Bath Voice October 2023

bathvoice October 2023 No. 44

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Georgians playing the game of the future As part of the Jane Austen Festival Bath last month Bath’s Croquet Club hosted sessions for Georgian cosplayers followed by afternoon tea, at the Recreation Ground. Of course, the game of Pall Mall (a forerunner of croquet) would have been popular in the era when the writer of Pride and Prejudice lived in the city - but still a most fitting and congenial occasion.

Bath RFC: no to ‘colosseum’

Meet the double act

By Harry Mottram: It has been the Independents most read and commented story on the Bath Voice website and social Page 19 media this summer.

The proposals by two Bath Sports News architects Mark Wilson Jones and Jakub Ryng of Apollodorus Pages 20 Architecture reimagined the

new stadium as an oval Roman colosseum, together with a classical rebuild of the leisure centre.

The imaginative idea complete with detailed artists’ impressions of the rugby stadium have been flatly turned down by the club. In a short statement on their website the club

stated in an answer to a question about the Apollodorus Architecture’s plans: “No. The images are not being proposed by Bath Rugby for The Rec. The visuals are something that have been produced speculatively by a London architect. It is nothing to do Continued on page 3

October 2023

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MPs Wera Hobhouse MP - Bath 26 Charles Street, Bath, BA1 1HU 01225 307024 office@werahobhouse.co.uk Jacob Rees-Mogg - NE Somerset House of Commons Westminster London SW1A 0AA jacob.reesmogg.mp@parliament.uk BANES Councillors Oldfield Park: Ian Halsall 07575 922200 ian_halsall@bathnes.gov.uk Widcombe & Lyncombe: Alison Born 01225 319188 Alison_born@bathnes.gov.uk Deborah Joan Collins Deborah_Collins@bathnes.gov.uk 01225 395954 Moorlands: Jess David 07977 500804 Jess_david@bathnes.gov.uk Southdown: Paul Crossley 07718 632959 paul_crossley@bathnes.gov.uk

Dine Romero 01225 477496 dine_romero@bathnes.gov.uk Combe Down: Onkar Saini 07429 149782 Onkar_Saini@bathnes.gov.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 Colin_Blackburn@bathnes.gov.uk

USEFUL NUMBERS Bath & North East Somerset Council Guildhall, High Street, Bath, BA1 5AW Bath One Stop Shop 3-4 Manvers Street, Bath, BA1 1JQ Council Connect 01225 39 40 41 Email: council_connect@bathnes. gov.uk Bath & North East Somerset Citizens Advice Bureau 2 Edgar Buildings, George Street, Bath, BA1 2EE 0344 848 7919 NHS Urgent: 111 / Emergency: 999

Police www.avonandsomersetpolice.co.uk General inquiries: 101 Emergency 999 Fire www.avonfire.co.uk Inquiries: 0117 926 2061 Emergency: 999 Anti-social behaviour team asb@bathnes.gov.uk 01225 842462 Well Aware Health and social care information www.wellaware.org.uk (Freephone) 0808 808 5252

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Despite our best efforts, we sometimes get things wrong. We always try to resolve issues informally at first but we also have a formal complaints procedure. If you have a complaint about anything in the Bath Voice, contact the News Editor using the details below. We aspire to follow the the Code of Conduct of the NUJ (National Union of Journalists), nuj.org.uk/about/ nuj-code.

Further details of the complaints process can be found on our website or can be obtained by contacting the Editor by email: news@bathvoice.co.uk or by post: 1 Camerton Close, Saltford, Bristol, BS31 3BT or by phone: 07402 441485 All stories and pictures are © Bath Voice (unless otherwise stated) and may not be reproduced without permission.

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n NEWS

Continued from page 1

with the proposed plans from Bath Rugby and our project team.”

The decision will be a disappointment to the likes of veteran television broadcaster Andrew Neil who wrote on X formerly known at Twitter: “Stunning. So, sadly, will probably not be built.” His thoughts sums up what most commentators have suggested – that it was a great design but it won’t happen.

Someone online called Gracie put it succinctly: “Who’s paying for this then, premiership is on its knees.”

Bath Rugby’s long-held ambition to develop a rugby stadium at the Rec has been progressing however with plans to update the current structure with a more conventional design.

The plans are published on their website and they followed a consultation earlier this year and clearly the proposals from Apollodorus Architecture caused a certain amount of irritation since the club had already gone to great lengths and expense to publish their own plans for the ground.

Reporter John Wimperis interviewed the architects about their ideas.

Mr Wilson Jones of the architects said: “This is an idealistic vision put forward really just to

shake things up and get people to think in those kinds of ways.”

He added: “I’m interested in the application of common sense and a bit of traditional values.”

Mr Ryng studied architecture at the University of Bath, where Mr Wilson Jones has been a lecturer in the subject for 23 years, and the pair’s architectural firm Apollodorus Architecture specialises in classical architecture.

With the colosseum idea ruled out the club are proceeding with their plans which will see a permanent East stand and ground capacity raised to 18,000 from just over 14,000 currently.

They have stressed the new look ground will be open to other sports and to the wider community with work to start the rebuild in the middle of next year.

Planning permissions will no doubt be a challenge since the ground is in the centre of the city and on the Recreational Ground which is owned by an independent charity with the rugby club a tenant.

The new plans will feature: “... better concourses for circulation and more toilets (with hot water), more and improved food and beverage facilities; plus, conferencing and banqueting facilities in the West stand.”

For details visit: https://www. bathrugby.com/stadium-for-bath/ Dog walk: Bath Cats and Dogs Home had a sunny day for their thirteenth annual Wag Walk on Sunday 3rd September (pictured).

Dogs, dog-lovers and walkers all enjoyed Bath’s biggest sponsored dog walk with almost one hundred people taking part.

The event was supported by TV vet, Dr James Greenwood who attended the event along with his rescue Labrador, Dolly.

Got a story for Bath Voice? Email Harry on news@bathvoice.co.uk

Bath Cats and Dogs Home rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes cats and dogs who are unwanted, neglected, or mistreated, taking in animals from Bath and North-East Somerset and parts of Somerset and Wiltshire.

The charity needs to raise £2.1million every year to continue its animal welfare work, both at the Home and in the local community.

To donate to Bath Cats and Dogs Home visit www. bathcatsanddogshome.org.uk

October 2023

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n NEWS

Moorland Road News: Local Democracy Reporter John Wimperis reports that most new parking bays in the Residents Parking Zone (RPZ) around Moorland Road are not on the road itself.

The Oldfield Park and Westmoreland Residents Parking Zone came into force at the end of August.

After concerns were raised by shopkeepers and other community organisations in the area, Bath and North East Somerset Council delayed the introduction of the scheme from its original July 31 commencement date and introduced 60 new “dual use” parking spaces, which can be used by anyone for up to two or three hours, or by permit holders without a time limit.

But only one stretch of Moorland Road itself is set to become dual use parking, with space for nine or ten cars. Some of the other 50 dual use parking will be next to the road, on the other streets around the Baptist Church at the end of Moorland Road, but

others will be streets away on Livingstone Terrace and Second Avenue.

David Pye, who has run greetings card and gift shop This ‘n’ That on Moorland Road with his wife for the last 25 years, said: “The council has said that it is an experimental period when they are going to review it, and I certainly hope they are going to stick to their word and not consider it as a done deal.”

Manda Rigby, the council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “We have worked closely with local people to ensure parking in the area is allocated fairly and proportionately. We need to prioritise residents but also ensure visitors can continue to support local businesses and organisations in the area.”

She added: “We have listened carefully to feedback on the balance of provision and we have decided to introduce more shortstay visitor parking bays through an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order. The changes to this scheme will be made on a trial basis, from

launch, and we are really keen to hear people’s feedback once the RPZ is up and running.”

The scheme is the seventh residents parking zone brought into force in Bath this year.

The price of a parking permit in Bath and North East Somerset is based on vehicle emissions. The council states that a permit for an average eight-year old 1.6L petrol or diesel family car will normally cost between £100 and £125 a year.

More details at: https://beta. bathnes.gov.uk/apply-residentsparking-permit Guide Dogs: A Channel 5 programme called Puppy School for Guide Dogs that began screening last month has featured Hester Poole (pictured) from Bath.

