Bath Echo - Issue 014 - 18/02/2020

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Tuesday, 18th February 2020

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Residents being warned about major road projects causing disruption P3

Sister launches fundraising appeal to pay for teenager's last few weeks 19-year-old Bethan Foley has been told she has months left to live - Page 2

Search begins for “better” central location for new Fashion Museum P5 New garden centre to support disadvantaged adults in Bath P5 Charity Dorothy House launches Pay For A Day initiative P12 Bath Racecourse offering free tickets to first racing fixture of the season P19 Get the latest news for Bath 24/7 on our website www.bathecho.co.uk

Critics claim land sold to Bath Cricket Club could be worth £4m Stephen Sumner

Local Democracy Reporter

A PUBLICLY owned “ransom strip” that is being sold to Bath Cricket Club for £150,000 could be worth as much as £4million, critics have claimed.

The club needs the verge in North

Parade Road for access so it can build 136 student flats and improved sporting facilities.

Bath and North East Somerset Council agreed to hand it over for “less than best consideration” after calculating that the development would deliver £2 million in community benefits.

That decision has now been chal-

lenged amid claims senior councillors and officers were not given key details.

Leading the cross-party call-in on 10th February, Councillor Colin Blackburn said: “At £150,000, this land is being cheaply given away to benefit a developer of a student block.

“By definition, a ransom strip al-

lows the owner to control what ultimately gets built there and extract a premium against the development. I think we have achieved neither.”

The club’s plans, approved in March 2018, include a student block, an indoor cricket school that will be a hub for disability cricket, and a new teaching and

learning space.

Cllr Blackburn said the council leader, chief executive and planning committee should have been informed that land owned by the authority would play a key role in the development.

Bob Goodman, a chartered surveyor and former cabinet member, said... Continued on page 2

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Tuesday, 18th February 2020

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Fundraiser to support terminally ill teenager

In this issue...

Top stories Education

P2-9 P10

Health P12 What's On

P14

Community

P16

Business P18 Politics

P20

Puzzles P22 In Other News

P23

Sport

P24

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THE family of a 19-year-old woman has launched a funding campaign to raise money to support the teenager through her last few weeks and pay for medical treatment.

Bethan Foley first reported her symptoms in April 2017 but was initially misdiagnosed.

This meant that by the time she was correctly diagnosed, her cancer was already at a severe level.

On Thursday 6th February, Bethan’s oncologist at the Teenage Cancer Unit at Bristol Royal Infirmary told her that her life expectancy with no further chemotherapy was only months.

Bethan, who attended Purbrook School in Portsmouth before moving to Ralph Allen School in Bath, is a former apprentice nursery teacher who also worked at the University of Bath.

Bethan suffers from extremely rare Grey Zone Lymphoma, so called because it displays characteristics of two types of cancers but falls into a ‘grey zone’, which means there’s no clear consensus about how it should be treated.

Bethan’s older sister Hannah, 21, has started a Go Fund Me appeal to pay for pain relief and improve her sister’s end-of-life experience. Hannah explained: “Bethan has been offered another chemo-

19-year-old Bethan Foley, who suffers from Grey Zone Lymphoma

therapy regime, but there is no way of knowing whether it would actually help reduce or cure the cancer.

“Bethan has decided the pain of chemo is too much to bear – and as her heart is working at 40% and she has only one fully functioning lung, there are too many risks involved. She’s using alternative medicine, which is incredibly costly at well over £500 a month,

but is effective as pain relief for now. Mum and I are hoping to take her on the Eurostar as she’s too ill to fly, and we’d love to be able to take her to see some of her favourite singers, as well as taking her on other day trips.”

Hannah, who is currently studying at the University of Southampton, is also hoping to use some of the money raised to support their mum, Sarah, a single

mum with a full-time job as CEO of national charity Timebanking UK. Hannah continued: “I was hoping to use some of the money so Mum can access some private counselling or therapy – the waiting list for therapy from charities is about six months.”

If you’d like to support Hannah’s fundraising campaign and donate some money, use the link: https://bathecho.uk/3bDO8xK

Decision to sell strip of land will now be reviewed Continued from page 1 the project could be worth £10million, so the value of the land could be £3-4million. He told scrutiny panel members: “I cannot see this strip is worth only £150,000 even if you want to sell it, which this council should not.

“Just because there is planning permission, it doesn’t mean the strip has to be sold.”

The cricket club struck a deal to buy the strip of land off the council for £150,000 and pay it a peppercorn rent.

The decision notice said the improved sporting facilities would help the club secure external funding and deliver £2million worth of community benefits.

Former councillor Patrick Anketell-Jones said the planning committee was not told that the council owned the land. He voted in favour of the development and asked the committee not to allow it to fail, saying the student flats would free up family homes.

But Cllr Eleanor Jackson said the council should get the best possible value for its land and should not be “complicit” in a development that does not have good disabled access.

Cllr Winston Duguid said the cricket club already does a lot of outreach but the community value of the development was subjective.

“Quite clearly, it can’t be right that cabinet members don’t know what’s going on, and planning committee members don’t know a fundamental part of an application,” he said.

Permission to build the development at Bath Cricket Club was granted in October 2018 | Image © Bath Cricket Club

The decision, several years in the making, was signed off by Cllr Richard Samuel, the cabinet member for resources last month.

He told the panel the council had “made the best of a decision that perhaps it would have preferred not to make”.

Scrutiny panel members upheld the call-in, meaning it will be reviewed by Cllr Samuel.

Speaking after the meeting, he said: “The valuation of the land and the community benefits were undertaken using widely

used and recognised industry methodologies.

“My decision was called in for further scrutiny and I welcomed the opportunity to explain and review the background to this decision at the meeting.

“I will take on board the recommendations from the panel in making my final decision.”

A spokesperson for Bath Cricket Club said: “This development will allow Bath Cricket Club to significantly expand our existing outreach programme which is

a core part of the club’s activity within the Bath community.

“We are incredibly proud of the social benefits we offer not just to the city but across the whole of North East Somerset.

“As agreed with B&NES Council, we are very happy to be held to account for the delivery of our social benefits, year on year.

“B&NES Council is undertaking due diligence with regards to this process and we will continue to offer our full support and cooperation as necessary.”

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Residents being warned about major road projects BATH & North East Somerset Council is warning residents, businesses and visitors about a series of major projects which will impact roads across the Bath area throughout 2020.

B&NES Council is working to improve air quality, walking and cycling infrastructure as well as future-proofing its road network and making the city centre safe for pedestrians.

Schemes are planned across the city and the council is advising residents, businesses and organisations about the work so they can plan ahead and consider other options to get into the city during this period – either walking, cycling, using the park and ride and public transport.

B&NES Council anticipates the most disruption will run from June to October.

Councillor Joanna Wright, joint cabinet member for Transport Services, said; “We are investing in ambitious schemes across the city and we want to be really upfront about the works which will happen throughout 2020.

“Our ambition is to improve the city so people can breathe cleaner air, benefit from better walking and cycling routes as well as create opportunities for more jobs and homes.

“We also want to make the city

centre a more secure and inviting place for pedestrians.

“All of this combined with the need for urgent work to Cleveland Bridge will mean disruption to our roads over the next year with some unavoidable pinch points over the summer.

“We will do our best to mitigate these. Ultimately we will have better travel options when the works are completed however it will mean a level of disruption at certain times of the year for which we apologise.”

The following schemes are planned to start this year: • Cleveland Bridge refurbishment to secure its future as a strategic part of the highways network.

• Installing the Clean Air Zone to bring clean air to the city, improve people’s health and encourage sustainable travel choices like walking/cycling/public transport.

• Bath Quays South development bringing new job opportunities to the city.

• Bath Quays North development bringing new job opportunities to the city and housing • A new pedestrian/cycle bridge linking the Quays developments encouraging sustainable travel and improving connectivity.

• City centre security measures – which will see the council start a

46-year-old Bath man charged with burglary

process of business and community engagement.

A temporary 18-tonne weight restriction is now in place, along with a diversion route for HGVs, on Cleveland Bridge.

It is anticipated, subject to funding, that later in the spring up until late autumn the bridge will have shuttle working and over the summer a full closure to enable essential maintenance work to secure the future of the bridge which forms part of the strategic road network for the region.

Work has already started on installing the infrastructure for the Clean Air Zone which will come into effect in November 2020.

Lane closures can be expected in Queen Square and work will take place at multiple locations around the zone’s boundary.

Unwanted items raise over £500k for the British Heart Foundation GENEROUS donations from Bath students and local residents have raised around £554,000 for the British Heart Foundation since the initiative was launched in 2012.

Up to £554,120 has been generated for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) through its ‘Pack for Good’ campaign, which encourages students to donate any quality unwanted items to the charity as they clear out their accommodation at the end of term.

The BHF initiative, led by the Student Community Partnership (SCP) – a joint venture between the University of Bath, Bath Spa University and Bath & North East Somerset Council (BANES) – was launched in 2012 to raise funds for the charity’s vital work and help cut down on waste.

Support for BHF’s Pack for Good scheme has grown with a record number of almost 14,000 bags collected in 2018, and bags to the value of up to £136,206 collected in 2019.

Each bag is typically worth around £14 and items donated range from books, to clothes and DVDs, which the charity turns into money for research into heart and circulatory diseases.

In the last 12 months, the BHF says the campaign has directly funded a broad range of projects and resources within B&NES, including 17 health at work schemes; six healthcare professionals; 15 CPR award schemes;

and eight defibrillators in the area.

In addition to helping support the work of BHF at a local level, the campaign has also diverted 77.83 tonnes of items from the waste stream.

This means that 718.272 kgs of CO2 emissions (greenhouse gases) were saved from entering the environment, helping to reduce Bath’s carbon footprint.

Megan Robertson, Chair of the Student Community Partnership (SCP) and Vice President Community at Bath Spa Students’ Union, commented: “Both of the universities, Students’ Unions and the Council work jointly for this fantastic initiative and as the SCP Chair and Vice President Community at Bath Spa University Students’ Union, I am proud of what the city of Bath has donated to the British Heart Foundation.

“I’m also thrilled that Bath Spa students contributed 0.606 tonnes of food to Fair Frome food bank from the move out as well.”

