespeare’s clowns.

Whichever panto you choose to see this season their eternal battles of good v evil, their downtrodden heroes who triumph eventually with a happy ending is a format that has stood the test of time and remains a family favourite.

Jon Monie is in Aladdin in this year’s panto Lauren Hampton as Cinderella in Bristol

Christmas concerts and fairs plus Cinderella at the Roper Theatre -

Regular events in Bath

Mondays

Widcombe Choir. Widcombe Social Club. 7.15-9pm. For details see the Widcombe Association website.

Tuesdays

Central Library with Bath La Leche League. Meet the friendly breastfeeding support for mums. 10-11.30am. Details at Email: mara. rl.richards@gmail.com or call 01225 339023 (Mara) or 01225 317631 (Helen).

Old Theatre Royal Tours. Guided tours every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday of The Masonic Hall in Bath, also know as the Old Theatre Royal.

Wednesdays

Widcombe Wayfarers Walks. Meet on the 2nd Wednesday of every month, starting at 10am at the west end of Widcombe Parade. Walks last between 1-2 hours and are medium paced. Come dressed for the weather, with suitable footwear and be prepared for a few climbs.

Walks are limited to 20 people and registration is now compulsory. The walks are free but if you would like to make a small donation to this event you can do so when you register. See the Widcombe Association website for details.

Widcombe. St Matt’s Widcombe. Coffee morning at 10.30am. Come down and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee.

Southdown Methodist Church. Warm Spaces. 1-4pm. Southdown Methodist Church Centre and Thursdays 10-4pm offering a warm space, refreshments and activities.

Thursdays

Story Time at Bath Library. 12noon to 12.30pm. Let’s share stories and books at the library! Perfect for families with children aged 0-5. No booking required.

Bath Good Afternoon Choir. They meet every Thursday at the Central United Reformed Church in Argyle Street Bath from 2pm to 4pm. The choir is a project led by Grenville Jones, where the accent is on social singing for people who have afternoons free.

Saturdays

Bear Flat Community market and café. Third Saturday of every month, from 9:30am to 12:30 pm in the church hall on Bruton Avenue.

To book a stall, email market@ bearflat.org.uk

Walcot Antique and Flea Market. The market is every Saturday from 7.30am to 4pm.

Bath Farmers’ Market. Green Park Station. Every Saturday at 9am-1.30pm. You will find quality, fresh, seasonal produce at a fair price. The goods are sold directly by the people who produce them and everything usually comes from within a 40 mile radius of Bath.

Sundays

Madalene Chapel, Holloway.

Sunday Services Holy Eucharist –10:00 am at the Chapel

Theatre Picks In Bath

Tue 29 Nov-Sat 3 Dec. Mission Theatre. Racing Demon. Next Stage Theatre Company’s patron is David Hare, who penned this play

Family Concert

The City of Bath Brass Band Family Christmas Concert is on Friday 9th December, at St Michaels Without Bath

Join the City’s Brass Band in its Centenary year with a festive concert of traditional and seasonal music.

Join in with carols and listen to ever popular arrangements of popular tunes.

Tickets available from bathboxoffice.org

about the clergy. Originally written in 1990, this fascinating glimpse into the working lives of the clergy remains fiercely topical today. Ex ITV newsman Bob Constantine directs, with Brian Fisher as the Rev Espy.

Thu 1 Dec. Rondo Theatre. The Ghost of a Smile. Two of Charles Dickens’ ghost stories directed by Gavin Robertson and performed by Nicholas Collett.

Fri 2 Dec. Rondo Theatre. Casting the Runes; Two Ghost Stories by M R James. Nunkie Productions bring two classic stories in this one man show.

Sat 3 Dec. Rondo Theatre. The Bean Spillers: the Improvised Musical. Created & Performed by Sam Cochrane & Alex Prescot. High comedy based on audience suggestions.

Thu 8-Sun 18 Dec. Rondo Theatre. The Naturals’ Christmas Cracker. Widcombe’s Natural

Cappella Nova: A Christmas Lullaby Saturday, 17 December 2022. 7:30pm St Matthew’s Church,Widcombe Hill, Bath BA2 6AA ‘The

upon

n WHAT’S ON

Theatre Company with a bonkers celebration of Christmas.

Thu 8 Dec-Sun 8 Jan. Theatre

Royal Bath. Aladdin. Traditional pantomime with its origin of a mash up of the Arabian Nights and the emergence of China in the late 18th century. With Jon Monie (who used to star in Bath’s pantos with the late Chris Harris) as the titular character with a guarantee of high humour, classical references and big song and dance numbers.

Fri 9 Dec-Sat 31 Dec. The Egg Theatre. Midnight Mole. Day time curtain up times aimed at very young children and their parents. A story set in a cherry orchard full of puppetry and music.

Fri 9 Dec-Sun 15 Jan. The Egg Theatre. Five Children and It. Written by Marietta Kirkbride, and based on the novel by E Nesbit the show was big success last year gaining a five star review from Bath Voice

Sun 11 Dec and Wed 14 Dec.

Mission Theatre. Cold and Magic: Winter Baroque. Performed by Joe Levy, and accompanied on piano by Leila Kermani with Baroque music

of 17th and 18th Century Europe. Sat 17 Dec. Roper Theatre. Cinderella. Pantomime. No need to travel to Bristol or Salisbury. See the rags to riches story here in Bath performed by the young people of Stagecoach Performing Arts.

Tue 20 Dec-Sat 31 Dec. Ustinov Studio. Christmas Carol. Masterson’s one man performance of Charles Dickens’ redemptive tale of Ebenezer Scrooge. The novel that helped to create our modern day Christmas.

Theatre Picks Outside Bath

Fri 25 Nov-Fri 2 Dec. Bristol

Redgrave Theatre. Robin Hood and Marian. The Bristol Theatre School students stage Theresa Heskins’ musical version of the folk hero ideal for children and schools.

Thu 24 Nov-Sat 7 Jan. Bristol

Old Vic Theatre. The Nutcracker. Transported to a fantastical kingdom where toys come to life, nutcrackers can talk and just about anything feels possible, Clara soon discovers that it’s not just mice lurking beneath the floorboards.

Sat 26 Nov-Sun 8 January.

Salisbury Playhouse. Cinderella. Traditional rags to riches pantomime.

Thu 1 Dec- Sun 15 Jan. Bristol. Tobacco Factory. The Snow Queen. Join Gerda on her quest to the frozen north as she tries to save her best-friend Kaj from the icy, wicked clutches of The Snow Queen.

Fri 2 Dec-Sun 8 Jan. Bristol Old Vic Theatre. Belle and Sebastian.

A Travelling Light and Bristol Old Vic co-production based on the stories of Cécile Aubry. A boy and his dog escape to the mountain in a wild

Monday December 12th at Walcot Methodist Chapel, Nelson Place and is our Christmas Party with musical entertainment by Mrs Routley followed by Christmas buffet and mulled NA wine Usually meet on 4th Monday of the month at 7:15 for 7:30 start. A warm welcome awaits you

adventure.