Blind from birth and suffering from Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) Hester and her family have been involved with the charity Guide Dogs and their buddy dog scheme.

When she was 14 Hester applied to have a guide dog and soon afterwards a black labrador called Pickle came into her life. The programme follows her progress using her new found four-legged friend who makes life easier and has given Hester more confidence.

See https://www.guidedogs. org.uk/

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n NEWS Planning News: Local Democarcy Reporter John Wimperis reports on a planning story in Widcombe.

A Bath couple will be able to build an extension onto their house — despite objections from the rest of the terrace. Tim and Karen Kidd applied to Bath and North East Somerset Council for planning permission to build an extension to their home in a modern terrace of five Georgian-style houses near central Bath.

Planning officers at the council recommended that the permission be granted, but the plans were sent to the council’s planning committee on 23 August after the rest of the terrace lodged objections.

Speaking on behalf of the terrace, former councillor Bob Goodman told the planning committee that the extension would “overshadow” the existing smaller extension of a house on one side, and “tower above the garden” of the neighbours on the other side.

He said: “In my opinion the extension will take up so much space that, if approved with others in the future, it may well cause harm to the outstanding universal nature of the wider world heritage status. Make no mistake, other large extension applications will follow that will cause issues with the world heritage site.”

Karen Kidd said she was “saddened” by the opposition they had faced from their neighbours, telling the committee: “We were careful to design something that fitted in with the neighbouring houses and the surrounding area and limited the impact on our neighbours. We also involved our neighbours in the process so we were saddened to read their objections, which we hope we have

responded to.”

The extension would take up about half of the garden and cover the full width of the house, and would accommodate more living and dining space.

Widcombe and Lyncombe councillors Alison Born Deborah Collins, in whose ward the terrace lies, visited the neighbours’ gardens. Ms Born said: “We found that the plans and drawings alone do not give a full impression of how overbearing the extension would be for the neighbours and would urge the committee not to grant approval without having visited the site themselves.”

But a motion to defer the decision on whether to grant planning permission and to go on a site visit was voted down.

And a motion to refuse planning permission was also voted down, and the committee then voted to grant planning permission.

Letter to the editor on digital exclusion: Last month on September 12th there was a day to highlight digital exclusion.

As your local charity supporting older people in the community, we believe having accessible information is key to ageing well.

We note the shift towards online services in the UK, including healthcare services and while we support efforts to modernise and improve the efficiency of our national healthcare services, we want to express some concerns about its potential impact on more vulnerable communities.

Digital exclusion and the digital divide refer to the challenges faced by individuals with limited access to, or familiarity with, digital technologies. In today’s digital

age, it is crucial to recognise that not everyone is technologically savvy, as already people are falling behind in this transition to digital services. Research shows that only half of adults over 75 are regular internet users and that due to lack of funds or skills, a staggering 10 million people lack the most basic digital skills. * We would also like to mention some Digital Inclusion services that Age UK Bath and North East Somerset currently offers that could be of interest to people using your surgery: FREE Tablet Loan Scheme: A 12week program for older individuals facing financial or knowledge barriers. Participants receive a tablet, accessories, internet access, and guidance from a Digital Champion.

Digital Drop-ins: Various digital support sessions across Bath and North East Somerset, including at Bath Central Library and Keynsham Library.

Weekly Click Café: Every Wednesday, 10am to 12pm at St Michaels Community Centre, Bath.

Appointments can be booked via 01225 466135 or digital@ ageukbanes.co.uk.

Simon Allen, Chief Executive Officer, Age UK Bath & North East Somerset Weeding News: Local Democracy Reporter John Wimperis has reported that residents have been weeding their streets.

Janice Legge (pictured), who lives on Camden Crescent in Bath, said: “I have been weeding it for at least six years and I always do Camden Row.” Ms Legge said that, on occasions, when Bath and North East Somerset Council had come to tackle weeds on the street, they had either used a strimmer which left roots intact or hoed them out in a way which led to the pavements becoming uneven when it rained. You can report weeds for removal to the council here: https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/ report-weeds The council website states: “We prioritise removing weeds where they are causing safety issues, such as obstructing routes for pedestrians and cyclists, blocking drainage channels and increasing flood risk, and damaging pavements or roads.”

Crime News: Police have brought down a County Lines network following the conviction and sentencing of six people who operated from properties in Bath and Keynsham.

They said that following a complex investigation 11 months ago as they carried out warranties in the two communities.

In a statement Avon and Somerset Police said: “Officers made arrests and seized quantities of heroin and crack cocaine with an estimated street value in excess of £38,000, as well as large knives and an estimated £15,000 in cash.

“The investigation has now resulted in six people being sentenced, with the last defendant being jailed at a hearing on Tuesday (19 September).”

The police said the work was in partnership with colleagues from other UK police services.

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Widcombe and Lyncombe’s new Councillor Deborah Collins

New councillor: Meet Councillor Deborah Collins the new Liberal Democrat representative for the Widcombe and Lyncombe ward in Bath.

Well - not that new as the elections were in May - but no matter - Deborah joins Alison Born of the same party as the joint representatives for the ward - and replaces the respected Winston Duguid who stood down at the last council election.

Bath Voice caught up with her at the Prior Park Garden Centre Cafe for a brief

chat and a cuppa.

“I have big shoes to fill as Winston was a well known and hard working councillor,” she said, “and he was very helpful introducing me to people and getting me up to speed on all the ward’s issues.”

Deborah lives in Lyncombe or as she jokes West Widcombe as the road she lives in has something of an identity crisis!

Her dad was in the army and so she lived in many different places - mostly

on Salisbury Plain - but was born in Malta. Aged 60 Deborah is a retired lawyer with a career mainly in central Government in ‘senior leadership roles’ and later for Southwalk Council in London in management roles. She has an ex husband and two grown up children - one who has moved back in with her in Bath to save cash.

A situation familiar for many boomer parents.

After moving to Bath she worked for a time for Cardiff University - but now is a committed councillor who has as she says ‘ an obsession with streets.’

“One of the big things is to help people to walk the streets and cycle more safely,” she said, “so that’s a big focus.

“I’d like to see as a councillor our administration put more resources into keeping the streets clean and better maintained. It’s helpful for people trying to negotiate their way over slippery leaves or cyclists trying to avoid potholes, so getting the basics right is really important.

“The other thing I really care about is listening to residents and hearing what they say in consultations. It’s not unique to Bath but local Government often speaks in Local Government

speak which leaves people frustrated.”

I mentioned the case of Snow Hill and their Residents Parking Zone scheme as an example. She explained she wasn’t involved with that but understood the point. Although she wasn’t then elected.

She said: “If you take the RPZ Winston and Alison had put in on Entry Hill and Greenway Lane they put in a lot of work meeting residents and dropping leaflets and answering questions and concerns about it.

“There were some people who said, ‘we don’t want the zone to extend here’ so they didn’t get it to their part of the street while in other places where residents wanted the RPZ extended they made that happen. It’s about working hard as a ward councillor and bridging the gap between the administration and residents.”

In response to the possible criticism that the Lib Dems with 41 councillors is effectively a one party state, she said it was caused by the First Past The Post system - and she’d prefer a proportional representation system although as she pointed out this was the first time B&NES had two successive administrations which would make long term planning easier.

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Restorers Peter Dunn and Arthur Feltham with Chair of Bath and North East Somerset Council Cllr Sarah Moore and Nina Pollard

By Rob Coles: One of the schools I attended was in Green Park in the terrace that escaped the blitz.

Walking from the Bear Flat down Cedar Walk my dream was for a new bridge over the River Avon to save me having to double back after reaching the Lower Bristol Road.

With the new French designed foot and cycle bridge my dream has come true, seventy years too late for me, A bridge would also have been

welcomed by some of the hundreds of employees who stormed out of the Stothert’s factory on foot and bike onto the Lower Bristol Road at home time, so much a feature of industrial Bath.

My school day was punctuated by crashes, bangs and other industrial noises from the large riverside works of Stothert and Pitt.