Professor Peter Lambert, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching) at the University of Bath, said: “We’re delighted to reach the landmark figure of well over half a million pounds raised by students and local residents in support of BHF. “Since the campaign’s launch in 2012, we’ve seen community

News in Brief

Students outside the BHF shop in Bath

support for the initiative continue to grow. The collective generosity of students and local residents, along with the collaborative effort of the SCP, directly support the worthy work of BHF. “At the same time, Pack for Good is having a positive impact on the environment.”

Amanda Purkiss, University Account Manager at the BHF who manages the partnership, added: “We want to say a huge thank you to the students and local residents of Bath for their support.

“We really value these donations enormously, as they deliver much-needed stock for our shops. We’ve also been able to divert unwanted items from going into landfill.

“Without these items, we could not have raised vital funds for life-saving research and help beat the heartbreak caused by heart and circulatory diseases for families in Bath.”

Works have already begun on the new pedestrian and cycle bridge linking Bath Quays South to Bath Quays North.

Later in the year, this will mean several abnormal loads bringing bridge components to the city.

Ahead of installation work, this will involve a lane closure of the A367/Green Park Road.

Councillor Wright added: “Each project will play a significant part in creating a cleaner, greener city, delivering homes, jobs as well as playing a part in addressing the climate emergency to help improve people’s lives.

“We hope people will consider the long-term benefits that these schemes will bring to the city despite the unavoidable disruption that delivering these significant projects create during 2020.”

A 46-year-old man has been charged with a dwelling burglary, theft, handling stolen goods and fraud by false representation.

Rhys Escott of Eastfield Avenue in Weston, appeared at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 13th February.

He was charged with a dwelling burglary in connection with an incident on 24th January in which a property on Landseer Road was burgled. The theft charge was in relation to an incident on 1st February in which a wig was stolen from Sixes and Sevens. The handling stolen goods and fraud by false representation charges related to an incident in which a stolen credit card was used.

Heroin and cannabis seized during raid Police have seized drugs during the execution of a search warrant in Widcombe. A number of items were seized, believed to include heroin, spice and cannabis, which will be forensically examined.

The search warrant was executed at 10.30am on 4th February at a property in St Matthews Place.

One man was detained and voluntarily attended a police station.

Plans submitted to build 18 homes on green belt land OUTLINE planning permission is being sought to build 18 new homes on green belt land in Lower Swainswick.

The proposed development, which includes the potential for eighteen 2 and 3 bedroom homes, is located on the corner of Ferndale Road and Deadmill Lane.

Affordable housing provider St. Arthur Homes has already agreed in principal to acquire the homes on the development, offering them as shared ownership.

The plans, which describe how occupants would not need a vehicle to live in the dwellings due to the locality of bus stops and a short walk to Larkhall, also include two assigned parking spaces per house, along with three additional visitor spaces.

The site sits inside the green belt boundary but outside of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and a conservation area.

The planning documents say the northern part of the site is currently used as grazing land, with the southern area being derelict with no current use.

A policy to protect green belt land

allows for the creation of “limited affordable housing for local community needs".

Homes at the proposed development will include solar panel systems and heating will be provided by an air-source heat pump. There will also be electric vehicle charging points. Sedum and wildflower roofs are also planned to “encourage biodiversity".

At the time of going to print, the application has already received over 30 objection comments, with many opponents concerned about the increased traffic the development could bring to both Ferndale Road and Deadmill Road, both of which are used as rat runs by those avoiding the busy London Road when coming off the A46 into Bath.

Previous proposals to create a village hall in 1996, and build single dwellings in 1998 and 2001 were all refused.

The outline planning application for the new development can be found on Bath & North East Somerset Council's website planning search, using the reference 20/00491/OUT.

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Search begins for “better” location for new Fashion Museum Stephen Sumner

Local Democracy Reporter

BATH’S world-renowned Fashion Museum could move to a “better” location.

It is set to leave the Assembly Rooms late in 2022 as owner the National Trust ends its contract with Bath and North East Somerset Council.

The authority is setting aside £290,000 this year to bring the property up to scratch before it hands it back, and a third of the £750,000 cost of a separate new venue to house its “extensive, internationally significant collection”.

Papers for B&NES Council's recent cabinet meeting said the search will soon begin for a “better” central location for the new Fashion Museum.

The criteria include an on-street profile, a flexible exhibition space and a dedicated learning space.

“Essential” to the plans is the creation of a heritage collections centre, potentially outside Bath, to house the collections and allow them to be studied.

It could also incorporate Bath Record Office, which is currently based in the Guildhall.

The five-year business plan for heritage services says since the National Trust’s decision to break the council’s lease on the Assembly Rooms was announced in May 2019, visitor numbers to the

Fashion Museum have risen dramatically. They shot up by seven per cent last year.

Bath and North East Somerset Council’s heritage services also include the Roman Baths and the Victoria Art Gallery.

The cabinet papers say they are unique in the UK in operating at no cost to the local taxpayer, delivering a significant boost to the council’s coffers.

The attractions are expected to boost their profits by £1.5million over the next five years, taking the total to £11.1million per year.

Over the last decade, visitor numbers have increased by 39 per cent and the annual profit has more than doubled. It now equates to more than £100 for every household.

Each employee at the Roman Baths and Pump Rooms is worth £145,000 to the council, the most profitable in the country.

The heritage services business plan says: “In 2017, as the pound dropped, the Roman Baths became part of a once-in-a-lifetime trip for many long haul visitors to the UK which, in conjunction with being viewed by many as a ‘bucket-list’ destination, explains the high level of first-time visitors. As uncertainty around Brexit remains we can assume the pound will stay low and may even fall further which will be an opportunity to continue to attract visitors from China and the US.” But the papers add: “Despite the

The Fashion Museum is currently housed at the National Trust-owned Assembly Rooms in Bath

low value of Sterling there was a significant drop in visitors from France and Germany during 2019.”

The marketing team has been tasked with keeping visitor numbers from China at more than 100,000 this year.

But Councillor Eleanor Jackson

recently warned that the coronavirus outbreak, which originated in China, could have a “dramatic impact” on the number of Chinese tourists visiting.

The heritage services business plan “assumes that there will be no significant geopolitical, security, economic, environmental or

meteorological events in the next five years that will inhibit people’s willingness to travel or visit UK attractions”.

It warns that the potential disruption from major works to the A303 near Stonehenge could have a significant impact that officers will continue to monitor.

Work underway on garden centre to Sell-out Bath Trams support disadvantaged adults conference hailed an “unqualified success” A NEW horticultural scheme to help disadvantaged adults is being created at Bath & North East Somerset Council’s nursery in Royal Victoria Park.

Work started on Tuesday 11th February on the new social enterprise, which will provide horticultural therapies and qualifications to help change the lives of people who have difficulty finding employment or have low-level mental health issues.

The Urban Garden will be run by the Bath-based community interest company (CIC) Grow Yourself from a site facilitated by Bath & North East Somerset Council at Marlborough Buildings near the park.

The space will provide the setting for a garden centre where the public can buy high-quality plants, most of which will be grown onsite by people who have particular needs, such as being socially isolated.

The Urban Garden will provide training in horticulture by offering City & Guilds qualifications and offer six-month work placements in the garden centre giving them the skills needed to move into employment or further education.

Profits from plant sales will be reinvested in the enterprise, allowing it to offer more training and

work placements in the future.

Councillor Paul Crossley, cabinet member for Community Services, said: “There has been a huge awakening of how gardening and the use of parks and green spaces can improve people’s physical and mental wellbeing.

“This hugely innovative project will not only provide locally grown plants and edibles for residents to buy, but will support people in our community to grow their skills, improve their wellbeing and inspire them to move on.

“I’d like to congratulate Grow Yourself and The Parks Team for their excellent initiative in getting the project off the ground.”

Work to develop the retail garden

centre, in the middle of Royal Victoria Park, has already begun and the Urban Garden will open for sales to the public at 11am on 28th March.

Matt Smail, Director of Grow Yourself, said: “I’m so happy to be working on this exciting new project. The Urban Garden is a ground breaking enterprise selling great plants to the public, the proceeds of which will support a training programme that really can help to change people’s lives for the better.

“So please do support us and come and visit soon.”

More information about the Urban Garden can be found at www.theurbangarden.org.uk.

THE Bath Area Trams Conference held at the BRLSI on Saturday 8th February has been hailed a success by organisers.

The Bath Area Trams Association (BATA) is campaigning for the introduction of a new tram system in Bath connecting with Midsomer Norton, Radstock, Chippenham, Bristol and Keynsham to decarbonise transport and reduce pollution and congestion.

The event assembled speakers included national and international experts and senior figures from the light rail industry.

The event was opened by MP for Bath Wera Hobhouse, who is also the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for the Climate Emergency, Energy and the Environment and leading member of the All Party Parliamentary Light Rail Group.

The mood of the conference was positive with a sense of progress but with the need to persuade politicians to support and advance BATA’s objectives further.

Dave Andrews, Chair of BATA, urged attendees to lobby the council and write to WECA “to

be much more ambitious in their outlook. 2035 is far too late for action” he said.

“We need trams in Bath now. The Joint Local Transport Plan 4 Consultation closes on 16th March and I urge everyone to write in and comment accordingly. We are after all, in a Climate Emergency.”

Mr Andrews went on to point out that experience from the 8 UK tram re-installs, and numerous bus and busway “failures" has demonstrated that only trams which no longer need overhead wired can deal with and help solve issues including carbon emissions and congestion.

One of the experts at the conference, Christopher Maltin, said that one option in addition to electrical options was the use of locally produced biogas driven trams which clean the air drawn in to power the engines, emitting less toxic emissions than in the original air. The Bath Area Trams Association meets every month on the 3rd Thursday at the Ring O Bells in Widcombe from 7.30pm.

All are welcome.

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Roman Baths and Assembly Rooms Over 50 bikes triumph at tourism awards marked during crime prevention event THE historic Roman Baths and Assembly Rooms have scooped a number of prestigious Gold awards at the 2020 South West Tourism Excellence Awards.

The Roman Baths won Gold for Large Visitor Attraction of the Year, International Tourism, and Accessible and Inclusive Tourism.

The Assembly Rooms also won Gold for Business Event Venue of the Year.

The awards were announced on Thursday 6th February at Exeter Cathedral.

Councillor Paul Crossley, cabinet member for Community Services at Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “We work hard to provide an outstanding welcome to all of our visitors and guests, and it’s great to have this recognised with four Gold awards.

“The success of our museums benefits residents in many ways: generating revenue for the local economy, providing jobs, and creating opportunities for learning and enjoyment.