Sun 4 Dec-Sat 31 Jan. Bristol Hippodrome. Cinderella. Pantomime with Craig Revel Horwood, Andy Ford as Buttons and Lauren Hampton as Cinderella. Wed 14 Dec. Bristol Alma Theatre. Word Wizard’s Christmas Cabaret. A mash up of Elton John tribute songs, humour, poetry and quirky story telling.

Pick of Diary Events in Bath Sat 12 Nov-Tue 3 Jan. Bath on Ice. Royal Pavilion, Royal Victoria Park. Ice skating outdoors and Glow Golf returns.

Thu 24 Nov-Sun 11 Dec. Bath Christmas Market. Meander through the streets of Bath adorned

meadow,

lamb,

watching with

With words by Eleanor Farjeon, A Christmas Lullaby is a carol written especially for Bath chamber choir Cappella Nova by the Icelandic composer Hafliði Hallgrímsson.This beautiful carol will receive its first performance at our concert, in a programme of carols, other Christmas music and readings.

Concert in aid of Bath Welcomes

Refugees and St Matthew’s Church Regeneration Project. Tickets £12, under-18s free.

Advance online booking from Widcombe Association Events www. widcombeassociation.org.uk.Tickets also on the door. www.cappellanova.org.uk

yes it’s that wonderful time of the year!

Continued from page 13

with over 150 twinkling chalets and discover some of the best crafters that the South West and beyond has to offer.

Thu 1 Dec. The Pavillion. U3A. Talk on Wildlife Photography. To join call 01225 318438 or complete the online form on their website.

Thu 1-Sat 31 Dec. American Museum of Bath. The Enchanted Garden of Light is a series of illuminated walks through the grounds.

Thu 1 Dec. Burdall’s Yard. The One and Only. Briony Waite’s story of music hall star Mari Lloyd. Performed by Fiona Battisby, with musical accompaniment by Freya Evans. Marie Lloyd started treading the boards at the age of 15, developing a singing repertoire that combined arch sauciness with lyrical intensity.

Sat 3 Dec. Oldfield Park Infants School Christmas Fair. 11am-2pm. Fun and games, raffle, live music, bar and refreshments.

Sat 3 Dec. St Michael’s Without. Shining Lights Christmas Concert. The children of Bath

(Voices for Life) join Noctis Chamber Choir for an evening of festive music. Tickets from Bath Box Office.

Sat 3 Dec. Bear Flat Artists. Christmas Art Fair & Market. 10am to 5pm, Free Entry. Methodist Church Hall, off Wellsway, Bruton Ave, Bear Flat BA2 4QJ www. bearflatartists.co.uk

Sat 3 Dec. Hayesfield Girls’ School. Christmas Fair. 10am2pm. 50 exhibitors from the local area creating a festive shopping experience.

Sat 3 Dec. Santa’s Charity Float. The annual circuit of the city by the man in red will begin at the Orange Grove by the Abbey at 3.30pm for an hour before moving off around the city at 4.30pm.

Sat 3 Dec. King Edward’s School. Christmas Fair. There will also be as a variety of crafts and games for children to enjoy. The café will be selling teas, coffees and soft drinks. There will be delicious homemade cakes, cookies, pizza and soup for anyone who would like lunch.

Sat 3-Sat 24 Dec. Prior Park. Christmas Trail. Dates: 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18 and 24 December. Aimed at children, collect a trail card from

reception and as you explore the garden, find the 24 doors that represent an advent calendar and open to reveal festive pictures and Christmas messages.

Tue 6 Dec. Bath Forum. Strictly Come Dancing Stars Aljaz and Janette in A Christmas to Remember The best Christmas Song and Dance show in town runs the publicity. With songs from Phil Spector, Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé, and a whole assortment of pop festive classics, carols and crooners.

Wed 7 Dec. Bath Forum. Swing Into Christmas. Celebrate the festive season in style with the vocalists and instrumentalists of the Down for the Count Orchestra.

Fri 9 Dec. St Michaels Without Bath. The City of Bath Brass Band Family Christmas Concert. Join the City’s Brass Band in it’s Centenary year with a festive concert of traditional and seasonal music. Join in with carols and listen to ever popular arrangements of popular tunes. Tickets available from bathboxoffice.org

Sat 10 Dec. Chapel Arts. Untamed Burlesque. With Renegade Stripper

Tuesday, Lady Blue Phoenix, Clay Taurus, Doris Johnson, Violent May, Sal De Bain and compere Fantastic Ms Fanny.

Sat 10 Dec. Bath Abbey. Carol Service. 7pm. With popular favourites, and some unexpected items, there will be carols for the congregation to join in, together with readings. This will be a memorable and colourful evening full of fun and style. This carol concert with a variety of music from all styles features the youngest Abbey Choir, the Melody Makers, and the Boys Choir, the Girls Choir and the Lay Clerks.

Sat 10 Dec. Larkhall URC Church. Christmas Concert with the Bath Tub Orchestra. 7pm - Larkhall URC Church, Avondale Buildings, Bath BA1 6NO. Founded in October 2018, the BathTub Orchestra is a mixed ability orchestra that plays all kinds of music from pop songs, jazz, blues, film soundtracks and classical favourites. To join the group visit https://bathtuborchestra.com/

Sat 10 Dec. Komedia. Uproar Christmas Special. Komedia Bath and Bath Mencap are proud to

Continued on page 15

present Uproar! Christmas Special – A festive edition of our everpopular club night exclusively for adults with learning disabilities, their families and carers.

Sun 11 Dec. Magdalene Chapel, Holloway. Carol Service. 6pm, with refreshments to follow.

Sun 11 Dec. Bath Contemporary Artists Fair. Green Park Station. Local artists sell their work - a

chance for an unusual Christmas gift for someone. http://bcaf.co.uk

Sun 11 Dec. Haycombe Cemetery. Christmas Service. In memory of loved ones at Haycombe Cemetery. 3pm. Preceded by a chance to see the crematorium refurbishments and the new memorial display garden from 10.30am - 2.30pm.

Tue 13 Dec. St Thomas à Becket Church, Widcombe. Pass on a Poem. 7.30pm for 8pm. Enjoy a

winters evening of poetry. Choose a poem (by any poet except you) that you would like to read. If you wish to take part contact: Deborah Clements (mail@radnclements. co.uk Tel: 07397 199942 by the 6th December so that she can devise a running order. Refreshments will be available, including wine. Donations are welcome! Organised by the Widcombe Association www.widcombeassociation.org.uk

Fri 16 Dec. Widcombe Social Club. Bill Smarme’s Seasonal Nuts with The Bill Smarme Rock N’ Roll Trio as well as other Nutty guests and happenings. We will also be having a Christmas address from the Reverend Derek Burton (from Twerton).

Fri 16 Dec. Bath Forum. Live at Christmas. Comedy night with a host of stand-ups.