Bath was back then a very different place. Stothert’s and other industries, Bayers, Horstmans,

Pitmans and LMS, were household names which to a schoolboy were more of a symbol of Bath than the Georgian crescents.

To see cranes at docksides bearing the plaque in large letters Stothert and Pitt Bath England gave me a sense of pride.

Stothert sadly closed in the 1980’s, the Newark Works foundry building remains and now houses small businesses and offices, and even a coffee shop.

As a tribute and memorial to the thousands who worked for Stothert and created the reputation of “Crane Makers to the world” a crane has been returned to its place of birth on the banks of the Avon.

The site is close to the original Stothert’s wharf and adjacent to the new French designed foot and cycle bridge Restorers Peter Dunn and Arthur Feltham with Chair of Bath and North East Somerset Council Cllr Sarah Moore and Nina Pollard whose husband David initially saved the crane from scrap were on hand for a ceremony to mark the occasion of the installation.

The rail mounted crane dating from the 1860’s is thought to be the oldest existing one built by the company.

Its working life was spent with the stone undertaking at Box and Corsham.

The crane was initially saved from scrap by Historian David Pollard. After years in his and other gardens, restoration was commenced in 2019 by a team led by two ex Stothert and Pitt apprentices, Peter Dunn and Arthur Feltham.

On completion of the restoration the crane was formally handed over by Nina Pollard to Bath and North East Somerset Council for permanent display at the Newark Works at the very place where the crane was first built.

Among those who gave financial and other support were The Bath Stone Quarry Museum Trust, The Association for Industrial Archaeology, The Bristol Industrial Archaeological Society, Hawker Joinery, The Cotswold National Landscape and the Museum of Bath at Work.

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Ticket Office Petition: Local Democracy Reporter John Wimperis: reports that Bath’s MP has slammed “cost-cutting” plans to close the ticket office in the city’s railway station following a public consultation.

The BBC have reported that the public consultation into the plans received 680,000 responses, which passenger watchdogs say is a record.

Ms Hobhouse is encouraging people to sign a petition against the closure of the ticket office in Bath.

Great Western Railway said in a statement: “Digital tickets have made it easier and faster for customers to buy and manage tickets online, which means fewer people than ever are using ticket offices.

“The approach would help bring station retailing up-to-date from 1996, when the rules on how to sell tickets were set and before the invention of the smartphone. Back then, 82% of all tickets were sold at ticket offices nationally, compared to less than 15% on average today.

“Bringing staff out from offices would allow the railway to respond to the generational shift in customer behaviour, in common with many other industries and organisations that have long since done so such as

Transport for London, most airlines and many banks and supermarkets.”

However the plans have been widely condemned by those with Blind Veterans UK joining other visionimpairment charities in writing to the Transport Secretary raising concerns about the proposed closure of rail ticket offices.

Guide Dogs for the Blind, said the move would make those living with sight loss “less confident” when using public transport while the RNIB said the closure of rail ticket offices will have a severe impact on blind and partially sighted people’s ability to purchase tickets, arrange assistance, and travel by rail.

You can sign the petition: https:// www.werahobhouse.co.uk/petition/ railway-ticket-offices/ Last post: The Bath Postal Museum has closed its doors after 44 years — just months after the death of its founder writes Local Democracy Reporter John Wimperis.

The museum, which was located in the basement of the old post office, is now in the process of negotiating the passing on of its collection to other museums who can keep its artefacts available for the public.

Audrey Swindells MBE, who co-

founded the museum with husband Harold in 1979, passed away in June this year, at the age of 95.

Bath and North East Somerset Council, which owns the premises, have provided assistance to cover the museum’s rent from November, and to find a space for the museum to store its collection while staff work on passing it on.

The many artefacts in the museum’s collection include the largest collection of salvaged mail collected by Bath Mayor and postmaster Ralph Allen, a crosswritten letter by Jane Austen, and a wall of in-wall postboxes.

Bath has played a key role in the development of the postal service.

Postal carriages were revolutionised

by Bath Mayor and MP John Palmer in the 1780s and the first British stamp was mailed from Bath, franked 2 May 1840.

Police racism: A major police officer recruitment campaign by Avon & Somerset Constabulary racially discriminated against Black and Ethnic Minority applicants, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed writes Local Democracy Reporter Adam Postans.

Black candidates were twice as likely to be rejected than White people, and Asians more than three times. Fewer than one in five Black candidates to the force over the last three years – seven out of 38 – became police officers as part of the Government’s major Uplift recruitment programme to bolster frontline crime-fighting by 20,000 officers in England and Wales between 2020 and March this year.

Rejection rates for Asian people who applied is even more alarming, with only 10 out of 91 accepted – about one in nine. In contrast, of the 2,565 White hopefuls, 947 were taken on, equal to 37 per cent. Those who gave their race as mixed were actually

more successful, with 25 of the 56 becoming police officers, or 45 per cent.

Avon & Somerset Constabulary admitted the data from the FOI, obtained by podcast Media Storm, “appeared to show a level of disproportionality” among Black and Asian candidates and it promised to carry out “in-depth work to understand the figures and identify any steps to take to address this”.

The force said it exceeded its Uplift target of 456 new officers, recruiting 558 frontline police by March 31, and that it had succeeded in creating a more diverse workforce, which better represented the communities it served.

It said serving officers who declared their ethnicity as Black, Asian or mixed heritage had risen by 36 per cent over the last three years.

The findings come three months after Chief Constable Sarah Crew publicly declared Avon & Somerset Police as “institutionally racist”.

Dr Pete Jones, a former police officer and chartered psychologist who was employed by UK constabularies to reduce recruitment bias, said: “This was a once in a generation opportunity for the police service to be representative of the communities that it served and it has squandered it.”

Nationally on average, Black applicants fared the worst with a 60 per cent higher rejection rate than White people, while Black and Ethnic Minority candidates overall were 45 per cent more likely not to be offered a post.

Asians were 51 per cent more likely to be unsuccessful than their White counterparts and those of mixed race 33 per cent more likely.

The statistics were acquired by journalist Mathilda Mallinson for Media Storm after Dr Jones first flagged the issue on the podcast.

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Above the former British Restaurant and right the Sandpits Family Fun Afternoon where the park’s one hundred years was celebrated - by the City of Bath Brass Band - pictured

Rolling back the years to air raid shelters, POWs, steam trains and the joys of playing in Sandpits

By Rob Coles: One hundred years of the Sand Pits Park - goodness it had only been opened less than thirty years when I first put my spade into the sand. The centenary celebrations unleashed a whole string of memories.

Has it changed, rather than looking smaller? It looked larger than I remembered. The actual sand pit looked cleaner no fallen leaves or worse and was now filled with many play features. All I had was sand and the stream to fall in. The Maypoles that never worked for me have gone and there is no longer the odour of the pigs that were kept unseen behind the hedge at the top of the bank at the south west boundary.

One of the greatest joys was watching the passing trains, heavy expresses with two engines going to Bournemouth (which could have been the South of France in my narrow world) and freights with an engine pushing at the back. Once a train with three engines, two at the front and one at the back arrived to fill in the arch behind the Church of Our Lady & St Alphege.

Does anyone remember the runaway goods train that hurtled past the playground in July 1936?

There were no injuries in that incident but that was not the case in 1929. Then the landlord of the Hope and Anchor, in Midford, was

probably surprised to a have coal truck delivered into his back garden on the 20th of November in that year when the driver and fireman were overcome with fumes from the tunnel and passed out leaving the train to run away out of control and derailed near Midford station and killing three people and leaving two with injuries.

The most exciting feature of Sandpits remains the stream that meanders through the park with its clever waterfalls and the pretty little wooden bridges have been replaced with many innovative ways of crossing the water.

My ambition was to jump across the stream, but I was much too much of a wimp and too small to try. I was told that the water from the pipe at the top of the park that fed the stream was a source of water locally after the Bath Blitz when the supply was interrupted.

The surroundings have also changed, gone are the prefabs, (which were better equipped than our house) as well as Stanley Engineering and the Co-operative Bakery - as has the Scout hut by the stone railway bridge which has also been replaced. The British Restaurant is still there repurposed as Hillside Hall. We ate there regularly - and does anyone remember the blue and yellow

tokens - were they pre-paid for or were they given to the less well off?