“We look forward to the national VisitEngland Awards in June, when we hope to bring more awards back to Bath!”

The South West Tourism Excellence Awards recognise the on-

Diju Alexander, Assembly Rooms Supervisor (centre left) and Councillor Paul Crossley (centre right) collecting the award for Business Event Venue of the Year Image © Nick Williams Photographer

going quality development of tourism businesses in the region.

Judging is carried out by an independent panel of past winners, industry leaders and experts.

The judges consider written application forms, websites, social media and online reviews, and some finalists also receive a ‘mystery shopping’ visit.

At the Roman Baths, 49% of visitors come from overseas, with the two largest overseas markets being the USA and China.

The Assembly Rooms plays host

to an increasing number of conferences, weddings and private parties.

Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Heritage Services department works closely with contracted caterer Searcys to deliver events for a wide range of customers, with a strong focus on local sourcing and sustainability.

Winners from the South West awards will go through to represent the region in the national VisitEngland Awards, which will be announced in June.

A RECENT bike marking and crime prevention event in the centre of Bath has been hailed a success by Avon and Somerset Police, with over 50 bikes being marked during the day.

The event is one of a growing number of bike marking events being held across Avon and Somerset this year as part of ongoing efforts to reduce bicycle thefts.

It was held at Green Park Station on Friday 31st January and officers marked a total of 54 bikes and arranged a further 21 home visits with local residents who weren’t able to bring their bicycles to the event.

Members of the public who attended were able to have their bicycles registered on the BikeRegister database and get their bikes marked with a tamperproof sticker.

People who had their bikes marked were also given an exclusive discount voucher to purchase a Secure-by-Design-approved D-lock.

The BikeRegister database is used by every police force in the UK and enables officers to quickly and easily identify the original

owner of any stolen or recovered bicycles.

At the event, residents also had the opportunity to speak with officers about the latest crime prevention advice and discuss any crime-related concerns.

PCSO Paul Childs commented: “It was great to meet so many bike owners and help them register and mark their bicycles.

“We take burglary very seriously and these free bike marking events are just one of a number of our proactive initiatives helping tackle burglary.

“We are committed to identifying, apprehending and bringing burglars to justice.

“These events provide us with a great opportunity to share crime prevention advice with members of the public and remind them of ways in which they can make it harder for criminals by securely storing their bicycles and belongings.

“We will be holding more bike marking events in and around Bath in the coming months so I encourage members of the public to regularly check our website for the latest dates and locations."

More than 150 miles of verges to be targeted in litter clean-up blitz

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RUBBISH thrown into verges on some of the busiest main roads across North East Somerset is set to be picked up by Bath & North East Somerset Council as part of a sixweek clean-up blitz.

More than 150 miles of verges on busy A and B roads will be covered by the council’s cleansing teams picking up litter thrown out of vehicles.

Last year, crews collected more than 1,000 bags of unnecessary waste weighing in at 3.5 tonnes – the equivalent of a light goods vehicle.

Councillor Dave Wood, cabinet member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “Nothing frustrates me more than seeing tonnes of litter in our hedgerows and verges.

“I’m really pleased we are taking this very rural issue seriously and helping to keep our countryside beautiful.

“The end of the winter and the start of spring is the best time for our crews to do this work because the vegetation has grown back so they can see the litter buried in the hedgerows and verges.

“It costs the council up to £40,000, which is money that could be better spent if drivers were not so careless and actually bothered to take their rubbish home with them to either recycle it or put in their general waste bin.

“We are also looking at what we can do to stop people throwing litter out of cars and trucks in the first place, including how we can issue more £150 fixed pen-

alty notices for littering.”

Litter picking for 2020 includes: • A39 - 19th February • B3116 Junction A39 to Keynsham – 20th and 21st February • Woollard Lane & Chalton Road to Keynsham – 24th and 25th February • Queen Charlton Lane – 24th and 25th February • A367 – 26th and 27th February • B3115 Tunley Road – 28th February • B3130 Chew Magna to A37 Pensford – 2nd March • B3114 Chew Magna to Border (by Sherborne Farm) – 3rd to 5th March • B3355 Hallatrow to A362 – 6th March • A362 Farrington – Old Mill Ind Estate – 9th March • Stockwood Lane – 10th March • Staunton Lane – 10th March • A363 Wilts border to Bathford Roundabout – 11th March • Brassknocker Hill – 12th March • B3110 Hinton Charterhouse Road – 13th March • Claverton Down Road – Brassknocker to the university – 12th March • Lansdown Road to S.Glos border to Fonthill Road – 16th March • Lansdown Lane – Lansdown Road to Beresford Gardens – 16th March • A431 Kelston Road – 17th March • A36 Lower Bristol Road Carers Centre to Three Lamps Junction – 18th March • A4 Globe to Car Sales Saltford – 18th March

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Cost to upgrade fire stations balloons to more than £20m Amanda Cameron

Local Democracy Reporter

THE cost of upgrading three new fire stations at Avonmouth, Bath and Weston-super-Mare has ballooned from £14million to £20.3million.

The latest estimates take into account unforeseen costs that were not anticipated at the early stages of planning, according to the Avon Fire Authority.

The news comes as the organisation responsible for fire and rescue services across the region agreed to raise the tax it collects from residents by the maximum 1.99 per cent from April.

The increase will take the precept levied by the fire authority to £74.94 for a Band D property in 2020/21.

It will be added to council tax bills across the region, which are already set to rise by the maximum 3.99 per cent in Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset, and by 3.98 per cent in Bath and North East Somerset.

Voting unanimously for the precept increase on 12th February, members of the fire authority pointed to the organisation’s financially precarious position and the major costs it expects to incur

over the next four years.

The authority is facing a funding gap of £1.4million by 2023/24, despite next year’s maximum tax increase and the £18million sale of Avon Fire and Rescue Service’s former headquarters in Temple Back.

Authority chair Don Davies, the independent leader of North Somerset Council, said: “Our reserves are very lean and the money we’ve generated through our sale of headquarters has been spent and more really in terms of three vital bits of work we’ve got to do in refurbishing our three main fire stations and also the other pressures in terms of Bedminster and all the other [stations] we’ve heard about which all need work to them.”

The authority plans to spend £19,363 over the next four years on its ‘Reinvesting for the Future Programme’ to refurbish the fire stations at Avonmouth, Bath and Weston, according to 2020/21 budget papers.

The new stations at Bath and Weston are still in the early planning stages but work officially started on the new £4million station at Avonmouth on 13th February.

The existing 1958 facility at St Andrew’s Road will remain op-

Bath Fire Station on Bathwick Street | Photo © Avon Fire & Rescue Service

erational and be demolished in stages while the new “state of the art” station is built.

Cllr Davies said the complexities of keeping the old Avonmouth station running while building the new one alongside was one of the factors contributing to the £6.3million rise in the estimated overall costs.

Other factors included the problems of building in Bath, a UNES-

CO World Heritage City.

Cllr Davies said the original costs were estimated before any detailed investigations were done, and it was only then that the “enormity of the task” became clear.

The authority was doing what it could, including changing contractors, to cut costs where possible, he said.

“It’s a moveable feast,” he said.

The authority’s £45.36million budget for 2020/21 includes £1.64million held in reserve and planned “savings” of just over £800,000.

Some £1.5million has been set aside over the next two years for the refurbishment of Bedminster Fire Station. The authority is also planning to spend another £11.6million over the next four years to replace its vehicle fleet.

Council puts forward new strategy in New staff appointed at bid to reduce suicide and self-harm Bath Abbey to continue Footprint project AN ambitious plan to reduce suicide and self-harm as well as tackle the stigma around people who take their own life has been put forward for Bath and North East Somerset.

The proposed Suicide Prevention Strategy for Bath and North East Somerset 2020-2023 outlines the commitment of Bath & North East Somerset Council working in partnership to reduce and prevent suicide across the area, as well as supporting people who have been affected by suicide.

Nationally around 4,500 lives are lost to suicide every year, leaving behind devastated family, friends and communities in need of support.

The strategy, which was considered by partners including Bath Mind at a suicide prevention stakeholder event on 6th February in Bath, contributes towards the national ambition to reduce the number of suicides in England by 10 per cent by 2020/2021.

Other key ambitions in the plan include ensuring that no resident will think suicide is their only option, tackling the stigma associated with suicide and building community resilience around this important issue.

The council has also marked the national Time To Talk Day on mental health issues at the event.

Will Godfrey, the council’s chief executive, signed the Time to Change employer pledge committing the council to talk freely about mental health issues in the

Cllr Rob Appleyard and Kate Morton, CEO of Bath Mind; with Bath Mind staff

workplace.

Councillor Rob Appleyard, cabinet member for Adult Services, said: “Our proposed suicide prevention strategy will be key in achieving the reduction we want to see in suicide rates and selfharm across our area.

“We agree with a statement by Zero Suicide Alliance that potentially every suicide is preventable, and this sentiment is at the heart of our vision for Bath & North East Somerset.

“We want to put this forward plan in action to protect the mental health of our residents.

It demands a collective commitment from all our partners so we can reduce the risk of suicide in high risk groups, reduce access to means of suicide and improve support for families and loved ones who have been affected as a

compassionate and caring community.”

The strategy commits partners across Bath & North East Somerset to: • Reduce suicide and self-harm • Ensure that no resident will think that suicide is their only option • Tackle the stigma associated with suicide and developing community conversations about suicide • Build community resilience • Support those who are affected by suicide.

Anyone who is worried about their own mental health or that of someone else should talk to their GP, explore local community services https://bathneshealthandcare.nhs.uk/mental-health/ or call the Samaritans 116 123 free from any phone or 0330 094 5717.

BATH Abbey has welcomed two new members of staff to its team, Polly Andrews as the Abbey’s Learning Officer, and Mary Wickenden as Volunteers Officer.

Their roles will help to facilitate one of the Footprint project’s aims to reach and engage with a greater variety of people and new groups within the community.

Polly Andrews has been appointed within a new role as Learning Officer and will develop learning activities for schools, create online learning resources for education providers and manage the new Learning Space which is being created in the vaults beneath the pavement between Bath Abbey and Abbey Chambers.

Polly said: “I’m very excited to have been offered this new role at the Abbey.

“I have a longstanding interest in Bath’s history and look forward to working closely with staff and volunteers to develop a high-quality learning programme which will share the Abbey’s fascinating stories with a broad range of people including schoolchildren, families and community groups.”