Fri 16 Dec. Bath Independent Christmas Night Market. Green Park Station. Expect art, design, retro, vintage, statement/silver jewellery, handmade products, eco-friendly gifts, homeware, vinyl, top local beverages and music.

Sat 17 Dec. Chapel Arts. It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Bath’s cult cabaret crooners swing their sleigh ride into town to kickstart the festive season.

Sat 17 Dec. A Christmas Lullaby. St Matthew’s Church Widcombe Hill. 7.30pm. Details on the Widcombe Association website. The Chamber Choir Cappella Nova with conductor Tony Shield.

Thu 22 Dec. Bath Forum.The Muppet Christmas Carol. The film is screened with a live orchestra.

Sat 24 Dec. Magdalene Chapel, Holloway. Midnight Mass. Early Midnight Mass & Carols for all the family from 7pm.

Sun 25 Dec. Magdalene Chapel, Holloway. Christmas Day Service. Sung Eucharist with Carols. 9am.

Sat 31 Dec. Komedia. Krater Comedy Club NYE Special. Featuring two circuit-leading stand-ups and one of the best comperes in the business!

Sat 31 Dec. Widcombe Social Club. NYE Disco. Ticket required for a rousing party atmosphere to see in the new year.

Thu 5 Jan. The Pavillion. U3A talk on the effects of the Poor Laws.

Pick of Diary Events outside of Bath

Sat 26 Nov-Sat 24 Dec. Avon

Valley Railway Santa Specials.

Father Christmas has left his home in Lapland and will escort families

on the steam train. Includes a grotto at the station in Bitton.

Sun 4-Sat 24 Dec. Father Christmas at Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park At Pixash Lane, Bath Rd, Keynsham. Meet Father Christmas, take a Reindeer Rocket ride, visit the Enchanted Village - where children can post their letters to Santa.

Thu 8-Sun 11 Dec. Bristol Watershed. Palestine Film Festival with Mediterranean Fever, Huda’s Salon, Eleven Days in May, My Tree and Alam.

Thu 22 Dec. Bradford on Avon.

Bathampton Morris men. 7.30pm. A display of Christmas mumming - the ancient story of good v evil played out in public.

Exhibition Picks in Bath

American Museum, Bath. Hatching The Past An exhibition about American Dinosaur Explorers. Until 31 December.

Museum of Bath at Work. A Visual Record of a City at Work exhibition continues of photos and videos.

Victoria Art Gallery. Peter Brown exhibition until 15 Jan. This exhibition features over 100 new oil paintings and prints by the ever popular Bath-based artist, ‘Pete the Street’.

Holburne Museum. Rodin –Degas: Impressionist Sculpture. (Pictured) Until Jan 8. Focus on the artists’ representation of the human body and their expression of its energy through both dynamic poses and static poise; Elisabeth Frink: Strength & Sensuality. Until Jan 8; Richard Smith Kites. Until 17 Dec; Nalini Malani: My Reality is Different Until 8 Jan;

Herschel Museum of Astronomy. Commemorating 200 years since

Top flight rugby union is in crisis as two clubs go bust and

clubs out of pocket

n SPORTS NEWS IN BRIEF

Rugby News: At the time of going to press there were continued concerns about the whereabouts of former Bath Rugby player Levi Davis.

thank everyone for their best wishes that have been sent.”

Born in 1999 in Newton Abbot, Devon, Alex has had spells with Plymouth Argyle, Aldershot Town Torquay United and Tiverton town before joining the Romans in 2021 where has so far netted 28 goals.

By Harry Mottram:

Two of Bath’s rival clubs in the Gallagher Premiership Worcester Warriors and Wasps rugby clubs have gone bust.

The Cost Of Living Crisis has hit professional rugby union hard with league of 12 clubs now two clubs down with potentially more to follow making the entire structure potentially unviable with fewer games and less revenue from the fans on match day.

Match days pay big money when you throw in corporate and private hospitality, programme sales, bar and burger takings with The Mirror reporting for instance that Leicester Tigers will lose around £700,000 as a result of the cancelled games against the two teams.

The reason why rugby clubs are in trouble is not hard to spot. It’s all about debt and with the hike in inflation and interest rates suddenly those debts are impossible to service.

Worcester went into administration owing around £25

million while ICSM understands Wasps are in debt by £100 million pounds.

According to the website Ruck, Bath RFC owe £37 million, Newcastle Falcons are in debt to £39 million, Saracens RFC have debts of £40 million, and Bristol Bears owe £51 million.

Harlequins have hit out at a report in the Daily Mail last month that they owe the taxman £1.6 million saying that was not true –but they still have debts of more than £33 million pounds – and that’s the problem. If the Bank of England raise interest rates again – then servicing these volumes of debts will push more clubs into administration and the league will potentially collapse. Much of the debts are from banks and lenders, but also the tax man, VAT and major suppliers such as food and drink wholesalers.

With a credit squeeze on incomes many fans will stay away increasing the pressure on club finances.

Bath Rugby is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of club legend Brendan Perry. This is part of a tribute to the player from the club on their website.

Born in the city in 1942, Brendan was educated at St John’s Catholic School, Bath. Finishing his education at St Brendan’s College, Bristol, his natural pace and quick rugby brain saw him make his first team debut for Bath at the tender age of 17 on 28 April 1960 in Bath’s second post-war fixture with Torquay. He scored just before the interval and played a part in another try with some superb attacking play.

Brendan followed his father, Idris, into the Bath team and surpassed his father’s achievements, winning 36

England caps, six British & Irish Lions & five Barbarians appearances.

Brendan made 227 appearances for Bath over a 14-year period (1960-74), ending his First XV days at the club against the Royal Air Force with a 26-6 victory.

A short spell with Bristol followed before Brendan returned to The Rec as a Management Committee member, a role which he held for many years, and was appointed Chairman of the club for the 1989/90 season – a year the club won the Pilkington Cup. He became Club President between 1995 to 1997, a period in which a league and cup double was secured. He will be sorely missed.

Friends and family of the player said he had left a bar in Barcelona on October 29th and had not been seen since. He had not used his phone or withdrawn cash from his bank. Meanwhile his family have spent time in Spain looking for him.

Levi played for Bath from 2017 -2020 before moving to clubs in Ealing and then Worthing.

Alex Fletcher: following the serious head injury sustained by Alex Fletcher during a game for Bath City FC against Dulwich Hamlet last month the club postponed several games and abandoned the Dulwich match at the time.

The parents of Alex issued this statement after the incident: “Unfortunately Alex has sustained a severe head injury as a result of last night’s events.

“He required emergency neurosurgery to stabilise his condition and was then admitted to intensive care where he remains in a stable but critical condition.

“Alex’s family would like to

At the time of going to press Alex was no longer in a critical condition but remains in hospital as he begins a slow recovery Football: Bath City FC play in the Vanarama National League League South, the sixth tier of the English league system.