At the end of the war, I was taken to see prisoners of war working on Cotswold Road. As a child I was told Germans had square heads and so I drew them accordingly like Mr Cube. To find out what they looked like us was a surprise and a valuable lesson. I much later was told that the Prisoners of War (PoWs) were Italian. Remembering the war, just up the road in the Oval Field there was an underground (and very wet) air raid shelter with duck boards on which we walked.

If the air raid siren sounded, we would walk across the field to the shelter, me with my Dumbo elephant - knitted by my aunt. A dim torch provided a little light, shaded so that ‘Willie’ (a Luftwaffe pilot that I met many years later) could not see me and have another go at my destruction. He had failed, only just, on a previous occasion.

I am sure the shelter is still there, I’d love to make a few bore holes – and incidentally on the southwest segment of the Oval there was a static water tank.

Living in the prefabs was a rather rotund man (nicknamed rather unkindly) as ‘doughnut’ by the local children - although he had a reputation of being fierce. One day when peddling fast between the

Got a story for Bath Voice? Email Harry on news@bathvoice.co.uk

prefabs I collided with his daughter who was pushing her bike across the road. Doughnut was not best pleased to see a bike sandwich in the road with his daughter as the filling. My friends thought me lucky to escape with my life. The front forks of my bike were bent and remain so to this day.

The estate roads were built with help of a steam roller that I passed on the way to school. Moorfields is ‘a magnificent estate’ as Health Minister Aneurin (Nye) Bevan, friend of the Councillor and City Mayor Sam Day said, when he handed over the last completed house to tenants after the war.

The centenary this summer was an incredible success with more than a thousand visiting the park.

It was a tribute to those who had the vision of turning an old brick works and clay pit into an adventure playground long before the term had been coined. Congratulations to Sandpits Park for its 100 years as a great place for children to play, and plaudits should also go to the council who have maintained and improved the park and to those such as the Friends of Sandpits who arranged such a wonderful centenary celebration.

Email your memories to Harry Mottram, the editor at news@ bathvoice.co.uk

n NEWS Parking charges: Local Democracy Reporter John Wimperis on Bath’s new emissions based prices for parking.

The cost of using Bath’s car parks will be based on the levels of pollutants cars produce in a new scheme rolled out last month.

While some drivers will see no change in how much they pay, drivers of the most polluting vehicles could find that an hour’s stay costs up to 90p more. The charges will apply to everyone using Bath’s car parks, from residents and traders to tourists.

Bath and North East Somerset Council last increased the cost of parking in Bath in November, when tickets went up by 10p an hour.

That was then only the second price increase in 12 years.

Drivers of electric cars and or a petrol car which emits less than 131g of CO2 per kilometre will continue to pay the current car parking charges: £1.70 for an hour’s parking, £3.40 for two hours, and so on. But prices will increase in line with a car’s emissions, with petrol cars emitting more than 255g per kilometre seeing the cost of

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an hour’s parking go up to £2 for an hour and £4 for two hours.

Diesel drivers, meanwhile, will have to pay an even higher charge.

Even diesel cars which produce less than 131g of CO2 per kilometre will pay 50p more than current rates.

Diesel vehicles emitting more than 255g per kilometre will pay £2.50 for an hour’s parking and £4.50 for two hours.

In some circumstances, ticket machines may be unable to see your vehicle’s emissions and may instead charge based on engine size. Petrol vehicles with engines between 0 and 1550cc will pay £1.80 for an hour’s parking or £3.60 for two hours, rising to £2.10 for an hour and £4.20 for two hours for diesel vehicles with engines over 2951cc.

For diesel drivers charged by engine size the cost will be 50p higher for each ticket. Once the charges come into effect, you will be able to see them on the main parking webpage here: https://beta. bathnes.gov.uk/find-parking There are more details on the subject by John on the Bath Voice website in a longer article.

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October 2023

n FEATURE

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Experimental traffic restrictions planned in LTN scheme

By John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter: Five new traffic restriction schemes could go live in Bath and North East Somerset this year on an experimental basis.

Joel Hirst, Bath and North East Somerset Council’s cabinet lead on highways, said that the council were looking at bringing “approximately five” new traffic restriction measures on an experimental basis — as part of the council’s planned liveable neighbourhood programme.

He said that the council were aiming to bring them in by December, but it could take into spring 2024.

More information — including where the new measures would be brought in — is expected to be announced in November, as details are still being worked out.

Speaking at a meeting of the council’s climate emergency and sustainability policy development and scrutiny panel on 14 September, Mr Hirst said: “The aim of the programme is about improving residential streets, encouraging safe, active, and sustainable forms of transport: walking, wheeling, cycling.

“So making our residential areas

less of somewhere that somebody Somerset where traffic reduction wants to drive through cutting a measures could be brought in — but corner, and more about for the Mr Hirst said that another 70 had residents as a nice place to live.” been proposed by councillors under He told the meeting: “In the run the previous administration for the up to the local election the liveable next phase of liveable neighbourhood piece did create neighbourhoods. quite a large amount of debate and I He added that the initial 15 think the cabinet’s view is that the liveable neighbourhood schemes election outcome was seen as a had gone through a “Rolls Royce of strong mandate for moving forward co-design” with local communities, with this programme and developing but he warned this took a lot of time this as best we can.” and raised expectations.

Three traffic reduction measures Commenting on how the next in the programme are currently live phase of liveable neighbourhoods in Bath and North East Somerset on a should be developed, Oldfield Park trial basis: on Southlands in Weston, councillor Ian Halsall warned that on Church Street in Widcombe, and the debate over the schemes had on Queen Charlton Lane near become “politicised.”

Whitchurch.

He said: “Really I think we should Mr Hirst said that the council speed things up as quickly and as would be carrying out engagement fairly as we can because if we get on these three schemes to determine liveable neighbourhoods whether they were a “good implemented, the residents are experiment,” and if they should be going to see the benefit of them withdrawn or amended. He said: rather than being anti them.”

“This should be landing soon on Lambridge councillor Saskia people’s mats.”

Heijltjes added: “I think its very The council’s liveable important that we let people neighbourhood programme experience the interventions, so with currently includes 15 schemes for an [experimental traffic regulation areas in Bath and North East order], and then do proper

Got a story for Bath Voice? Email Harry on news@bathvoice.co.uk

consultation.

“Its very hard for people to understand what the effect will be on their streets and I think once you experience it, that is when we need to get the feedback.

“Things like interventions like planters in Southlands, they are actually really cheap to take out again so that is not an issue.”

But Moorlands councillor Jess David warned against “throwing the baby out with the bathwater.”

She said: “With these schemes, they are controversial. There is a lot of noise out there; we have to do engagement. Part of our job is to bring people with us and have those conversations about what people want.

“So I think that’s a really good thing about how B&NES has gone about liveable neighbourhood so far and I wouldn’t want to lose that.”

• Modal filters were first introduced in London in the 1960s, and over the years various cities have experimented with them. Many current ones have been rolled out since 2020 to stop rat runs and improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

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n WHAT’S ON

Bath groups stage The Alchemist and A Little Night Music Theatre Picks In Bath Thu 28 Sep-Sat 7 Oct. Theatre Royal. A Voyage Round My Father.

Rupert Everett in John Mortimer’s autobiographical play.

Wed 4- Sat7 Oct. Rondo Theatre.

The Alchemist. Set in 1890s London Ben Jonson’s story of three con artists intent to cheat the wealthy and greedy with a con involving alchemy and the Philosopher’s Stone. Directed

by Scarlett Hayler-King for Bath Drama.

Thu 5 Oct. Mission Theatre. Thu Oct. Mission Theatre. In Other Words. Connected by the music of Frank Sinatra, this intimate, humorous and deeply moving love story explores the effects of Alzheimer’s disease and the transformative power of music to help us remember the past, connect with the present and hope for the future. 7.30pm.

Sat 7-Sun 16 Oct. The Egg. Owl at Home. Based on the illustrated children’s book by Arnold Lobel.

Adapted for the stage by Rina Vergano + Theatr Iolo various day time performances.

Wed11-Sat 14 Oct. Mission Theatre.