Mary Wickenden, the Abbey’s new Volunteers Officer will spend time reviewing the Abbey’s current volunteer programme,

aim to diversify the types of volunteers taking part in opportunities at the Abbey and build strong relationships and partnerships with volunteer agencies and other volunteering bodies in Bath and the surrounding area.

Mary said: “It’s been brilliant joining the Abbey team at such a moment of change and opportunity; with Footprint in full swing here the energy is infectious!

“As Volunteer Officer, I’ll be supporting both the volunteers and staff to ensure an enjoyable and quality volunteering offer.”

The two roles are vital in bringing the Footprint project’s vision of being about people to life.

The Revd Canon Guy Bridgewater, Rector of Bath Abbey, added: “We’re delighted to have Mary and Polly join the Footprint team.

Although there is major building work taking place in the Abbey, at its heart, the Footprint project is all about people.

“Conservation for us isn’t just about bricks and mortar. In the new areas and spaces that we’re building, we’re aiming to create exciting new opportunities for learning, volunteering, group activities, and discovery of the living Christian heritage of Bath Abbey.”

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Feature | How a trip to the chip shop solved a Bath mystery ble-headed eagles in its central feature. But during a trip to Images: Akeman Press Archive the nearby chip shop

by Chris Hambleton, WHEN I wrote last September a fieldwork archaeabout the Grapes pub reopen- ologist working ing, I mentioned its ceiling on the Abbey and said that the date was not restoration, he decided to make known with certainty.

It was thought by some very re- a diversion to spected authorities , including look at this sevarchaeologist Peter Davenport enteenth-centuand the late Jean Manco, who was ry ceiling he had an expert on early Bath, that it heard about. Ellie was most likely to have been car- the landlady was very ried out for Dr John Ostendorph, happy to show it to him. a German physician who held the On inspection he was astonished to find that he recognised lease in 1637. the work – it was almost identical This would explain the douto fragments of the Jacobean ceiling in the Abbey that was erected by Bishop Montagu about 1608. This was removed by George Gilbert Scott who replaced it with the fan vaulting which echoed the original Tudor vaulting in the chancel. Because the Abbey was still unfinished when Henry VIII dissolved the monEarly photograph of the south aisle with its plaster asteries, work stutceiling | Photo © Christopher Wheeler collection tered to a standstill.

Lead intended for Kirsten Elliott

the roof was stolen, so that rain simply poured into the nave in wet weather.

Eventually, Bishop Montagu had fan vaulting installed in the transepts and a plasterwork ceiling in the nave, with slightly less elaborate ceilings in the aisles.

All the archaeologists could find were the shattered remnants abandoned under the floors after the Victorian demolition.

Although illustrations and photographs of the old ceilings gave clues to the ceilings’ appearance, they did not show the fine details.

Now here, to the archaeologist’s excitement, were those same fragments, but with the pattern intact. He could see, for instance, how the floral bosses they had found linked to another discovery of plasterwork lion’s heads.

What Chris Hambleton also noticed – and once it’s pointed out it becomes obvious – is that the double-headed eagle and the heads of what appear to be native Americans are later additions. It’s obvious because, as soon as you know that, it can be seen that, without them, the design is much improved and less cluttered.

The Grapes ceiling with the added escutcheon and heads

How could we all have been so obsessed with the ceiling that we never noticed this, you may ask? I can only say it is because it’s such a remarkable piece of work, even hardened historians found it hard to examine dispassionately.

Chris Hambleton has been trying to find out who might be the artist responsible for the two ceilings and has come up with two possible names. For the full

story, with ample photographs of the fragments and the Abbey interior, go to the Wessex Archaeology website News page – www. wessexarch.co.uk/news – where there are now six episodes of the tale of two ceilings.

For anyone interested in Bath’s pre-Georgian history, this discovery has been a revelation – and it all came about thanks to a visit to the fish and chip shop.

Councillors’ campaign brings lighting upgrade for village

Bridgemead is a local Christian charity offering residential and nursing care for 32 residents. We have been serving the local community for 27 years.

Needing a break from caring? We offer a Day Club facility Monday to Friday, a chance to socialise over good food and entertainment.

Places are available on request.

Needing a holiday? We offer a respite bed.

This can be booked up to a year in advance.

Currently we are recruiting for a Clinical Lead Nurse and Care Assistants for day and night duty, full and part time to join our friendly team.

Salaries dependant on experience.

There may also be opportunity for some flexible working.

Cllr Bevan (left) and Cllr Walker (right) check out the new columns in Orchard Way

COUNCILLORS and residents in Peasedown St John are celebrating after a campaign to see street-lighting columns replaced in their village paid off.

For over a year, local councillors Sarah Bevan and Karen Walker (Independents) lobbied the Highways Department at Bath & North East Somerset Council with concerns about the quality and safety of old streetlight columns.

Cllr Sarah Bevan said: “We identified a number of streets in Peasedown St John where the columns needed replacing.

Several decades of regular use leads to wear and tear, so it’s been a priority of ours to have them replaced.

“Making repairs to street lighting isn’t a straightforward issue to address though in Peasedown St John. Some streetlights are owned by B&NES, some by the Parish Council, and some by Curo.

“As B&NES Councillors, Cllr Walker and I have been able to ensure those owned

by B&NES Council are kept to a good, useable standard.”

The 43 columns replaced by B&NES were in Orchard Way, Adams Close and Pippin Close.

The £41,000 was allocated in the 2019/20 council budget, following requests made by the councillors.

Cllr Karen Walker added: “Thanks to all the pedestrians and drivers for their patience over the last three months while the replacement works were carried out.

“The new columns look fantastic and will be put to good use for the next 20 years, at least!

“Each year, Cllr Bevan and I make a series of requests to the council’s leadership on behalf our residents for funding allocations for Peasedown."

We welcome Volunteers to join the team.

There are a number of ways to become involved, befriending residents, fund raising, making coffee/tea to name but a few.

Please contact us for more details or an application form on: 01225 484904 or email: pam@bridgecare.org.uk

Tuesday, 18th February 2020

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Ivy celebrates Feel-Good campaign with yoga event

Plans for student housing and upgraded Co-op store at former Bath cinema unveiled

Seedlip’s Fairy Tale at the Ivy Bath Brasserie

IN celebration of Feel-Good Bath, a citywide campaign headed by Visit Bath to encourage locals to focus on their health, The Ivy Bath Brasserie is hosting a unique yoga event and offering a selection of low alcohol cocktails.

The Brasserie’s Art Deco-inspired private dining room will host a space for an exclusive yoga event in collaboration with a well-known, local harpist.

The morning yoga session starts at 8am on Wednesday 26th February, inviting visitors to relax and unwind alongside delicate music, followed by breakfast in the main restaurant.

Alongside the event and available until

the end of February, the cocktails offer a healthier option for guests to enjoy.

The Barrel Aged Low-groni, a combination of Haymans Small Gin, Seedlip Grove, Aecorn Sweet Vermouth, Homemade Forest Fruits, Campari and Creole Bitters is just one of the three exclusive drinks available for those wishing to indulge.

Guests dining in the Brasserie will also be able to enjoy two alcohol-free cocktails; Seedlip’s Fairy Tail, created with Seedlip Grove, one of the world’s first alcoholfree spirits and Tropical Temperance, a combination of mango puree, Banana Monin syrup, passionfruit sherbet, lemon juice and lemonade.

Promote your business or upcoming event in this space

Reach thousands of your potential customers via this newspaper every fortnight

Interested in finding out more?

Call 01225 589789 or email advertise@bathecho.co.uk

ECHO

Stephen Sumner

Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS for 96 student rooms, much-needed housing and an upgraded shop on the site of a former Oldfield Park cinema have been unveiled.

If approved, Rengen’s development will preserve the facade of the Scala and create a new hub for Norland College, a world-renowned trainer of nannies for royalty and the rich and famous that currently relies on various sites across Bath.

The Co-op that has been at the Shaftesbury Road site since 1961 is now unfit for purpose and will be upgraded, and Freedom Through Dance’s dance centre will be fully refurbished.

The plans say: “The ambition to combine much needed housing, along with an enhanced retail provision, community use facility at the Scala site are pivotal to both retaining and enhancing the quality and unique character of this place within the heart of Oldfield Park.

“At a time when local high streets are seen as unfashionable and continue to suffer on a daily basis due to wider economic pressures, there is real opportunity with this proposal to provide a new local development that is grounded on the specific uses and needs related to this place.”

The neo-classical former cinema opened in 1921 as the Oldfield Picture House, and then in 1935 was billed as the Scala, when it was also licensed for dancing, singing and music.

It was damaged and repaired during the Second World War, but in peacetime the growth of television saw its popularity decline.

The Scala Cinema closed in 1961 and the Co-op moved in soon afterwards.

The plans add: “The historic parts of the main Scala building will be retained.

The remainder of the Co-op store (comprising the 1960s extension) will be

demolished.

“The new extensions to the building proposed will stand clear as new additions to the 1920s cinema building and will be a significant improvement on the existing crude extension on the site. The building would remain as two storeys at the front and the new extension would incorporate three storeys, although significantly set back from the frontage of the historic façade.

“Ninety-six student rooms, including two accessible rooms, have been proposed in order to meet the brief given by Norland College to provide accommodation for their entire first-year intake.

“The intention of this is to consolidate Norland College’s first year accommodation from a disparate mixture of HMOs (homes in multiple occupation) throughout the city into a sustainable and purpose-built location nearby their teaching spaces on Upper Oldfield Park.”

The student accommodation will be in a self-contained block.

The application includes 32 one and two-bedroom homes flats, 10 of which will be affordable. They will have high standards of natural light, ventilation and thermal performance and be “generously proportioned”.

Eighteen car parking spaces will be lost and 100 for bikes will be added.

Bath and North East Somerset Council will decide the fate of the application.

Rengen chief executive Iestyn Lewis said: “I am proud of Rengen’s portfolio of sensitive and sympathetic redevelopment projects throughout Bath and we’re excited to submit our planning application for the much-loved Scala building.

“If approved, this project will bring a new lease of life to the building and retain the fantastic frontage which is something of a local landmark in Oldfield Park.”

Some of Rengen’s previous projects in Bath include the former Labour Exchange building on James Street West, Widcombe Social Club and the Bath Sea Cadets headquarters on St John’s Road.