This month they play at home at Twerton Park against Welling United on the 3rd December, Hampton & Richmond on 13th and a local derby against arch rivals Chippenham Town on Boxing Day.

On the road in December they take on Hemel Hempstead Town on the 6th, and Dartford on the 10th.

Blue, Black and Whites: Bath Rugby play at The Rec in the Gallagher Premiership.

The Gallagher Premiership awards 4 point for a win, 2 points for a draw, plus1 point will be awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or less and to a

In the first Double Header of the 2022/23 season, Bath Rugby Ladies were victorious in their top-of-the-table clash against Old Albanian Saints, securing a 33-0 victory.

team scoring 4 tries or more in a match.

Home games this month are against Harlequins on Friday 2nd December in the league, Glasgow Warriors on the 10th in the European Challenge Cup, and Newcastle Falcons on New Year’s Eve in another Gallagher Premiership clash.

Away games includes a cup game on the 17th at Toulon and a league match against Exeter on Christmas Eve.

Bath Ladies Rugby: The 1st XV play Reading Abbey on the 11th of December.

Away fixtures include Blackheath on the 4th of December.

Our Monthly Talks

Monthly Talks are usually held on the first Thursday in the month and start at 10.30 a.m. Doors open at 9.45 a.m. for coffee. Admission is free for members but a donation of £2 for non-members.

If you join U3A in Bath at the meeting then your admission fee is refunded.

WE ARE U3A IN BATH : JOIN US!

About u3a in Bath

There are over 450,000 of us in the UK and 1,300 in Bath . We are in “u3a in Bath” and our members are all retired or working part-time. We take part in a range of activities – from History to Languages, from Tennis to Country Walks. See the complete list of our 100-plus interest groups on our website - www.u3ainbath.org.uk

u3a in Bath Membershi p

You can join the u3a in Bath by filling in an application form and sending it (with s.a.e) to Membership Officer, U3A in Bath, PO Box 4040, Bath, BA1 0EJ Application forms on our website or phone 01225 318438

Membership is only £15 per year.

Talks take place at:

The Pavilion, North Parade Road, Bath BA2 4EU

Upcoming Talks

1st December 2022

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY by David Bailey

5th January 2023

THE IMPACT OF THE POOR LAWS OVER THE CENTURIES by Peter Martin

2nd February 2023

TALES FROM KOSOVO, EUROPE’S YOUNGEST COUNTRY by Elizabeth Gowing

2nd March 2023

SPACE EXPLORATION – OUR PLACE IN SPACE by Jo Richardson

cancel their fixtures leaving the remaining

Brendan Perry 1942-2022

A city remembers the fallen with dignity

By Robert Coles - with his photos as well: Children from Combe

Down Primary School attended the remembrance event at the Combe Down War Memorial in Firs Field with Lt Col Jeremy Levine MBE, the officer in charge of the service.

The presentation of the framed Regimental Badge to the headteacher, Jane Gascoigne (pictured) was made by Vincent Dunne Chairmen of the Bath branch of the Grenadier Guards Association.

It was to mark the appreciation of the school’s continuing support

On Remembrance Sunday morning at the War Memorial, in Victoria Park Wera Hobhouse, Bath’s MP was in attendance along with dignitaries including the Mayor Cllr Rob Appleyard with music from the City of Bath Brass Band.

In the High Street there was a

stirring scene on Remembrance Sunday morning with the band of pipes and drums of Downside School, very impressive

The Last Post was sounded in front of the Abbey’s 1617 West Door through which the survivors of the Battle of Lansdown would have passed during the English Civil War - reminding one and all that wars have always left a scar on the city and its people.

Many service personnel from Bath were killed during a long list of wars and conflicts over the centuries, plus more than 400 residents died during the 1942 Baedeker raids or Bath Blitz with countless others wounded.

Remembrance Sunday remains an important date in the city’s calendar as Bath’s residents and service personnel remembers the fallen with dignity.

n LOOK BACK

Back in the day: from paper rounds and one penny bus fares

By Clare Ogilvie in reply to the article by Robert Coles last month on the steep hill called Holloway lived at the bottom end of Shakespeare Avenue from 1949-55, it would have been during the end of that period that I would have pushed my Hercules bike up Holloway, it was said that you needed to be Hercules to lift it!

Boys from the City of Bath school were banned from riding their bikes down the avenues as it was considered too steep and dangerous. Going to school in Bath it was down in the morning, up and down lunch time and finally up at tea time.

The two fellow sufferers pushing our bikes were Michael Shearn, of Shearn’s the builders’ merchants and Tony Ridout whose parents had a fish and chip shop in Kingsmead Square, Tony I think became a projectionist in the Little Theatre.

The child bus fare from the Bear Flat to town was think a 1d so it was it worth pushing a bike up the hill but a 1d was a 1d, four times a day and you probably had enough for scallops.

At that time my “playground” was the bomb sites of the Bear Flat and in front and back of Bruton Avenue leading to the backs of Beechen Cliff Road and the steps down to Holloway opposite the Newsagents’ Shops.

I have a vague memory of thinking at the age of twelve of so that the lady who ran the shop, or it may have been her daughter, was rather glamorous.

I remember that the Cormacks lived at the bottom of Beechen Cliff Road and the Gales with a son called David at the top of the terrace.

The Cormack’s had two shops Nos 3 and 4 Hayes Place, I believe one was where the papers were sorted, certainly on a Sunday morning and the other where they were sold.

On Saturday tea time I would be sent to the shop for the Pink’un with the football results. While we waited for the papers to be delivered, thrown out of the Chronicle Van, we would watch television through the window of Bourton’s radio shop next

to the Bear Inn. A small shaky black and white picture and of course being outside we could hear no sound.

When I was about 14, I did an occasional Sunday newspaper round for Cormack’s for 2/6d. Sundays were not as heavy then but you still had to do the round in two halves.

At the bottom of Holloway Wilton’s, the paper shop, had pin up books in the window so the lads had something to look at while waiting for the trains to pass.

Beyond Magdalen Avenue on a bomb site on the left with what looked like a triangular tunnel. Only recently learned that these triangular culverts were drains at Fullers Earth level for water from the hill to drain to prevent the land slipping.

The big new water main from Chew Valley lake was I believe routed down Holloway. There were certainly water works off Holloway below Carlton Road behind a high wall with advertising hoardings, I heard the water rushing as I lent on the

handlebars of my bike. am glad that you recalled Frump’s, scallops and scrumps. The owner of the fish and chip shop was Frank Meredith.

also remember him as being rather rotund with a white apron. think his wife also served in the shop. Within a few hundred yards there were three more fish and chip shops, one in Wells Road and two in Claverton Street.

Widcombe must have lived on fish and chips and there were more than twenty fried fish shops in Bath in 1952.

My Grandfather lived at one point off the bottom of Holloway and his son (my father) who died very soon after I was born was, I am told in St Marks Choir. was a baby during the Bath Blitz and according to my grandfather my family including me were reported dead, think of course was wrong!