A Little Night Music. Bath Operatic and Dramatic Society present a Stephen Sondheim classic. 7.30pn,

Tue 24-Wed 25 Oct. Mission Theatre.

Memento/South. Bladud Productions are behind two new plays - Memento is a drama about perfection and South is a suspense thriller about five friends.

7.30pm.

Thu 26 Oct. Rondo Theatre.

Butchered. Expial Atrocious produce a physical absurdist thriller.

Wed 1-Sat 4 Nov. Rondo Theatre.

Sheila’s Island. Playing Up Theatre Company present Tim Firth’s comedy about a team building weekend gone Diary date: Cappella Nova, the Bath-based chamber choir appear on Saturday 4th November, for wrong. 7.30pm. a concert featuring Ava Maria at St Alphege’s Church, Oldfield Lane, Bath Fri Nov 3. Mission Theatre. Lilies of 2.30pm matinees.

Wed 18-Sat 21 Oct. Rondo Theatre.

The Field. Drama based on the letters Six: Teen Edition. Youth Theatre of Land Girls in the war. 7.30pm.

Th 12-Sat 28 Oct. Theatre Royal.

Merriman present the musical about The Score. Spring 1747. Potsdam, Theatre Picks Outside Bath the six wives of Henry XIII. 7.30pm.

Prussia. Johann Sebastian Bach Bristol. Alma Theatre. The Invisible reluctantly visits the court of Frederick Thu 19 Oct. The Egg. Minature Man. Mon 9 Oct-Thu 12 Oct. Comedy II, Europe’s most ambitious and Travelling Circus. A delight for version of HG Well’s novel. dangerous leader. Various perf times. children. Various perf times.

Bristol Old Vic. Choir Boy. Thu 12 Fri 13 Oct. Rondo Theatre. Spooky Fri 20-Sat 18 Nov. Ustinov. Machinal. Oct – Sat 11 Nov. The story of Pharus, Fun. Steph and Craig create a show Based on the true story of Ruth Snyder a young, black, queer student leading for children and families about and her lover Judd Gray in the USA in the legendary gospel choir at his elite, Hallowe’en - so dress up and come the 1920s. 7.30pm, plus matinees. all-boys prep school in America. along for the 11am show.

Fri 20-Sat 21 Oct. Mission Theatre.

Cheltenham. Everyman Theatre.

Tue 17-Wed 18 Oct. Mission The Last Post. Hobgoblin Theatre What’s Wrong With Benny Hill? Mon Theatre. Two Gentlemen of Verona. present an adaption of Keith Campion’s 9th - Tue 10th Oct. Musical drama that Directed by Gill Morrell, featuring novel about correspondence between tells the story of the comic actor and fabulous medieval costumes and live a soldier son and his dad. Suitable for why he’s fallen out of favour, but is still original music, Shakespeare Live are families and children. 7.30pm.

Continued on page 15 on tour with the comedy. 8pm.

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Continued from page 14

popular around the world on TV. Pantomimes coming up It may be October but Christmas is not far away and the one show every year that theatres bank on helping them to balance the books are pantomimes. In Bath at the Theatre Royal there’s Sleeping Beauty from 7 Dec; in Bristol at the Hippodrome it’s Peter Pan from Dec 2nd; Swindon’s Wyvern has Sleeping Beauty also from the 2nd Dec; while Cheltenham’s Everyman starts early on 24th Nov with Mother Goose. Yeovil’s Westlands has Cinderella from 8th Dec and Salisbury’s Playhouse has Dick Whittington from November 25th.

Pick of Diary Events in Bath Fri 29 Sep-Sun 8 Oct. Bath Children’s Literature Festival. Over 100 writers, creators and illustrators from the world of young people’s books including Sir Lenny Henry, Robin Stevens, Cressida Cowell, Rob Biddulph, Holly Jackson, Dapo Adeola and Nathan Bryon, Nikita Gill, Katherine Rundell, Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet, Holly Bourne, Chris Riddell, Tom Holland and Dermot O’Leary. See bathfestivals.org.uk/childrens-literature for details.

Mon 2 Oct. Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution. Talk on French Women’s Writing after May 1968 by Dr Sandra Daroczi. 7:30 pm. The talk will focus on Monique Wittig’s work, setting

Cappella Nova: Ave Maria Sat 4th November, 7.30pm St Alphege’s Church, Oldfield Lane, Bath BA2 3NR Cappella Nova, the Bath-based chamber choir, presents ‘Ave Maria’, a concert of music celebrating the Virgin Mary. The programme features the 7 ‘Marienlieder’ (Songs for Mary) by Johannes Brahms, along with versions of 'Ave Maria' and 'Ave Maris Stella' and sacred music by composers from the 19th century to the present day. Tickets £15 (students £8, under-18s free). Proceeds in aid of Off the Record, the local mental health and wellbeing charity and a second charity to be chosen by St Alphege’s Church. www.cappellanova.org.uk her in the literary and socio-political contexts of the second half of the 20th century. 2023 is a year dedicated to Monique Wittig marking 20 years since her passing and 50 years since the publication of her seminal work, The Lesbian Body. Dr Sandra Daroczi, Lecturer in French Studies, University of Bath Thu 5 Oct. U3A. The Pavilion.

Antibiotic Resistance in The Covid Era by Graham Cope. The talk will clarify the differences between bacteria and viruses and explain

how antibiotics work, outline what alternatives are being investigated and provide some of the steps the public can take to prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance. Coffee or tea from 9:45am. 10.15am. Members free. Non members £2.

Fri 6 Oct. Mission Theatre. Queen of the Night by Julia Golding. A staged reading of the play with wine, music and telescopes.

Thu 6 Oct. Toppings Book Shop. Tiny Tales. Free reading group for ages 2-5 at 9.30am. First Thursday of the month.

Wed 11 Oct. The Pump Room. Bath Young Musician of the Year 2023.

Five young and highly talented local musicians compete for the title.

7.30pm.

Fri 13 Oct. Bath City Farm. Music with Jennifer Crook. Folk at the Farm evening music session. 6pm. With a two course meal in the café. To book email info@bathcityfarm.org.uk or call 01225 481269. Proceeds will aid the farm.

Sat 14 Oct. Bath Pavillion. Burlesque.

Laughter, cabaret and glamour.

Sun 15 Oct. Bath Half Marathon. See https://bathhalf.co.uk/ Sun 15 Oct. Pulteney Gardens, Bathwick. Bath Tub Orchestra. Canal Terrace Concert.

Tue 17 Oct The Forum. National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine.

15

Programme: Boris Lyatoshynsky Grazhyna Symphonic Picture; Max Bruch Violin Concerto No 1; Jean Sibelius Symphony No 1. Volodymyr Sirenko conducts. 7.30pm.

Thu19 Oct. U3A. The Pavilion. AGM. Coffee or tea from 9:45am. Open morning. 10.30am.

Fri 20 – Sun 29 Oct. Film Bath Festival.

The films are screened at various venues in the city including the Odeon, The Little Theatre, Widcombe Social Club, Rondo Theatre, Komedia, and Bath City Football Club. the films include thrillers, art house movies, children’s movies, new films, classics, documentaries and foreign language screenings. For full listings and to buy tickets visit https:// filmbath.org.uk/schedule Sat 21 Oct. Bath Pavillion. Stuart Michael. Psychic medium show.

Sat 21 Oct. St Swithin’s Church.

Bobby Chen & Brandon Hill Chamber Orchestra. Conductor - Daniel Robert Cushing. The Brandon Hill Chamber Orchestra will be joined by pianist Bobby Chen to perform one of Mozart’s most enchanting Piano Concertos.

Sat 21-Sun 29 Oct. American Museum. Trick or Treat. Hallowe’en trail and activities.

Sat 21 Oct. Burdall’s Yard. The Blackheart Orchestra. Multiinstrumentalists Chrissy Mostyn and Rick Pilkingto entertain with 13 Continued on page 16

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October 2023

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n WHAT’S ON Continued from page 15

instruments. 7.30pm.

Fri 27 Oct. Chapel Arts. Josienne Clarke. Indie-folk singer songwriter in concert.

Sat 28 Oct. Widcombe Social Club. Fundraising music night for Dorothy House and Mind Bath. 6pm.