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Education Environmental journalist awarded Honorary Doctorate

Professor Sue Rigby and Damian Carrington Photo © Chris Wakefield, Crescent Photography

DAMIAN Carrington, journalist and Environment Editor at The Guardian newspaper, has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Bath Spa University.

Damian reports on the climate crisis, the destruction of the natural world and pollution.

His career has seen him visit all seven continents, the Amazon, and all five oceans, including the Arctic. Last year he reported from the Columbian Andes and from Darfur in Sudan.

Bath Spa’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Sue Rigby presented Damian with his Honorary Doctorate at the University’s Winter Graduation Ceremony, held at The Forum, Bath on Wednesday 5th February, after which he gave a short acceptance speech.

Commenting on his proud moment, Damian said: "I am truly delighted to accept this honour from Bath Spa University. With all the environmental problems the world faces, we need new ways

of doing things in the 21st century, and the University is clearly determined to be a 21st century institution."

After studying geology at the University of Cambridge, Damian completed a PhD and post-doctoral research at the University of Edinburgh.

His journalism has been recognised by awards from the Association of British Science Writers, the British Society of Magazine Editors, the European Online Journalism awards and others.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Sue Rigby added: “Damian’s voice is one of reason and clarity. He balances emotive topics with scientific rigour, and presents a clarion call for change, in a measured and nuanced manner.”

Prior to joining The Guardian in 2008, Damian reported on science while at BBC News Online and New Scientist. He was also Web Editor for the Financial Times.

Coronavirus test comes back negative THE University of Bath has confirmed that the test of a member of their community for coronavirus has come back negative.

The person was self-isolating while waiting for the results.

In a statement, the university said: “We can confirm that the coronavirus test result that we have been expecting has come back negative. Obviously, we are very pleased for the individual concerned and we are very grateful to them for letting us know the

outcome of their test."

The UK Chief Medical Officers have raised the risk to the public from low to moderate.

Anyone who has travelled to the UK from mainland China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau in the last 14 days and is experiencing a cough or fever or shortness of breath, is being advised to stay indoors and call NHS 111, even if symptoms are mild.

KES codebreakers win South West final of CyberFirst Girls competition A TEAM of four Year 8 codebreakers from King Edward’s School in Bath has won the South West final of the National Cyber Security Centre’s CyberFirst Girls Competition.

The win has secured the team a place in the UK National final in March.

Aiming to boost interest in cybersecurity among females, who are currently under-represented in the industry, nearly 12,000 girls have taken part in this year’s contest.

The KES team headed to the regional final at the University of the West of England on Saturday, where they pitted their cyber skills against 27 other teams to solve a series of online puzzles.

As the day unfolded, a leaderboard kept track of all the teams’ results.

The KES team regained first place in the last 30 minutes of the competition, and they were duly crowned regional champions.

Ahead of the regional final, Chris Ensor, NCSC Deputy Director for Skills and Growth, said: “It’s great to see girls from all corners of the UK putting their computing and cyber security skills to the test,

The King Edward's School codebreakers

and I wish them all the best of luck in this round of the competition.

“Whether they progress to the final or not, hopefully many of the girls will be inspired to find out more about cyber security and pursue their interest in this exciting field.”

The KES team were accompanied to the South West heat by Mrs James from the School’s Computing and ICT department and Dr Wainer from the Maths depart-

ment.

Commenting on the day’s activity, Dr Wainer said: “We are so incredibly proud of the girls and what they have been able to achieve.

“They threw themselves into this competition with a passion and it is a testament to their hard work that they have done so well.

“Out of the 100s of teams taking part, they now join nine other school teams in the final in March.”

Engineers call on construction industry to cut their emissions NEW buildings in the UK and Europe need to be built in ways that are far less carbon-intensive, engineers from the University of Bath have warned.

Speaking at the British Research Establishment Centre for Innovative Construction Materials (BRE CICM) Built Environment: Building a Better World conference in Bath, Dr Mark Evernden said that while significant progress has been made in recent years in reducing levels of CO2 used in the day-to-day running of buildings, the structures themselves ‘embody’ far more carbon than is necessary.

Dr Evernden, Director of Studies in the University’s Department for Architecture & Civil Engineering, said: “We are massively over-designing our structures. At present new buildings are made to meet loading factors far in excess of what they could accommodate.

“For example, if we take an average large building of around 16 floors in height, the ventilation capacity can accommodate about 3,000 people and the space planning about 3,750 – while the structural design is made to carry a load equivalent to 85,500 people.

“It’s far more than ever would be needed.

“A modern 50 storey skyscraper may embody as much as 90,000 tonnes of CO2.

“If we are serious about reducing CO2 emissions, we need to tackle this.

“That will need to be done by adopting a multi-faceted approach that embraces low-carbon alternative materials and by using ‘just enough’ of them and no more.”

A series of startling facts about the construction industry’s part in contributing to global emissions were also shared at the event, including: • 45% of the world’s annual human-made CO2 emissions relate to buildings; • 60% of all man-made materials consumed are within the construction industry; • 12% of all human-made CO2 emissions derive from construction materials such as concrete; • 20% of all construction materials end up in landfill.

Professor Chris Wise, Director at Expedition Engineering, echoed Dr Evernden’s thoughts in calling for new industry practices that focus on cutting wastage.

He said: “The codes of practice

we are using are not fit for purpose. They use the existing built stock as the calibration set.

“A future code of practice should lay down the need to use the necessary materials and no more.

“It’s my view that engineers and architects should sign a code of ethics, equivalent to a Hippocratic Oath, that confirms their first responsibility is to the planet, not profits.”

Cutting wastage in construction is the key aim of the MEICON (Minimising Energy in Construction) project, a collaboration between Bath and the University of Cambridge.

Dr Paul Shepherd, senior lecturer in Bath’s Department for Architecture & Civil Engineering and Deputy Director of the Institute for Mathematical Innovation, highlighted the need to use new technology and modelling techniques to create structures that use no more material than necessary.

He said: “We really need to start treating materials as resources that should be spared.

“We can do this through methods including layout optimisation at the design stage and by increasing off-site automation to cut wastage.”

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Author shortlisted for Waterstones Children’s Book Prize BATH-BASED writer Jasbinder Bilan has been shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2020, widely regarded as one of the most prestigious accolades for children’s books in the UK. Jasbinder has been nominated in the Younger Fiction category for her novel Asha and the Spirit Bird.

Jasbinder said: “What makes the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize so special is that it’s voted for by the wonderful booksellers themselves, so I am thrilled and honoured to be shortlisted.

“There are so many amazing books out there, so I’m really thankful to be chosen.”

In Asha and the Spirit Bird, Bilan tells the story of Asha who lives in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Money is tight and she misses her papa who works in the city.

Guided by a majestic bird which Asha believes to be the spirit of her grandmother, she and her best friend Jeevan embark on a journey to the city, across the Himalayas, to find her father and save her home.

Jasbinder Bilan graduated from Bath Spa University where the seeds of her story were nurtured.

She now lives with her family in Bath and splits her time between teaching and writing.

Every year, Waterstones’ expert booksellers are called upon to vote for the books they believe are the very best in new children’s writing and illustration.

Now in its sixteenth year, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize has become a formidable platform for emerging talent, demonstrating its enduring relevance by bringing the best new books to readers’ attention every year and launching the careers of many children’s book authors and illustrators.

Last year’s winner The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf, Waterstones’ most successful winner yet, shot to the top of the bestseller charts following the Prize announcement and the novel saw an increase in sales of over 500%.

The shortlists consist of eighteen books across three categories. Six books will compete within each category to be crowned Category Winner, with the three category winners then vying for the overall title of Waterstones Children’s Book of the Year 2020. The winners will be announced at an evening reception at Waterstones Piccadilly (London), Europe’s largest bookshop, on Thursday 26th March, 2020. The winner of each category will receive £2000, with the Overall Winner receiving

Bath Spa University graduate Jasbinder Bilan | Photo © Ian Sharp

an extra £3000. In the event that the Prize is awarded to a partnership, the prize money will be split equally between the joint win-

ners. The winning authors and illustrators will also see a significant boost in sales, and the promise of an ongoing commitment to

their writing career from all Waterstones shops nationwide. Last month, Jasbinder received a Costa Children’s Book Award.

New, low-energy desalination process developed in Bath A DEVICE that takes a novel approach to removing salt from water has been developed in Bath, paving the way for small, solar-powered desalination units.

Researchers at the University of Bath have developed a revolutionary desalination process that has the potential to be operated in mobile, solar-powered units.

The process is low cost, low energy and low maintenance, and has the potential to provide safe water to communities in remote and disaster-struck areas where fresh water is in short supply.

Developed by the university’s Water Innovation and Research Centre in partnership with Indonesia’s Bogor Agricultural University and the University of Johannesburg, the prototype desalination unit is a 3D-printed system with two internal chambers designed to extract and/or accumulate salt.

When power is applied, salt cations (positively charged ions) and salt anions (negatively charged ions) flow between chambers through arrays of micro-holes in a thin synthetic membrane.

The flow can only happen in one direction thanks to a mechanism that has parallels in mobile-phone technology.

As a result of this one-way flow, salt is pumped out of seawater.

This contrasts with the classical desalination process, where water rather than salt is pumped through a membrane.

Desalination, which turns seawa-

ter into fresh water, has become an essential process for providing drinking and irrigation water where freshwater is scarce.

Traditionally, it has been an energy-intensive process carried out in large industrial plants.

Professor Frank Marken from the Department of Chemistry said: “There are times when it would be enormously beneficial to install small, solar-powered desalination units to service a small number of households. Large industrial water plants are essential to 21st Century living, but they are of no help when you’re living in a remote location where drinking water is scarce, or where there is a coastal catastrophe that wipes out the fresh water supply.”

The Bath desalination system is based on ‘ionics’, where a cationic diode (a negatively charged, semi-permeable membrane studded with microscopic pores) is combined with an anionic resistor (a device that only allows the flow of negative ions when power is applied).

“This amounts to a whole new process for removing salt from water,” said Prof Marken.

“We are the first people to use tiny micron-sized diodes in a desalination prototype.”

He added: “This is a low-energy system with no moving parts.

Other systems use enormous pressures to push the water through nano-pores, but we only remove the salts. Most intriguingly, the external pumps and switches can be replaced by mi-

croscopic processes inside the membrane – a little bit like biological membranes work.”