• If you have memories from back in the day do email the editor Harry Mottram at harryfmottream@gmail.com - with a photo of back then if you have one.

Pipes and drums in the High Street in Bath. Photo: Robert Coles

Combe Down Primary School marks the day with this presentation. Photo: Robert Coles

An impressive and moving sight as the young people march through Bath. Photo: Robert Coles

The scene outside the Guildhall in Bath. Photo: Robert Coles

By Harry Mottram: Bath or rather

Aquae Sulis has a long history of eating and drinking too much in December since the Roman celebration of Saturnalia fell in that month.

It happily coincided with the celebrations observed by the original residents - the Celts - who held the days around the Winter Solstice as a time for feasting and merriment.

In the fourth century Christianity was making inroads into the lives of both Romans and Romano Britons - a new religion that later borrowed many of the old traditions from the Romans of gift giving and general merriment.

With Christianity eventually dominating life in later centuries Easter became the larger occasion in the calendar as it also marked the beginning of Spring and better weather.

Christmas by the Medieval period had acquired Father Christmas - a green man adopted from the pagan worship of the evergreen trees and forests - plus a period of down tools for 12 days and the electing of lords of misrule - adopted from the Romans - plus the period of Advent in the period leading up to the big day.

The received wisdom is that Jesus

was born in the Spring but in a neat move by the Roman church his birthday was moved to coincide with Saturnalia thus crystallizing a trio of traditions into one.

Not everyone is a fan of Christmas - with some seeing it as period of excess and expense. The Government of Oliver Cromwell didn’t ban Christmas but being Puritan in tone banned church services on Christmas Day, Easter and Whitsun and insisted the shops open. They didn’t ban mince pies but disapproved of parties and over indulgence as they were associated with Catholicism. Even then parliament realised the new laws were largely ignored or were unenforceable.

By Georgian times Christmas was celebrated with family get togethers and parties but it was a lower key event than might be expected until in 1843 Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol

With the industrial revolution manufacturing anything from greeting cards to toys - Christmas as we know it took off. And when Prince Albert introduced from Germany the Christmas tree in the 1840s a whole new level of decoration was introduced. Merry Christmas!

Bath Christmas Market is for some a celebration of Christmas with the aroma of mulled wine, stalls shining with gift ideas and the sounds of carols and Christmas music in the air. Above photos by Darcie Benson and below a photo from Visit Bath of the market

Blow a raspberry and have friends for life by playing in the City of Bath Brass Band

By Harry Mottram:

If you can blow a raspberry then you are half way to learning how to play a brass instrument.

This disarmingly simple test was suggested by John Light of the City of Bath Brass when we had a chat about the band whose origins date back to 1921.

John’s musical career began in school when he volunteered to play the euphonium and then B flat bass. Later at Birmingham University he was involved the music group before embarking on a teaching career.

On retirement when he had moved to Bath friends encouraged him to join the band - which is where he has been ever since.

“If you learn to play an instrument when you are young, you will always have friends around you as you go through life,” he said, “the number of times I’ve heard someone say they would like to play the piano, well the advantage of a brass band is that all the brass

instruments basically play the same way.

“Once you have mastered how to make the raspberry noise down the mouth piece then you can make most notes.”

Back to his childhood and it was seeing the naval passing out parades with the brass bands in Portsmouth that spiked his interest in the instrument.

“I was thoroughly enthralled by the band master who would throw the mace up into the air and catch it,“ he said, “it was a bit of showmanship know, but I’ve always liked the sound of a brass band.

“In the years after the war at Christmas we would all gather round the piano with my dad and sing the old songs, that was how it was then.”

He initially played in the Corsham Brass Band but was persuaded to become the secretary of the Bath band insisting he could also play - and is now the chairman.

On December 9th the band are staging a concert at St Michael’s Without in Broad Street marking their centenary with an overture written by Nick Breeze.

“We always start with a march,” he explained,” with Christmas Joy, and there will be Jingle Bells and the audience have a chance to join in with the carols.”

The brass band features a training band with a mix of ages including four musicians under 16 years of age.

He said younger people tend to

want to play with others in a group which is why playing in a brass band is a good way to take up music even if you can’t read music.

The band have made a call for more players to join - whether complete novices or those well versed in music.

Musical instruments are available for those wishing to ‘have a go.’

To find out more or to join visit: https://cityofbathbrassband.co.uk/ Tickets for the concert are available from bathboxoffice.org

Christmas trees: Mentoring Plus, a Bath based youth charity supporting vulnerable young people, are selling Christmas trees to raise funds for work at its youth hub in Bath over the first two weekends in December.

The trees are UK sourced and from sustainable stock. You can pre-order your tree at https:// mentoringplus.net/ for collection or visit the hub at York Place and have a hot chocolate, and listen to the youth samba band.

If you are interested in mentoring a young person or finding out more about their services call Becki Fox 01225 429694 or email community@

mentoringplus.net.

MP News: Wera Hobhouse MP has been reselected by Bath Liberal Democrats to be their Parliamentary candidate.

She was overwhelmingly reselected by Bath Liberal Democrats to be their candidate in the next election which is likely to be in 2024.

She said: “I will continue to campaign for an uncompromising commitment to Net Zero, the urgent need to fund public services properly, to reverse the Conservative’s destruction of the welfare state, and, unsurprisingly, maintain my passionate desire to see the UK back at the heart of Europe, which means immediately rebuilding the broken relationships with our neighbours.”

In the last election Wera Hobhouse had a majority of 12,322 over her Conservative rival securing 28,419 votes.

Fox News: A Bear Flat resident reported on Face Book last month how she came face to face with a fox in the middle of Bath.

Julie Ingerfield noted: “Strolling along Pulteney Bridge late Friday evening en route to the station when a fox comes trotting right down the middle of the street. It

took us a count of three to realise what we were seeing. He must have been a canny scavenger operating the Christmas Market circuit! A very special moment right in the middle of Bath.”

There have been reports across the city of foxes entering gardens, breeding in dens, being fed by residents and generally living as four legged brush tailed Bathonians.

Foxes are not a protected species and can under certain conditions be culled under terms in the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).

To some they are vermin while to many they are an attractive member of Britain’s wild fauna.

Organised fox hunting has declined in recent years - as the law has been tightened but the few remaining hunts continue to attract

controversy - and Bath has its own group of hunt saboteurs who aim to disrupt hunts.

For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/government/ organisations/natural-england and there is more here: https:// foxproject.org.uk/ Police appeal: Officers are appealing for dashcam footage and witnesses after a three-car road traffic collision on Thursday 24 November at 7.24pm on Claverton Down Road.

One man is in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, and another man was taken to hospital with a leg injury.

If you witnessed anything, or have any relevant footage call 101 and give the call handler the reference number 5222282599, or complete an online appeals form.