Thu 2 Nov. U3A. The Pavilion. Talk.

Coffee or tea from 9:45am. What Diplomats Do and Is It Still Worth Doing? By Francis Cornish, DMG, LVO, FRSA. 10.00am.

Thu 2 Nov. The Forum, Into the Groove. Madonna tribute show.

Fri 3 Nov. The Forum. The Magic of the Bee Gees. Tribute show.

Pick of Diary Events outside of Bath Avon Valley Scream Park. FEARless.

Age 11+ and teens. Family-friendly immersive attraction lets you navigate 4 scare attractions which are tamed down for the evening with no major scares but a few frights along the way!

From:28-29 Oct. Avon Valley Railway. Hallowe’en fancy dress themed train rides. 2829 Oct. Go on a train ride see birds of prey from Pitcombe Rock Falconry and enjoy the Autumnal trail around the station. 10am and 4pm.

Exhibition Picks in Bath American Museum, Bath. Claverton.

The Museum features collections from the United States where you can visit room sets that recreate periods of American history giving the feeling that someone has just stepped out, as well as our world-renowned folk art, quilt and map collections. The Exhibition Gallery has a rotating programme of temporary exhibitions with Brick America a Lego exhibition.

Until 31 December.

Assembly Rooms. The National Trust are working on the Georgian Experience, due to open in 2026.

Bath Abbey: From 18 September to 29 October 2023, Bath Abbey is hosting Luke Jerram’s touring Gaia artwork as part of the Treasuring Creation Festival. Gaia features detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface and provides the opportunity to see our planet floating in three-dimensions. More details at bathabbey.org.

Bath World Heritage Centre.

Interactive exhibits and displays designed to reveal the history of Bath and show visitors and residents free walking trails and guides to help you explore everything Bath has to offer.

Burdell’s Yard. Art exhibition. Free entry. War and Peace by Brian Elwell.

Until Sat, 7 Oct 2023. In a new exhibition of paintings, Brian Elwell features ideas about buildings in England and Ukraine.

Herschel Museum of Astronomy. It is located in a town house that was formerly the home of William Herschel and his sister Caroline. Stand in the garden on the spot where the duo discovered the planet Uranus with their telescope.

Holburne Museum. The heart of the present day Collection was formed

by Sir Thomas William Holburne (1793-1874). As a second son, Thomas William (generally known as William) first pursued a naval career. He ultimately inherited the Baronetcy in 1820 following the death of his elder brother, Francis, at the Battle of Bayonne in 1814. In 1882 this collection of over 4,000 objects, pictures and books was bequeathed to the people of Bath by Holburne’s sister, Mary Anne Barbara Holburne.

One of the Holburne’s main purposes is to preserve the things that have been entrusted to our care. Current shows include Lucie pottery,and the art of Gwen John.

Museum of Bath at Work. Julian Rd, Bath BA1 2RH. Enter the world of working Bath through a series of authentically reconstructed workplaces, workshops and display galleries. Two thousand years of working life are on display from a Victorian ironmongers and engineering works, a soft drinks making factory and even a Bath

Stone mine working, all on show in a former Real Tennis court, dating from 1777. Exhibition: All Day Long: The Workers of Bath in Fifty Portrait Photographs Museum of East Asian Art. MEAA’s collections consist of some 2,000 objects. The majority of these are of Chinese origin, spanning from 5,000 BC to the present. The collections also contain artefacts from Japan and Korea and a number of countries in South East Asia.

No.1 Royal Crescent. Features an immersive experience, which will allow you to see life as it was lived in Georgian Bath during the late 1700s.

Look beyond the Crescent’s famous Palladian façade and see what life was like for the wealthy and their servants in eighteenth-century Bath Great views from the windows..

Victoria Art Gallery. Exhibitions include Gail Mason: The Unseen Landscape to 7 Jan, 2024; When Dreams Confront Reality: Surrealism in Britain to 7 Jan. Exhibition Picks outside Bath Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.

Opulent Origins: 200 Years of Displaying Fine Art Until 1 Nov. Weston-super-Mare Museum.

Adventures in Time & Space - 60 Years of Doctor Who Art Exhibition.

21 Oct to 27 Jan 2024

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Upcoming Talks 5 October 2023 ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IN THE POST-COVID ERA

by Graham Cope 2 November 2023 WHAT DIPLOMATS DO AND IS IT WORTH DOING?

By Francis Cornish DMG LVO FRSA 7 December 2023 VIEW FROM THE WINGS

by Brian Freeland (Speaker, Author & Playwright)

To advertise, contact Erica on erica@bathvoice.co.uk or call 07402 441485

October 2023

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n BATH LIBRARY BOOK REVIEWS AND NEWS Adult Fiction The Woman in Black – Susan Hill A chilly, gothic tale which has been adapted into a film and a very successful stage play. The story centres around Arthur Kipps, a young lawyer, who is summoned to Crythin Gifford, a small town on the northeast coast, to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow and settle her estate. Mrs Drablow lived at the secluded Eel Marsh house which is only accessible via a causeway at high tide.

As Kipps sorts through Mrs Drablow’s papers in the house unexplained and chilling events happen. There are strange noises, sounds of a horse and carriage; screams of a child but most scarily the appearance of the woman in black.

Who is the woman in black and who is the child that cries at night? This is a classic tale and just right for Halloween.

My Cousin Rachel – Daphne du Maurier We meet Philip Ashley, an orphan who is raised by his benevolent older cousin, Ambrose. Resolutely single Ambrose loves having Philip as his heir and adores his grand house in the countryside. However, this cosy world is shattered when Ambrose sets off on a trip to Florence and there he falls in loves and marries and suddenly dies!

Then his widow, Rachel, returns to the family home.

Despite himself, Philip is drawn to the beautiful and sophisticated Rachel.

But did she have a hand in Ambrose’s death as before his death Ambrose was writing to Philip complaining of headaches and accusing Rachel of poising him?

So is she after the inheritance or is she just a grieving widow?

Daphne du Maurier is an excellent writer and sets up scenes very well and keeps you guessing

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Adult Non-Fiction Parachute Women – Elizabeth Winder I read a review of this book in The Sunday Times and I am really glad that I found it in the library catalogue. It is a fascinating portrait of four women who in their own indomitable style influenced the Rolling Stones. Anita Pallenberg; Marianne Faithful; Marsha Hunt and Bianca Perez-Mora Macias (nee Jagger).

Their stories are outlined here in great detail – on how they met The Stones and at times, the very bohemian life they led in the late 1960s where they mixed with writers, directors and alternative lifestyles. Touring the world as The Stones became one of the most successful rock bands. Written well with great photographs this is a well-researched book but be aware there are a number of adult themes in this book.

Children’s Fiction

Winnie the Witch – Valerie Thomas & Korky Paul Follow the adventures of a special witch – Winnie. She lives in a black house, has black chairs and black stairs, black floors and black doors.

However her cat Wilbur is also black and after sitting on him and tripping over him, she decides to turn Wilbur green. Then he goes out into the long grass! Winnie is going to need a little magic to make sure she can see Wilbur all the time. Crazy magic follows. This is the first of the Winnie the Witch series – enjoy and look out for more in the series!

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Amelia Fang – Naughty Caticorns – Laura Ellen Anderson Ghoulish greetings and meet Amelia Fang who loves her pumpkin ornament but is not too keen on her terrible sister. She lives in Nocturnia and her two best friends are, the fluffy Yeti Florence and the tiny grim reaper Grimaldi. They get up to lots of fun but today Amelia’s mum is about to have a baby. Can Amelia prove to a brilliant big sister, and more importantly can she look after three very naughty caticorns?

Read on and find out about the hilarious adventures of Amelia Fang.

Library News

As here’s always so much going on in all our libraries, and it’s all free, so drop in and see what’s on offer. For families with children, sing along at Baby Bounce and Rhyme, or get comfy whilst listening to stories at our everpopular Storytime.