Another benefit of the Bath desalination unit is that it also allows for the opposite process – the up-concentration of salt – thereby minimising waste. The separated salt can be crystallised and then used, potentially as a food supplement or a de-icer.

Most other desalination processes pump salt in the form of brine back into the sea, unsettling the marine ecosystem.

All being well, Prof Marken believes his department could roll out a working mobile desalination unit within five years.

First, however, the team needs to find more robust materials as well as collaborators to help refine the invention and scale it up.

The proof-of-concept prototype is currently able to remove 50% of the salt from a saltwater sample, but to make seawater drinkable, the salt content needs to be reduced by 90%.

Budi Riza Putra, the Chemistry PhD student who led the project, said: “We need to find new and better porous materials capable of pumping ions. Membrane thickness, pore number and pore diameter must all be optimised.

We hope to find materials experts who can help us with this.”

In their quest to find new membranes, the researchers have turned their attention to biological materials.

Along with Dr. Katarzyna Szot-Karpinska and her group at

The process turns seawater into fresh water

the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, they believe they are the first researchers to successfully use bacteriophages (viruses that infect and replicate within bacteria) to create a film capable of separating salt from water.

“Our bacteriophage (named M13) looks like spaghetti but is one-million times smaller,” explains Mr Riza Putra.

“If we make conditions a little acidic, the nano-spaghetti strands stick together, creating a thin film with tiny holes.

“When we tested this material as a membrane for desalination, we

found it worked – it started acting as a diode, pumping ions in one direction only.

“Before us, no-one thought about using viruses as membranes for water desalination.”

However, while M13 shows potential as a membrane pump for water desalination, it is not perfect. “The substrate disintegrates as salt concentrations rise and at neutral pH,” explained Prof Marken. “So, either we find a way to improve the semi-permeability of the bacteriophage material or we must find other, more robust ionic diode membrane alternatives.”

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Health More volunteers being sought to help out at RUH’s Emergency Department FRIENDS of the RUH volunteers who help out in the hospital’s busy accident and emergency department have proved such a success that A&E staff are now appealing for more volunteers to come forward.

The volunteers support patients in A&E with little things that can make a big difference – making patients a cup of tea, providing a listening ear to them and their relatives and helping them feel comfortable at what can be a worrying and stressful time.

Their work is helping to free up time for busy clinical staff to focus on providing high-quality care for patients.

One of the volunteers, Andy Edwards, said: “It’s always very busy because there’s so much going on. I’ll serve tea and coffee to patients, their relatives and friends and help out at meal times too.

“A big part of the role is listening to patients. They are in unfamiliar surroundings and often scared, so you can help to reassure them.

“Sometimes patients or their relatives just want to sit and talk and we provide that listening ear.”

Andy decided to volunteer after the death of his wife, who was an oncology patient.

Some of the Royal United Hospital’s Emergency Department volunteers

He said: “I approached the hospital to see how I could help.

The RUH had been so good to us that I wanted to give something back.

“If you’re willing to really put your heart into it you’ll get so much out of it.

“It’s a very satisfying and rewarding role.”

Samantha Nolan, Manager of the Friends of the RUH Volunteer Services, said: “The feedback we have received from staff has been fantastic.

“The volunteers are praised for their support of patients, relatives and staff and are crucial and valued members of the

Emergency Department team.

“If you’d like to help out, please get in touch. Just a few hours a week or a fortnight can really help and you’ll receive training and support.”

If you’d like to volunteer at the RUH, call 01225 824046 or visit the Friends website: www. friendsoftheruh.org.uk.

Dorothy House launches Pay For A Day initiative LOCAL charity Dorothy House is launching a special Pay for a Day initiative and inviting local businesses or individuals to fund one day of hospice care costs.

The money raised will help Dorothy House fund its palliative and end of life nursing care, which is free for patients with a life-limiting illness like cancer, neurological conditions, heart disease or respiratory disease.

Only 17% of care costs at Dorothy House are met by government funding so the remainder has to be raised by the Hospice’s fundraising in the community, gifts in wills, retail shops and education programmes.

Companies who support Pay for a Day can raise funds in their own way and in their own timeframe to pay for 24 hours of nursing care which costs £8,595.

This sum covers the cost of a day and a night’s care at the Hospice’s Inpatient Unit in Winsley or 24 hours of care provided in a patient’s home by the charity’s Hospice at Home and Nurse Specialist teams which serve Bath and North East Somerset, parts of

Somerset and Wiltshire.

Pay for a Day donors will be invited to choose a specific day to fund nursing care at Dorothy House. They will be invited for a tour of the Hospice and to meet some of the nursing teams.

They will also receive a personal certificate and will be included in a Book of Days which celebrates all Pay for a Day donors.

Recognition of Pay for a Day supporters will also be provided via the Dorothy House website and social media channels.

Henrietta Beard, Corporate Fundraiser for Dorothy House Hospice Care said: “Charitable business partnership activity takes many forms and Pay for a Day is an innovative opportunity for local companies to shape their own relationship with Dorothy House.

“Corporate partnership packages can be varied to suit the corporate social responsibility needs of local companies such as funding nursing care while also involving staff in volunteering, setting up their own events or fundraising activity for the Hospice.”

Stephanie Cole, well-known tel-

evision and theatre actress and supporter of Dorothy House from Bath said: “It’s my absolute privilege to be supporting the vital care Dorothy House provides, allowing peace and comfort during a person’s final days.

“They’re a charity which receives very little government funding so it’s only with our support that they’re able to do this. I have been a proud ambassador of Dorothy House ever since my husband, Peter, fell ill and I witnessed first-hand the incredible care their lovely nurses provide.

“Pay for a Day is a perfect way to support them, you can give or raise money in a way to suit you.

No matter what you’ll achieve something amazing, you’ll be funding kind and professional, end of life care for local people like you and me.”

Katie McDonald, owner of Marble Works of Bath, added: “Dorothy House is very close to our hearts and as a local, family run business we wanted to give to a charity supporting our community rather than a national char-

Henrietta Beard with Katie McDonald of Marble Works of Bat

ity. My Grandad was cared for by Dorothy House thirty years ago at Bloomfield Road and since then some members of our family, as well as friends’ families have benefited from the incredible end of life care offered by the Hospice.

“Once you have been touched by the wonderful care Dorothy House offers, it’s easy to make the decision to support them and we are delighted to be involved in Pay for a Day to fund nursing care for the Hospice.”

To find out more, contact corporate fundraiser, Henrietta Beard at Henrietta.Beard@dorothyhouse-hospice.org.uk

Mental Health with Karen Bray

SPRING INTO WELLBEING Do the first hints of spring awaken in you a sense of new possibilities?

If you are wondering how to invest in feeling better about yourself and your life, reflect on how abundant you are in each of the “five ways of wellbeing”, which are: • Connect: this is not about how many people we know or how often we socialise (we can easily be lonely in a crowd).

The key is connecting authentically with others. Who can you truly be yourself with? Who is completely on your side? Who do you trust to call you on your stuff with honesty and kindness?

• Be active: Take advantage of increasing daylight to find ways to get moving, for both physical and mental health.

That could mean joining an exercise class - or simply committing to a walk round the block each evening to see how the spring flowers are coming on.

• Take notice: we can get so caught up in the busyness of our lives that we miss the moments of loveliness that make it all worthwhile - our child’s excitement, a burst of birdsong, even the parking space that magically opens up just as we come along (it’s easier, isn’t it, to notice when we don’t get what we need?).

• Keep learning: what have you always wanted to know more about, or be able to do?

From learning to cook a new recipe to taking on a new role at work stretching ourselves keeps life interesting and our brains lively.

• Give: a simple way to feel better about ourselves is to be helpful to others, whether that’s helping out a friend or volunteering in the wider community.

That said, if you tend to measure your worth only by what you can do for others, this is an area you may need to ease up on.

Make sure you are balancing all the five elements of wellbeing.

For ideas, check out the Wellbeing College: https://www. wellbeingcollegebanes.co.uk/ or contact MyScript: https://www. dhi-online.org.uk/get-help/ community-wellbeing-services/ myscript Karen Bray (MBACP) is a counsellor with a private practice in Bath. Her website is at www.karenbray.co.uk

Advertise in the next issue of this newspaper - prices start at just £20/issue* | Call 01225 589789 to get started

*Excluding VAT

Tuesday, 18th February 2020

Hospital's Estates Building team honoured with special award THE team behind essential maintenance and repairs at the RUH in Bath has been honoured for its valuable behind the scenes work to keep the hospital running smoothly and efficiently.

With a diverse set of skills, the Estates Building team carries out planned maintenance and provides a 24/7 service to respond to any issues.

The RUH’s 52-acre site has many new modern buildings but also some that are much older, and therefore take a bit more looking after. The Estates Building team works hard to ensure that all frontline teams across the hospital, whichever building they work in, have a safe, suitable environment to provide patient care.

The team was named the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust’s Team of the Year at the annual New Year’s Honours Awards ceremony, held at the Assembly Rooms.

The team was presented with the award by actor John Cleese, best known for starring roles in Monty Python and Fawlty Towers.

Luke Abbott, Building Team Leader, said: “We are all really proud to work for the RUH. We go above and beyond every day

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to provide a high quality and responsive service, no matter what needs our attention.

“We do work behind the scenes but in a hospital it takes thousands of people with different skills and in diverse roles to work together to provide the highest quality of patient care.

Receiving this award is fantastic recognition.”

The Estates Building team was just one of the Trust teams and individuals recognised for achievements in 2019 at the awards ceremony.

Others included Volunteer of the Year Cheralee Miles, recognised for her dedication to providing support for breastfeeding mums in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and the Dayroom to Doorstep Project team, named Most Innovative Team of the Year for turning an underused dayroom on Combe ward into a hub of activities and facilities for older inpatients.

Cuddle Cots support parents of stillborn babies at the RUH

The RUH's Estates Building team

Alison Ryan, Chair, said: “Our annual awards are a really special opportunity to celebrate the many incredible achievements of our colleagues and teams across the RUH. It’s a chance to recognise a whole range of ways that our staff make a difference, day in day out, to patients and their families, and to each other.

“The best thing is that all our winners were nominated by their colleagues – any member of staff can make a nomination for a person or a team that they are proud of. We want to be an organisation that supports our staff to flourish, and it is a privilege to celebrate so many inspiring examples of that.”

TWO new Cuddle Cots have been donated to the maternity ward at the Royal United Hospital, so parents can spend longer with babies that have been stillborn.