There are a number of hunt meets on Boxing Day this one is in Axbridge in Somerset and features the Banwell Harriers although the hounds no longer chase foxes but follow a scent known as a drag hunt

Bitter sweet story of three generations of men n

THEATRE REVIEW

Theatre Review: Revealed at The Tobacco Factory, Bristol Men, men, men. You might ask, where are the women in Daniel J Carver’s inter-generational family drama, Revealed Grandma and mum are both talked about of how they were abused and assaulted but also how they showed empathy and common sense as resentments and secrets spill out as a family trio confront each other. Grandfather Sidney, dad Malcolm and son Luther are locked in the family’s Caribbean café while outside a riot prevents their escape. And that confinement generates the drama with its themes of identity, masculinity, sexuality and parenting. And what a brilliantly acted drama Revealed is – as it grips from the opening physical theatre to its revelatory conclusion.

In a five-star production directed with extraordinary pace by Jay Zorenti-Nakhid Revealed is a universal story of family members coming to terms with their pasts, their presents and their futures. And in particular three generations of British black men which only

Music of our very own River Avon

adds to the layers of anger, conflict and prejudice played with astonishing realism by the cast.

Patriarch Everal A Walsh as peace-maker Sidney is a hostage to his penal past due to a violent reaction to racial slurs. Daniel J Carver is his angry son Malcolm who has bottled up resentment at the way society and the police treat black men. The playwright and actor gave a blistering testosterone fuelled portrayal of a man frustrated by his own prejudices and shortcomings. And the baby of the family, teenager Luther played by Dylan Brady was the voice of the future and of reason but also the fashion-loving dandy behind the play’s title.

Credit to Kevin McCurdy for the believably violent fight scenes mostly generated by belligerent protagonist Malcolm. Credit too for Amanda Mascarenhas’s set design with its fractured wall and photographs of famous but also compromised black icons – while the café’s menu illustrated Caribbean cuisine ranging from goat curry to fried chicken leaving

this critic feeling very hungry.

The words of poet Sukina Noor who spoke in the bar area before curtain-up set the scene as she listed the many facets of the lives of black men in 21st century Britain.

Revealed is not just a play but an important cultural moment in Bristol’s social history. It’s a play that doesn’t patronise, doesn’t play the victim but fully investigates the lives of black men in all their aspects. It played to a full house with many from the black and Asian Bristolian communities in the audience – a sector that is often missing from theatre audiences.

The themes of absent fathers, abused partners and parenting in all its forms in Daniel J Carver’s script were ingeniously over-laid with the wider issues of prejudice and race, police brutality and a lack of opportunities – and yet it had much humour and comic moments. The hyper realistic dialogue as the characters talked over each other (exceptionally difficult as actors can easily lose their cues), not listening to each other and contradicting each other was brilliant. A piece of theatre that enjoyed a standing ovation at the end.

Harry Mottram

By Linda Tanner: Pupils and

staff from ten schools got the school year off to a spectacular start by performing their own Oratorio at Bath Forum in September.

The musical piece was composed for the Futura Learning Partnership, which includes schools in Keynsham, Bristol, Bath and South Gloucestershire, by Phil Dixon.

He began last year by visiting Year 10 music classes at Bedminster Down, Sir Bernard Lovell and Wellsway schools, to come up with initial compositional ideas. He then went away and arranged the melodies and chord progressions into the Futura Oratorio. The piece, entitled Avona, was based on the myth of how the river Avon got its name.

The performance, conducted by Phil Dixon, involved more than 400 children aged seven to 18, who formed two primary choirs, a senior choir and an orchestra. They were supported by 40 staff members.

The event was organised by Futura Learning Partnership’s director

of music Ingrid McLean. She said: “It was a fabulous occasion. We nearly filled the venue and received a standing ovation at the end.

“For many of the students it was the first time they had sung with an orchestra, so it was a wonderful experience in a special setting. It is

important to us to make sure our students have the opportunity for quality music making; working collaboratively enables us to achieve this. Already staff and students have been suggesting doing more activities like this ... watch this space!

Andrea Arlidge, chief executive of

Futura Learning Partnership, said: “After more than two years of restrictions, it was fantastic for children and staff from our schools to be able to come together and perform this unique and brilliant Oratorio. was so proud of them all. It was a night that will live long in the memory.”

The City of Bath Brass Band are to stage a Christmas concert this month at St Michael’s

RUH News: In October a temporary ward was opened at St Martin’s Hospital in Bath to support people who are well enough to leave hospital but not ready to go home.

The ward was opened to help relieve pressure on local acute hospitals and free up beds for the most ill patients. The community ward, which also opened to help provide extra capacity to the local health and care system last winter, has 23 beds and offers a “peaceful and relaxed environment in which patients can take time to recover before being discharged to home or to a care home.”

The initiatives have been put in place by the Royal United Hospital, HCRG Care Group, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board.

Midwife News: In data revealed by the House of Commons Library commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, it has been revealed that there are only 1.7 full-time equivalent NHS midwives in Bath per 1,000 women of childbearing age, as defined by the Office of National Statistics.

The Royal United Hospital in Bath has lost 29 midwives in the past year, which is nearly 20% of the workforce. This leaves it ranking 116th out of 129 in the NHS trusts, in terms of midwife numbers, in the country.

This is not the fault of the hospital, the decline in midwives has been a worrying trend for many years nationally and this year it is getting worse with almost 500 midwives lost over the last 12 months.

The challenges facing the midwifery workforce come as the profession considers strike action, a huge drop out as many newly qualified midwives drop out of the profession due to stress caused in part by a lack of staff.

In 2018 the current Chancellor Jeremy Hunt as the health secretary promised an ambitious scheme to recruit thousands of midwives as did David Cameron as PM in 2010.

Millions of pounds were earmarked for the campaign but five years later the situation is worse. A report published in October by the All-Party Parliamentary Groups on Baby Loss and Maternity as part of their joint Safe Staffing campaign paints a bleak picture of services that are understaffed, overstretched, and too often letting down women, families, and staff alike.

In March of this year the Government announced an £8 million scheme that could see experienced midwifery professionals act as mentors for new or returning midwives.

These new positions would see 2,734 midwives who have joined the workforce in the last year benefit from the skills of long standing staff and their knowledge from years of hands-on experience.

At the time of going to press the Royal College of Midwives were considering industrial action over pay and conditions of working. They have consistently said that midwives are leaving the NHS due to under staffing and stress.

Cancer News: More research from Bath’s Liberal Democrats on health has revealed in analysis of NHS data that 806 local people had to wait more than two weeks to see a cancer specialist after a GP referral.

While the NHS target is for 93% of patients to see a cancer specialist within two weeks of a referral, in Bath this was the case for just 48% of patients.

The Government launched its 10 year strategy to reduce cancer deaths and improve outcomes this year. The Health Secretary said the Covid pandemic had hit the NHS with 600,000 cases causing a knock on effect. The Government said: “Overall cancer treatment has been maintained at 94% of prepandemic levels, and 95% of people starting treatment have done so within a month.”