For adults, we’ve got book clubs, writing classes, and much more throughout the year. Joining the library costs nothing, so pop in or visit www. librarieswest.org.uk to also access thousands of eBooks, eMagazines, Audiobooks, and a wealth of other resources! Our ‘Virtual Library’ has loads going on, including the latest library news, competitions, book reviews and, all our digital offers. Search ‘Bath and North East Somerset Libraries’ on social media or visit bathneslibraries. wordpress.com

Moorland Road Community Library

Tues 10-4pm, Thurs & Fri 10-1pm and Sat 10-1pm. Email for more info at Moorlandroadcommunitylibrary@ gmail.com And visit https://www. moorlandroadcommunitylibrary. com/ to find out how to volunteer and much more. The library is seeking more volunteers to help keep it open for longer. Pictured below.

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n NEWS

Concert for Kieron: A very special concert will take place in Bath Abbey on Friday November 3 at 7.30pm.

“My Son - My Brother”, will celebrate the life of Kieron Jones who passed away on July 11th just two days before his 47th birthday.

Kieron (pictured) was the middle son of Bath’s Grenville Jones, and Kieron’s brothers are Daniel and Laurie. Kieron lived in Dulwich in London with his wife Marianna, son Artur 14 and Melodie aged 9.

He was diagnosed with bowel cancer three years ago and passed away at St Christopher’s Hospice, Sydenham. The concert will support cancer charities.

Grenville explains; “All the ticket income and a retiring collection will go to charity and the concert will

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bathvoice

feature both words and music to celebrate the life and talents of my special son.”

Kieron was born in Farmborough and became head boy at Beechen Cliff School. He studied at Swansea University and followed a career in drama and music. In his later years he worked with many senior schools across Denmark with his hugely popular ‘Shakespeare Works’ workshops.

The concert on November 3 will feature music from many of the groups linked to the family including the Worship Group from St Phillip and St James’ led by Daniel Jones.

Special guests include the classical pianist, Nurry Lee, violinist Lizz Lipscombe and a celebration choir of 150 voices comprising

singers from both Grenville and Laurie’s mixed-voice choirs.

The City of Bath Male Choir, founded by Grenville 15 years ago, will also perform. Tickets £18 from gac.ticketlight.co.uk University News: The 30th edition of The Sunday Times’ Good University Guide 2024 has been published and it shows The University of Bath in their league table in eighth place across the UK. Bath Spa is listed in a mid table position of 74th out of 131 institutions. However Bath Spa is given the accolade of University of the Year for Social Inclusion after its satellite London Campus has attracted a more varied student profile.

Bath Spa also rated well in the top 20 ranking for the newspaper’s People and Planet league table – helped no doubt by its picturesque Newton Park campus plus it got a silver for its Teaching Excellent Framework and there’s its canteen offering hot food for £3 – always a hit with students.

And the college is credited as the most hedgehog friendly university.

The University of Bath is up there with the best of them in eighth place in the Sunday Time’s listings. St

Andrews in Scotland is number one followed by Oxford and Cambridge, then the LSE, Imperial College, University College in seventh and Bath next – ahead of rivals Exeter in 11th, Bristol in 16th and Cardiff in 25th. With 13,757 undergraduates the university is the senior partner in the city’s two big education players.

The listing reminds readers of the university’s sporting offering with the sports village layout accommodating national events such as this summer’s Pentathlon. And it notes that three in ten students receive scholarships or bursaries – but unlike Spa its cohorts do not come from such a wide social background. Student experience for Bath University edges Spa but the teaching experience at Spa edges its neighbour in the listings.

For students, university is a life changing period as they sample life in Bath, make new friends (and meet possible future partners) and leave with a degree and a chance of job. However annual tuition fees in England are £9,250 with a total bill close to £100,000 – if they take all the opportunities open to them and of course pay for accommodation for three years.

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n NEWS Bath Voice Interview: meet Colin and June - the unusual double act of Independent Councillors who represent Westmoreland in the city.

It may come as a surprise but independent councillors out number those of the main political parties across the country. Although not in Bath and North East Somerset where there are only five. Two of those Independents are Councillors June Player and Colin Blackburn who represent Westmoreland in a double councillor ward. Westmoreland covers an area of streets around Moorland Road nestling between Moorlands, Twerton and Oldfield Park – and takes the name of the former Westmoreland Place - the location of which is now outside of the ward. It’s a densely populated area known for the shops in Moorland Road and for the numbers of university students who live in the HMOs (house in multiple occupation) plus Oldfield Park Station – the rail gateway to the city.

The ward is represented by the double act of June and Colin who both agree they help to represent different age groups and interests in the area. June is a great grandmother with a background in special needs education in Exeter (and a former mayor of Bath) while Colin has worked

19

in the private sector in sales and management and currently works with students seeking grant funded work experience programmes for work and study in the UK. It was a plea from her daughter several years ago that brought June to Bath in order to help look after her new baby boy while Colin arrived due to his parents moving to Corsham from Essex when he was a teenager. He admits he left school for a shop job as college didn’t agree with him. Since then he’s worked in Nottingham and as he puts it ‘all around the world.’

“I moved to Bath a few years ago renovating a house in Westmoreland and my local councillor June Player came and collared me and asked me if myself and my family would get involved in the community,” explained Colin – prompting a chuckle from June who denied she collared him.

Colin replied by saying he would of course take a role in the community as a new resident and helped with litter picking and volunteering. “A couple of years later June twisted my arm to run with her in the election as another Independent councillor,” he continued with a smile, “fortunately a lot of people knew me and knew I was genuinely independent. It’s important to be genuinely independent rather

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than to be politically linked.”

June said: “I’ve always been involved in the community and getting involved and I didn’t realise how useful that experience was when I decided to stand as a councillor.

I’ve always been community minded and I am not political. I don’t see why politics should be involved in the ward issues of things like dog mess and litter. It’s the small things in life that affect us – those everyday issues that have to be dealt with – yes, there are bigger issues. I work on the street level dealing with those things like drop kerbs. While Colin has experience in research, business and finance so that’s why we complement each other with different skills.”

Colin said it was June’s community involvement that ‘chimed’ with him.

He said: “When June asked me to run as a councillor I thought we genuinely had a blend as I would be working with someone with different life experiences. But we both have similar principles and we both represent the views of the residents.”

They both agreed that some issues split the community they represent such as the Resident’s Parking Zone which they feel was brought in without enough public consultation.

The problem of where will people park their cars when visiting the Community Library in Moorland Road, the schools, the shops in Moorland Road and the health centre are hot topics on their agenda.

Westmoreland has changed even in the last ten years Colin said with an increase in the HMOs which has seen some families and young professionals squeezed out of the property market which has had a detrimental effect on the area with a loss of council tax – and up to 60% of the properties in some streets occupied by students.

“I love Oldfield Park Station,” said June, “as I adopted it years ago. It’s the heart of our community and the gateway to Bath and it just needed some TLC. So, I set up a gardening

Got a story for Bath Voice? Email Harry on news@bathvoice.co.uk

project to make it more attractive to wildlife and to people and a nice place to visit. Colin used to bring the water to water the plants in his child’s buggy.”

They both see how the community is changing with the Riverside area bringing in new people – just as it has since the beginnings of Westmoreland. When the terraced housing was built most people didn’t have cars, children played in the street and their parents had jobs in town including many at the coking plant – long since disappeared. So in some ways the area has reflected in general how society as a whole has changed.

Cycling News: A Bath councillor has criticised the council for putting up “cyclists dismount” signs on a national cycle route through the city centre writes John Wimperis.

The signs are in place on Cheap Street where the road has been closed since the end of May while bollards are being installed by Bath and North East Somerset Council.

Saskia Heijltjes, who was “bicycle mayor” for Bath before being elected as a Green councillor for Lambridge in May, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I have been asking questions about this for a while.”

Cheap Street lies on National Cycle Route 4, a 430-mile route linking Greenwich in London with Fishguard in West Wales.

An alternative branch of the route 4 directs cyclists along Upper Borough Walls — but this is also set to close from September 26 while bollards are installed there too.

A letter from council officers to Ms Heijltjes responding to her concerns stated that the decision to put up the signs had been made after a road safety audit, which recommended the move if a cycle route on the road could not be established.