The cots are specially designed to keep stillborn babies cool, meaning that parents can spend more time with their babies in the hospital’s Forget Me Not bereavement suite or take their babies home with them for up to three days if they wish to.

The cots were donated to the RUH by Sarah Parsons, whose daughter Maggie Pearl Parsons was stillborn in 2015.

Following her daughter’s death, Sarah and her husband Mark, from Blackburn, launched the Maggie’s Stillbirth Legacy campaign, which raises funds for Cuddle Cots, gowns and blankets for hospitals across the country.

Sarah said: “The Cuddle Cots meant that we could have three days with Maggie after she died. It allowed us to spend time at home with her, reading and singing to her - time we wouldn’t have otherwise had.”

As well as donating the Cuddle

Bereavement Midwife Bex Walsh with Sarah Parsons

Cots, Sarah also left a selection of blankets and gowns at the maternity unit which could be used for stillborn babies.

Bereavement Midwife Bex Walsh said: “Having a stillborn child is a devastating and traumatic experience for parents.

“The new Cuddle Cots will help parents spend time with their children in the privacy of their own home if they wish, and give them the opportunity to say a proper goodbye.

“We’re very grateful to Sarah for such a generous donation, which will help parents to spend time with their child and hopefully go some way to helping with the grieving process.”

Bath cancer unit charity celebrates £5m milestone LOCAL volunteers and businesses have been praised for their fundraising efforts on behalf of the Bath Cancer Unit Support Group (BCUSG), which has raised an impressive £5 million to date.

The charity, which has just reached the milestone figure having raised funds for the cancer unit at Bath’s Royal United Hospital (RUH) since 1985, is now appealing for new corporate sponsors and volunteers to support its vital work.

The BCUSG is run wholly by volunteers with support from individual donors and businesses, including Royal London in Bath, where staff have raised £84,097 in total through donations and fundraising activities.

But the three-year charity partnership with Royal London has now ended and the BCUSG is looking for new commercial partners to help fund essential medical equipment for cancer patients at the RUH. Bath-based online sexual wellbeing retailer Lovehoney also recently donated £1,500 and several of their staff have signed up to run the Bath Half Marathon in aid of the charity.

In addition, the BCUSG recently launched new fundraising groups covering Frome, Shepton Mallet, Midsomer Norton, Radstock and Bath and is looking for additional volunteer helpers from these areas.

BCUSG chairman Mike Taylor said:

Prestige Nursing + Care has been providing home care and support to clients and their families since 1945 and is delighted to be able to offer services within the Bath area.

“Reaching the £5m milestone is a fantastic achievement for a small charity like ours and we couldn’t have done it without the amazing efforts of all our volunteers, donors and business supporters.

“We would like to say a special thank you to the staff at Royal London who really did pull out all the stops with their fundraising efforts for the charity. But we need more businesses and volunteers to join us and ensure we can continue with the important work we do on behalf of cancer patients at the RUH.” To make a donation to the Bath Cancer Unit Support Group, or to discuss becoming a corporate partner, email Alan Webb at fundraising@bcusg.org or phone 07896 741233.

For more information about becoming a volunteer, contact BCUSG chairman Mike Taylor on 07714 087102 or email chairman@bcusg.org.

Now recruiting for Nurses, Care Assistants and Support Workers.

Offering many great benefits, including holiday pay, free uniforms and a discount scheme. We offer paid training, flexible working options, a local supportive office team and an employee assistance programme.

To find out more, pop in today or call us for more information.

Call us today on 01225 330 966 Prestige Nursing + Care Bath The House, Kelston Park, Kelston, Bath, BA1 9AE

e: bath@prestige-nursing.co.uk www.prestige-nursing.co.uk

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Tuesday, 18th February 2020

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What's On Family-friendly February half-term Chance to hone your horticultural skills for fun on offer at local museums free at Sydney Gardens

Cllr Paul Crossley playing merels with Roman character Peregrinus at the Roman Baths

THIS February half-term, children can learn to play a Roman game, dress up as a Roman, make a fashion puppet, and create a crafty cat or a dancing figure at Bath’s museums.

There are family-friendly activities running throughout the halfterm week at the Roman Baths, Fashion Museum and Victoria Art Gallery.

Councillor Paul Crossley, cabinet member for Community Services at Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “We hope that local families will enjoy all of the fun and creative activities on offer at our museums.

“There’s something happening every day during February halfterm, and all activities are free for Bath and North East Somerset residents with a Discovery Card.”

Togas and Tunics The Roman Baths Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd February, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-4pm Discover how the Romans dressed and transform yourself by trying on a Roman toga.

Grownups are welcome to dress up too.

Making Merry with Merels The Roman Baths Monday 17th to Friday 21st February, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-4pm Find out how to play the Roman board game of Merels, and make a Merels set to take home and play with family and friends.

Pattern Cat Victoria Art Gallery Wednesday 19th February, 10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-

3.30pm There are some amazing cats in the Toulouse-Lautrec and the Masters of Montmartre exhibition. Be inspired by the furry creatures and use special pens and tissue paper to create a feline friend.

Dazzling Dancers Victoria Art Gallery Friday 21st February, 10.30am12.30pm and 1.30pm-3.30pm Explore the show posters in our Toulouse-Lautrec and the Masters of Montmartre exhibition, and then create dancing figures using paper, card and felt tips.

All activities are included in the admission price (free for Discovery Card holders).

Suitable for children aged 3+.

Children cannot be left and must be accompanied by an adult.

Outdoor cinema set to return to Bath Racecourse this July BATH Racecourse and Adventure Cinema have teamed up once again to show two classic movies on a huge outdoor cinema screen in Bath later this year.

Running across two evenings, the first Bath outdoor cinema night at Bath Racecourse will show Disney’s hugely popular The Lion King, which will be screened on Thursday 23rd July.

On Friday 24th July, cult 70s film Grease will be shown.

Bath Racecourse’s Acting General Manager, Maddie Difazio-Wright, said: “We’re really excited to be working with Adventure Cinema once again to show two classic films on a huge outdoor cinema screen at the racecourse this July – The Lion King and Grease.

“If you’re looking for fun things to do this summer, experiencing

a great movie under the stars is pretty unique!

“People can bring a picnic and blanket or upgrade to a VIP ticket to enjoy an unforgettable Bath cinema experience.”

Tickets to both films are now available and cost £14.50 for standard entry or £20.50 for a VIP ticket to include a luxury deck-

chair (fulfilment fees apply).

Guests can choose to bring their own picnics to enjoy whilst watching the film (excluding glass, cans or alcohol) or choose to buy hot food and snacks from one of the various food and drink stalls. Tickets are now available at bath-racecourse.co.uk or adventurecinema.co.uk.

FREE gardening training and a wealth of volunteering opportunities are on offer at Bath’s Sydney Gardens throughout 2020.

Residents are invited to become outdoor gardening and conservation volunteers or take advantage of free training in horticultural skills.

Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Sydney Gardens team is holding volunteering sessions on Wednesday mornings and the Friends of Sydney Gardens run a variety of activities on every second Sunday of the month.

From March onwards, the Gardens team will be running free training sessions including growing herbs, building a raised bed, gardening for wildlife and family gardening.

There will also be training courses available on other subjects including tour guiding, digital photography and bird identification.

Sessions are open to everyone and can be booked online.

The gardens, which are the UK’s only surviving Georgian Pleasure Gardens, first opened in 1795 and were a favourite spot of Jane Austen.

They are currently undergoing restoration following a £2.7m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund involving extensive heritage and wildlife conservation work and areas of the park that are currently closed to the public will be reopened.

Councillor Paul Crossley, cabinet member for Community Services, said: “Sydney Gardens are a real asset to our city. The gardens’ character changes throughout the seasons and I’d encourage residents to come along and en-

joy everything they have to offer.

Volunteering is a chance for the community to come together and our free training sessions are a brilliant chance for people to pick up skills they can use in their own gardens or allotments.”

The volunteer gardening is held on Wednesdays from 10am-noon and the free training sessions begin from the end of March and run through the year.

More information and details of how to book can be found at www.bathnes.gov.uk/sydneygardening or by contacting Mali Kedward, Sydney Gardens Horticultural Participation Officer on 07779 968 035 or Mali_ Kedward@bathnes.gov.uk Gill Gazzard from the Friends of Sydney Gardens said: “We would very much welcome all volunteers to join our gardening sessions every second Sunday of the month.

“We would also welcome support with collecting litter in the park, which the Friends carry out every weekend.

“Come and help to keep the gardens clear of litter while enjoying a walk around this pleasure garden. Additionally, we offer free Historic Guided Walks which reveal fascinating facts about this unique garden in the centre of Bath.

“Join our friends’ group and receive our newsletters and become involved with an enthusiastic group dedicated to supporting and protecting Sydney Gardens and its heritage.”

To join the Friends, go to; www. friendsofsydneygardens.org or contact Gill Gazzard on 07534 245555.

Frank Skinner to bring Showbiz tour to the Theatre Royal Bath DIRECT from a sold out five-week run at the West End’s Garrick Theatre, comedian Frank Skinner is set to bring his critically acclaimed stand-up show, Showbiz, to the Theatre Royal Bath on Sunday 3rd May. Following his sell-out West End run at the start of 2020, Skinner is taking Showbiz back on the road with an additional 14 dates nationwide.

The newly announced tour dates come hot on the heels of Frank’s

45-date national tour in 2019, as well as soldout runs at London's Leicester Square Theatre and the Edinburgh Fringe.

Frank said: “The more people like this show the more I want to do it. There were some places I didn’t do on tour and some I did do that sold out extremely quickly. So now I’m refreshed, refuelled, and raring to get back out there.” The comedian last performed at the Theatre Royal in December 2014.

Tuesday, 18th February 2020

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Review | Dial M for Murder

Review | Woyzeck

Dial M for Murder is a classic tale; made into a Hitchcock film in 1954 it remains a great thriller with enough twists and turns to keep everyone enthralled.

The plot revolves around the charismatic and manipulative Tony Wendice who discovers his wife Margot has been unfaithful.

He plans revenge and therefore creates the “perfect crime” which is subsequently muddled by human error and creates a web from which it is hard to escape.

Tom Chambers is a slick and persuasive Wendice, creating the crime and handling the fall out with equal control and disconcerting charm.

Sally Bretton is long-suffering Margot, the wife paying the price for a moment of infidelity.