For details about cancer and how to lower your risk visit www. nhs.uk/conditions/cancer/

Theatre Review: The Government Inspector. Rondo Theatre

Nikolai Gogol’s 1836 play The Government Inspector is a play for all time with its themes of political corruption, greed and the class system – and so it is no surprise that it remains as popular to dramatize today as it did in 19th century Tsarist Russia where it is set.

Bath’s Playing Up Theatre Company more that did it justice at the Rondo Theatre in a production directed with style by Darian Nelson and Sophie Brooks in this updated version adapted by David Harrower. One of the joys of the script is the chance to be creative with the story of mistaken identity as the Mayor and the town’s folk fall over themselves to flatter the wrong Government official in a classic farce.

Andy Fletcher as the Mayor and main protagonist excelled himself in an outstanding performance as he mistakenly bossed his underlings to bow before the minor official Khlestakov as his eyes lit up at the thought of an easy life in St Petersburg. The nonGovernment Inspector Khlestakov played with great energy by Rich Chivers enjoyed himself as he saw the villagers fall over themselves to

impress him – greatly aided by a dead pan Scarlett Beattie as his down to earth servant Osip. When his love interest Maria demands Khlestakov sings her a love song he broke into Dr Hook’s 1979 hit When You’re In Love with a Beautiful Woman much to the audience’s delight.

The use of picture frames to symbolise windows and homes worked well with the mayor’s wife and daughter appearing in the opening scene in decorative portrait frames. Emma Firman as his wife and Leah Brine as his daughter Maria were an excellent double act in their full-length gowns and finery. Maria’s yellow ball gown in particular added a visual gem as she was wooed by the phoney inspector in scenes of high comedy.

Gogol’s famous other double act – the landowners Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky were given a Laurel and Hardy-esque knockabout tone by Jack Strawbridge and James Coy respectively. Anne Hipperson as a hunting-shootingfishing judge stepped straight out of the pages of The Field magazine with a wonderful Sloane-ranger performance as she attempts to impress Khlestakov as she stuffs Roubles into his shiny waistcoat. There was strong support from

were all well enough to be sent home and Dr Gibner (Rebecca Waters) who fortunately spoke no Russian so couldn’t say the wrong thing.

Rebecca Waters played it straight as the waiter – a tricky piece of acting to pull off as mayhem takes place all around.

At the other end of the spectrum of comic acting was Michael Auton who could probably perform a Les Dawson tribute act as he appeared rouged up with a drooping bust as the sergeant’s widow in another brilliant piece of comedy.

Bearded postmaster Paul Dyson got his timing just right with his lines as he revealed he read all the

n MESSAGE FROM AVON & SOMERSET PCC

Stay alert when Christmas shopping online

AS we start to approach the festive season, when lots of people are furiously trying to get their Christmas Shopping done online, would like to remind you to remain vigilant and be cautious.

Be on the lookout for fake shopping sites and scams that fraudsters will use to take advantage of you.

Fraud continues to grow significantly and now represents more than a third of all estimated crime.

It doesn’t just affect victims’ finances but can also have an impact on mental health, with 74% of fraud victims reporting being emotionally impacted.

As the national Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) lead for economic and cybercrime, am passionate about educating local people on how to spot the signs of fraud, to prevent you becoming a victim in the first place. There is lots of information on my website about how to protect yourself. Please do take a

look.

also want to talk to you about some important things happening in my office over the festive season.

Firstly, we will launch our annual council tax policing precept consultation.

Your police service is funded partly by central government, which gives about 60% of the annual budget, but also partly through your local council tax bill, which covers the other 40%.

This survey asks your opinion on the amount am going to ask you to pay in addition to your current annual council tax bill in the next financial year, which is one of the main responsibilities of a PCC.

It is very important that you let me know your views, particularly when times are extremely financially challenging for everyone.

Secondly, if you are looking for a new challenge in the New Year, we have also launched a volunteer recruitment campaign

to ask people to empower their communities and join us as independent advisors on one of the OPCC’s four scrutiny panels or other inspection schemes.

It’s an important way to provide transparency and public accountability around the monitoring and scrutiny we do of the service provided to our communities by Avon and Somerset Police.

For more information visit www.avonandsomerset-pcc.gov. uk/get-involved/apply-to-be-avolunteer.

Lastly, if you run a community group or you work with an organisation on projects that help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, would encourage you to apply to my Commissioner’s Crime Prevention Fund.

Launched earlier this year, the fund is a partnership between the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Somerset Community Foundation and Quartet Community Foundation,

mail and even kept one love letter that was posted since it moved him so much. Tim Carter as the schoolteacher was suitably compliant in his efforts to follow the dictates of the mayor and had a hilariously awkward scene as he tried to not-bribe the inspector by bribing him with cash.

Gogol’s script is full of exquisite set pieces of comedy from the sexual rivalry of Anna and Maria to Osip’s prosaic asides to Khlestakov’s grandiose pronouncements. With its show stopping finale as reality dawns on the residents it remains a story for all time as it chimes with our views on today’s ruling Government politicians who we would all secretly like to send to Siberia.

Harry Mottram

With Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford

which aims to support community projects and activities across the force area that help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.

I know the organisations and groups of residents who have already applied and received a grant have found the extra funds really beneficial in supporting their work to prevent crime in their communities.

Please visit my website to find out more.

Diluki O’Beirne as the highly unprofessional hospital governor who declared the patients

Pressure on the RUH has led to a new ward being opened at St Martin’s Hospital

n LETTERS

Paragon Travel Plan

It’s 8.20am. At the turning from Prior Park Road into Lyncombe Vale, cars are stacking up. Young children on the way to school walk single file with their parents, trying to dodge the SUVs mounting the curbs. Here, where the road narrows, is one of the crunch points on the way to The Paragon School.

Like many roads in Bath, it was never designed to handle cars, let alone a cavalcade of school traffic dodging cars and people every morning and afternoon. And Lyncombe Vale is not alone: this is a scene that gets repeated every morning all over our city.

Traffic may well be Bath’s favourite talking point. It’s usually portrayed in the local press as a tussle between those who want to drive and park wherever suits them, versus a loud group of cyclists in neon bibs trying to prise away their freedoms.

But if there’s one thing everyone can agree on, it’s how much they dislike the school run. You’ll never hear a mum or dad say they love the daily churn of strapping their kids into car seats and fighting traffic to get to school.

But, by any measure, the number of parents who drive to The Paragon every day is pretty something. I know this because the school published a Travel Plan as part of a larger planning application for a new classroom building. This plan sets out who travels to the school by car, where they come from and the reasons why they do it. Anecdotally, suspected school traffic was high, but even was surprised to learn that 78% of Paragon pupils travel to school by car. That number is worth repeating: 78%. There isn’t a good PR gloss you can put on that figure.