The full article by John Wimperis is on the Bath Voice website at https:// bathvoice.co.uk/news/

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20

n SPORTS NEWS

By Harry Mottram: listed are the fixtures plus information of the various sports teams and clubs – I try to keep them up to date but do send in your results and news to news@bathvoice. co.uk We also list fixtures, results and give some basic news and information on our website at www.bathvoice.com Sports listed in Alphabetical Order American Football: Bath Killer Bees: The Bath Killer Bees are current members of the British Universities American Football League (BUAFL)’s South Western Atlantic Conference (SWAC). See https://www.thesubath. com/americanfootball/ 29/10/23 - B’mouth Uni Bobcats (A) 12/11/23 - Exeter Demons (A) 19/11/23 - Southampton Stags (H) 26/11/23 - Southampton Stags (A) 03/12/23 - Exeter Demons (H) 10/12/23 - Bristol Uni Barracuda (A) 28/01/24 - Bristol Uni Barracuda (H) 04/02/24 - B’mouth Uni Bobcats (H) Croquet: Bath Croquet Club: To join or for more info contact Hester Henebury on email hester2210@ btinternet.com or visit https://www. bathcroquet.com/ Cycling: Bath Cycling Club welcomes new members of all ages and abilities – visit https://www.bathcc.net/ Equestrian: Bath Racecourse: The last meeting of the year is The Beckford Stakes on Wed 18 Oct. Details at https://www.bath-racecourse.co.uk/

whats-on for details.

Football: Bath City FC. Bath play in the National League South, the sixth tier of the football pyramid. The home ground is Twerton Park and the manager is Jerry Gill. Known as the Romans they play in black and white vertical stripes.

• Sat 7 Oct. Away V Braintree • Sat 14 Oct. Home V Yeovil.

• Sat 21 Oct. Away V Tonbridge.

• Tue 24 Oct. Home V Taunton.

• Sat 28 Oct. Home V Worthing.

• Sat 4 Nov. Away V Torquay.

Football: Bath City Women: The Bath City Women Development Team play in the Somerset County Women’s League in Division 2 North.

• Sun 1 Oct. Away V Glos/Ciren. FA Cup. • Sun 8 Oct. Home V Royal W Bassett • Sun 15 Oct. Home V Ridgeway.

• Sun 22 Oct. Home V Stockwood.

• Sun 29 Oct. Away V Frome.

• Sun 5 Nov. Home V Frome.

Football: Larkhall Athletic FC. Founded in 1914 the Larks play in the Southern League Division One South (SLD1S) and are based at the Securitas Stadium, Plain Ham. Includes a youth team, a development team. They are part of Larkhall Sports Club. Visit https://larkhallathletic.com/ First Team fixtures: • Sat 7 Oct. Away V Wimb’ 3pm • Sat 14 Oct. Away V Willand. 3pm.

• Sat 21 Oct. Home V Melksham. 3pm.

• Sat 28 Oct. Away V Evesham. 3pm.

• Sat 4 Nov. Home V Hamworthy. 3pm.

Football: Odd Down FC. They are in the Western League Division One (WLD1) and play at the Lew Hill Memorial Ground.

• Wed 4 Oct. Cup. Away v Wellington • Sat 7 Oct. Home V Shire’ton • Tue 10 Oct. Home V Bristol Telephones • Sat 14 Oct. Away V Cheddar.

• Sat 21 Oct. Away V Hallen.

• Sat 28 Oct. Home V Keynsham.

• Sat 4 Nov. Home V Cadbury Heath.

Hockey: City of Bath Hockey Club: City of Bath were formed from a merger between Bath & Phillipians Hockey Club’s and they play at Lansdown. For details visit https:// www.cobhc.org.uk/ Hockey: Team Bath Buccaneers Hockey Club. Team Bath Buccaneers is one of the largest and most successful Hockey Clubs in the West of England with over 800 members. Open to new members. Based at University of Bath.

For details visit https://www. teambathbuccaneers.co.uk/clubNews Hockey: Team Bath Hockey Club: The University of Bath Hockey Club has six men’s and six ladies’ teams who play in the British University & Colleges (BUCS) leagues on Wednesdays. Based at University of Bath. Details at https:// www.teambath.com/sport/hockey/ Rugby: Bath Rugby Union Club Men. Details at www.bathrugby.com/

• Fri 6 Oct. Away V Edinburgh.

Friendly • Sat 7 Oct. Home V Exeter. Prem Cup. • Sat 14 Oct. Home V Newcastle.

Gallagher Premiership (GP) • Sat 21 Oct. Away V Saracens. (GP) • Sat 28 Oct. Home V Leicester (GP) • Sat 4 Nov. Away V Northampton (GP) Rugby: Bath Rugby Ladies Club Women: For details see https:// www.bathrugbyladies.com/ Rugby: Bath Saracens RFC: Bath Saracens are an amateur rugby club competing in the Dorset & Wilts 3 Central. All welcome to train at Lambridge Training Ground in Bath every Thursday night between 19.30 and 21.00. See https://bathsaracens. co.uk/events/category/games/ Rugby: Combe Down RFC: The club currently play home fixtures at Holly’s Corner, Bramble Way. Details at https://combedownrfc.rfu.club/ • Sat 14 Oct. Away V Avondale.

• Sat 21 Oct. Home V Royal W’n Bassett • Sat 4 Nov. Away V Corsham.

Rugby: Bath Gladiators Rugby League Club: Bath Gladiators will participate in the newly established Franchise Rugby League starting this season. Visit: https://bathgladiators. com/

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n NEWS

Upper Borough Walls: Another road in the centre of Bath is set to close for months for anti-terror bollards to be installed writes John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter.

Upper Borough Walls currently has a manually operated gate across the road, which Bath and North East Somerset Council is now planning to replace with retractable bollards.

The stretch of the street between Union Street and Northgate Street will be closed from 26 September for advance works, which are expected to be completed in November. After being open for Christmas, the road will close again for five months in January for the main work to install the bollards.

Pedestrian and wheelchair access will remain along Upper Borough Walls while the street is closed, and traders and customers will still be able to access shops along the street.

Similar bollards have already been installed on York Street. Meanwhile Cheap Street and Hot Bath Street have been closed since the end of May as bollards are being installed there, as the council aims to create a remotely-controllable boundary for Bath’s “city centre security zone.”

The zone — dubbed the “ring of steel” by critics — restricts access to several roads in the city centre between 10am and 6pm as a move by Bath and North East Somerset Council to protect crowded areas of the city centre from vehicle-based terror attacks.

Upper Borough Walls currently acts as an exit to the zone for permitted vehicles. While the road is closed, a signposted route will be posted directing vehicles out via Barton Street, through Wood/Quiet Street, and out through New Bond Street. Vehicles will need to turn left when exiting New Bond Street to avoid the bus gate during its hours of operation.

Meanwhile, access to Upper Borough Walls, Saw Close, and Westgate Street will be through a temporary entrance at the junction of Westgate Street and Westgate Buildings. Deliveries and waste collections will be possible via this entrance outside of the 6am – 10pm security zone hours.

Marshalls will be stationed at Westgate Buildings to help people navigate the closure.

A drop-in information and feedback session with the project team will be held on Thursday 7 September for people affected by the plans. The session will take place in the Drawing Room in the Roman Baths between 2pm and 6.30pm.

Bath and North East Somerset Council cabinet member for transport, Manda Rigby, said: “There is still access using the diversion route and we will do all we can to keep disruption to a minimum.”

Part of the challenge is Bath’s subterranean network of cellars and vaults, which has made installing the retractable bollards, which need space underground to retract into, a challenge.

The cost of the city centre security zone — which had been planned as £2.2m — spiralled to over £7m earlier this year amid the challenges, as well as goods and labour shortages and high inflation.

Homework News: Do you live in Combe Down and aged 11 or older.

The Homework Club is being held at The Hub, Mulberry Park, Comb Down, every Wednesday from 3:305pm. It runs weekly, during term time. There’s a free quiet working space; help with homework IT access; research facilities; printing; stationery; refreshments; adult support on hand; share and discuss work, ideas and thoughts. Lap tops available to use.

Email enquiries@mphub.co.uk or call 01225 436869.

To advertise, contact Erica on erica@bathvoice.co.uk or call 07402 441485

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