It also seems most of The Paragon school-run parents would rather not get in their cars every day. Only 24% say they prefer to drive their children to school by car. Some of the reasons for not walking include: “exhaust fumes” and “speeding traffic” of fellow parents...(insert your own irony here). “Unpredictable weather” is another.

It gets worse when you put the 78% figure in context. According to BANES, 29% of pupils travel to school by car across Bath. That figure is similar for primary schools near The Paragon. The Paragon’s Travel Plan shows that school

traffic isn’t evenly shared. On the one hand, this shouldn’t be an enormous surprise. Some of the differences can be explained by the longer distances some parents travel. Around half of The Paragon’s parents drive from between 3 and 5 miles away. But that still leaves a good half who could get to school without their car: 26% of parents live under a mile away and within walking distance and a further 29% within 2 miles.

It’s not that parents don’t know they have other options. The Travel Plan devotes six pages to the things most parents choose not to use: the school is next to a Sustrans cycle route and a bus stop, and it’s a tenminute walk from the train station. There’s even an informal park and walk arrangement with the local garden centre (but only 4% of parents use it).

When asked, just 2% of parents said they needed more information about walking or cycling routes. Their Travel Plan goes on to devote pages of measures to give parents more of what they’ve said they don’t need: information. Notice boards, travel information packs and (I’m not making this up) a link to a bus timetable. The only thing more depressing than The Paragon’s stats are the school’s low ambitions to do something about it. Their five-year targets are risible, verging on non-existent: they hope to increase sustainable travel by 6%.

I’m singling out The Paragon School because they’ve published their numbers. I don’t suppose for a minute that they’re the only school that has a problem with parents doing the school-run by car, and, based on The Paragon’s stats, suspect it’s a common problem across the independent school sector.

But enough grumbles, it’s time for change. Some of the simplest steps The Paragon could take would be to catch up with what other local schools are already successfully doing. One scheme working locally is the “walking bus”, where parents take it in turns to walk a group of children from their neighbourhood to school. In The Paragon’s travel plan, this idea is couched as wild, blue-sky thinking in a business plan. They “will *discuss* with key stakeholders the *possibility* of providing a walking bus”. (My emphasis.)

Since the Travel Plan was published, it’s caused a bit of a stir with residents (including, to be fair, some Paragon parents who live locally and walk to schoolI’m not trying to make this ‘them’ and ‘us’). You can see this from the objections on the planning application for The Paragon’s new classroom building. If the Travel Plan is anything to go by, Prior Park Schools Education Trust will try to brush the debate away with a ‘community consultation’ that, like school traffic, goes nowhere very fast. We can’t let that happen. A couple of realistic steps could be put in place now. Formalising the walking bus from the garden centre around the corner and the council closing Lyncombe Vale to school traffic would alleviate the immediate problems right away. Closing a street to school traffic reduces congestion and pollution, which are reasons enough. It also means more children (and their parents) feel safe walking, cycling and scooting to school (which would help those Paragon parents worried about speeding traffic and exhaust fumes). And bear in mind it’ll only be catching up with the School Street scheme Moorlands School has already put in place. When The Paragon asked what would change parents’ behaviour the most, the biggest answer by far was having a school bus. If The Paragon School could organise this for parents travelling from further afield, it would reduce the traffic coming across or into Bath dramatically too. Even better, the school could join forces to co-fund this with other independent schools. A win-win – it would reduce traffic coming into the city, as well as in streets close to schools. But unless there’s a call for concrete solutions (rather than abstract aims and low targets) from the Council and other residents, it’ll be back to the school run as usual. Prior Park Schools Education Trust won’t want to rock the boat and inconvenience the parents who pay their fees. Convenient.

Easier. It’s a shame car travel is still seen as the “oh know I shouldn’t but...” get-out. As a parent of two young children, I’ve never viewed the walk to school like that. It’s about my children waving and hugging friends they bump into on the way, as if they haven’t seen them in weeks. It’s saying hello to the lollipop man every morning.

It’s being part of a community, not driving through it with the windows up. We say hello to a handful of friendly Paragon parents who walk to school along our street every day. We just wish there were more of them..

Rob Mitchell Bath

The Paragon School state this on their website about transport We are keen to reduce the amount of traffic entering the school and encourage parents to car share, walk to school or use the minibus services from Prior Park College and Prior Park Garden Centre.

On foot: If walking into the school grounds, please enter through the main entrance and then turn right through the gate and walk through ‘Teepee Woods’, or enter through the middle gate.

The owner of Prior Park Garden Centre has kindly agreed to allow Paragon parents to park their cars at the garden centre car park for morning drop off and walk their children to school.

By bike or scooter: There is a shelter available for storing bikes and scooters during the day.

By minibus: A free minibus service operates from Prior Park College and Prior Park Garden Centre in the mornings and a minibus returns to the College in the evenings.

For older children, it is sometimes possible to arrange for pupils to catch one of the minibuses that travels to and from the surrounding villages to the College.

These then link up with the minibuses to The Paragon. For further information, speak to Susie Rees-Jones (Registrar) in the first instance: srees-jones@ priorparkschools.com

By car: Lyncombe Vale is a quiet, residential area with narrow roads and so, during school drop off and pick up times, we operate a neighbourhood traffic scheme, in agreement with our neighbours. Please download a copy of this one-way system.

There is limited parking at the school and so parents of Prep children are asked to use the ‘drop zones’.

If parking outside the school grounds, please remember to park with consideration for local residents.

Continued from page 15

the death of William Herschel. The museum will be exhibiting some artefacts on loan from the Royal Astronomical Society and Herschel Family Archive which will showcase William’s achievements. The exhibition will also acknowledge the important contributions of those working with William, including his sister Caroline Herschel. Until Dec 31.

Museum of East Asian Art. Revolution, Propaganda, Art: Printmaking in Modern China. Continues to 3 June 2023. The exhibition showcases a series of prints selected from Muban Educational Trust’s collection of over 6,000 and tells the story of China’s twentieth-century wars, revolution and rejuvenation. The exhibition explores artistic trends, political movements and technical developments in modern Chinese printmaking. The works presented mark several significant anniversaries in China’s modern history, including the May Fourth Movement (1919), the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (1921), and Lu Xun’s seminal printmaking class, which symbolises the origin of the Modern Woodcut Movement (1931).

Widcombe Social Club: Photography exhibition by Emma Delves. Until 31 December. Viewings available Friday nights and when club is open. Waterside Bar. Deadly is a series of images of supernatural explosion of sensuality and femininity. Emma has styled the models as Vampire, Bride of Frankenstein, Witch, Ghost and various Mythological Creatures and Goddesses. Free entry. (Pictured below)

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University of Bath. Richard Smith Exhibition. The Edge. Until 17 December. Free entry. Richard Smith was one of the most innovative and celebrated painters in Britain in the 1960s and 1970s and seen as the father of Pop Art. Open from 11am to 4pm, Wed-Sat, admission is free. Do you have an event you would like to be included in the next edition - email Erica at erica@bathvoice. co.uk or call her on 07402 441485.

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