Christopher Harper as Inspector Hubbard is an excellent foil for the continuous web of deceit from Wendice; he is equally convincing as Captain Lesgate.

Michael Salami as Max Halliday brings a measure to the proceedings as he implements his

Written in the early 19th century, Woyzeck came back to life in the 1960s, though more in the avant-garde sphere than in general productions.

Loosely based on the story of Johan Christian Woyzeck, the script

by Buchner was unfinished when he died of typhus aged only 23.

The fragments of the play were pieced together by his brother and subsequently completed by various authors.

This version includes three blackclad, bowler-hatted Showmen acting as prologue and often part of the play, also adding a musical element.

As they tell us at the beginning we’ll see, “Madness, passion, jealousy, violence and death”.

Plus a certain amount of audience participation.

Woyzeck is a lonely soldier stationed in Germany who agrees to take part in medical experiments, mainly eating nothing but peas.

We are witnesses to his gradual descent into madness. Not a very long trip for Woyzeck as Ma-

Theatre Royal Bath

The Rondo Theatre

Tom Chambers as Tony Wendice and Sally Bretton as Margot Wendice Photo © Manuel Harlan

crime writing talents. As with all good thrillers the script is demanding and at times brings the pace down, however as the piece moves towards its conclusion the suspense and storytelling is excellent. It is well directed by Anthony Banks with a fine set and costume design from David

Woodhouse. At times the abstract transitions feel a little out of place of an otherwise era perfect piece.

The full house clearly enjoyed the production; whether you already know the story or are completely new to it there is definitely a fine crime to be solved.

Petra Schofield

rie, mother of his child, remarks, “Thinking will wind his mind up like a watch spring. It’ll break one of these days.”

The cast, Michael Shah in the lead role, plus Natalie Ling, Neil Bonnett, Kiera-Marie Somers and Tim James are uniformly excellent, taking several different roles each.

It’s certainly like no other play I’ve seen, so if you’re up for something completely different (or doing A levels this year as it’s on the curriculum) then The Rondo is the place to be.

Philip Horton

Review | The Realistic Joneses The Ustinov Studio This is a complex show, both funny and moving whilst brilliantly quirky, expertly performed by a cast of four.

Set in a suburban backyard where Bob and Jennifer Jones, and their new neighbours, John and Pony Jones, find they have more in common than their identical homes and last name.

The couples find they are drawn to each other and their desperate attempts to connect evolve into

a funny, intimate and profound meditation on life.

There is huge warmth and humour in Will Eno’s script. The curious conversations reveal so much about the difficulties of relationships and whilst we all have the need to connect, for some it is almost in code.

Directed with precision by Simon Evans with an excellent set from Peter McKintosh; Bob (Corey Johnson) and Jennifer (Sharon

Small) create a painful yet loving older married couple whose lives are changing. They fight to cope with the shifting circumstances and find an element of irritation and attraction to new neighbours Pony (Clare Foster) and John (Jack Laskey.)

It is unsurprising that this play has won awards on Broadway.

There is something hugely engaging in the sparse but vital exchanges. The reality of the

Coming up this week in Bath (18/02 - 23/02) Post Poetry with Tim Liardet

The Holburne Museum 19th February, 6.15pm Explore the ‘democratisation of poetry’ and look at poetry’s robust capacity to withstand immense change, looking at the effects of social media and the internet in general.

Bath Bachfest

Photo © Simon Annand

difficulty of small talk and the short sharp pain when humour is missed feels very familiar.

Whilst there is a feeling of watching time just passing, much is revealed in the silence and star gazing.

Whilst the Ustinov head towards a change in leadership over the coming months, it will without question remain a treasure trove for though provoking and challenging theatre.

On the way in Bath next week (24/02 - 01/03)

Prior Park Mansion Tours

Mat Osman of Suede

The Bear

Prior Park - National Trust 19th February The mansion built for Ralph Allen in the 1730s is now a private school. They are opening their doors for a day and giving guided tours of this Georgian building full of history. Booking essential.

Petra Schofield

Toppings Bookshop 25th February, 8pm Mat Osman is the bassist and founding member of the iconic British Rock band Suede. The Ruins is Osman’s debut novel and is a dark and dreamlike story of identity, ambition and music.

The egg theatre 26th - 29th February The story of a little girl who befriends a mischievous polar bear, this playful, funny and heart-warming tale is one of imagination and growing up. Dazzling puppetry, music and dozens of laughs.

Various Locations 20th - 22nd February This year marks the 70th Anniversary of predecessor, the Bath Bach Festival by Cuthbert Bates. The 2020 programme features international groups and soloists who are regular visitors to Bachfest.

Chapel Arts Centre 20th February, 8pm One of Scotland’s most popular bands return to Bath . This year their show will be featuring songs from their latest album “Hearth & Homeland”. With great banter and tongue in cheek humour.

North Sea Gas

St Swithin's Spring Concert

The Handful Chamber Choir

Winter Tree ID Walk

The Cat and The Canary

Soul Of A Woman

Sunset Skyline Walk

Dyrham Park 23rd February, 2pm Learn a new skill by joining a tree expert to identify native British trees through bark and buds. You'll receive a guide to tree identification to take home.

Booking essential.

Theatre Royal Bath 24th - 29th February Twenty years after the death of a rich eccentric, his descendants gather at his mansion to learn who will inherit his vast fortune and hidden jewels. At midnight, the family lawyer opens the will.

St Swithin's Church 28th February, 7.30pm Enjoy the beautiful setting of the beautiful Georgian Church and listen to Bath Spa University Music Students perform some well known classics. A real treat for classical concertgoers.

The Forum, Bath 29th February, 7.30pm Celebrating the inspirational and iconic female voices of soul’s hall of fame.

Emotive, enchanting and evocative, the whole evening promises exquisite entertainment from opening to encore.

St Mary’s Church, Bathwick 29th February, 7.30pm Advance, Democracy! is a hot-blooded exhortation to advance political change from an idealistic young composer, and a piece of unabashed political propaganda.

Bath Skyline 1st March, 2pm Soak up the glory of the Bath Skyline on an informative and atmospheric ranger-led six mile guided walk.

Learn all about nature conservation and the history of Bath along the way.

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Community Paralympic star urges swimmers to ‘go for gold’ with 2020 Swimathon

Nominations open for ‘Young Stars Awards’

PARALYMPIC swimmer and gold medallist Bethany Firth is calling on people across the Bath area to take the plunge and sign up for Swimathon 2020, in aid of Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie.

The swimming star is urging people of all ages and abilities to take part in the sponsored event. It will be taking place at swimming pools in Somerset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and across the UK. Bethany clinched three gold medals at the Rio 2016 Paralympics and one gold at the London 2012 Paralympics. She is going for glory at the Tokyo Paralympics this August.

With the countdown to Tokyo well underway, Bethany is calling on landlubbers and water babies alike to take inspiration from Team GB’s medal hopefuls and ‘go for gold’ in their own way, by raising vital funds for charity.

With a variety of distances from 400m all the way up to the Triple 5k, Swimathon offers a challenge for everyone. People can participate individually or as part of a team.

The big Swimathon weekend takes place over the weekend of 27th-29th March at pools across the South West.

If swimmers can’t make one of the organised sessions, they can sign up to MySwimathon, which takes place from 20th March to 5th April, and choose a time and venue that suits them.

Bethany took time out from train-

NOMINATIONS have opened for the ‘Young Stars Awards’, a celebration of extraordinary young people from across Bath & North East Somerset, which will be held at The Apex Hotel on Saturday 2nd May. The inaugural event took place in March last year and was such a success that organisers, Tim and Toni Warren, knew it could not be a one-off event.

This year’s sparkling red-carpet awards will be hosted by local charity St John’s Foundation, which is inviting friends, family members, teachers, charities and community groups to nominate children who have displayed selfless and courageous acts, so they may be recognised and treated like a star for a night.

Louise Harvey, Director at St John’s Foundation, said “We applaud Tim and Toni’s dedication to the Awards and the effort they put in to the event happen.

“St John’s is delighted to be hosting this now annual celebration and we look forward to giving our young finalists an evening they will never forget.”

Nominations can be submitted online at www.stjohnsbath.org. uk/young-stars-awards/ until Friday 28th February, at which point the panel of judges will have the task of selecting three finalists from each of the six categories: Courage, Creativity, Kind-

ing to support Swimathon, inspired by her mum, Lindsey Firth who is recovering from thyroid cancer.

Bethany said: “It was a terrible shock when mum was diagnosed with cancer in 2018.

She has been such a source of strength and support for me throughout my life and career.

“It was a very difficult time but thankfully her treatment was successful and I’m so grateful that she’s getting back to full health.

“My mum’s experience means our family understand all too clearly why events such as Swimathon are so vital to support the work of charities like Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie.”

Bethany is keen to emphasise you don’t need to be a super swimmer to take part in Swimathon.

Bethany said: “Swimathon is such a fun and simple way to encourage people to dip their toe in the water and get swimming – all while supporting two incredible charities.

“It really doesn’t matter if you’re not the fittest or the fastest. I hope swimmers young and old, new and experienced will dive in and help thousands of families affected by cancer.

“The dedicated fundraisers who support these important causes

Bethany Firth with her medals Image © Brian Thompson Photography

are the real heroes.”

Swimathon, which is the world’s biggest annual swimming fundraiser, has raised more than £52m for charities since it began in 1986.

Alison Birkett, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for South West, said: “Whether you’re a champion swimmer or prefer to stick to the shallow end, there’s a Swimathon challenge for all – we hope everyone will grab their caps and costumes and sign up now.

“There are lots of great benefits to taking part, not least the chance to enjoy the water while raising money for causes which are close to the hearts of so many. Each length participants swim will help make a difference to people affected by cancer.”

To sign up to Swimathon 2020, visit swimathon.org.

ness, Education, Sport and Unsung Hero.

All finalists will receive three complimentary tickets to the awards Gala Dinner and gift vouchers to go towards the purchase of their red-carpet outfits.

Awards founder, Toni Warren, shared her experience of judging last year’s nominees: “When we created the Young Stars Awards we wanted to discover and recognise the incredible children and young people in Bath & North East Somerset who have achieved great things in the face of adversity or personal challenges, and last year we read over 70 heart-rending and humbling stories of the selfless and courageous acts by these very special young people.

“It wasn’t easy to select finalists as they were all so deserving, but the experience demonstrated this was just the beginning of the Young Stars story.”

The red-carpet event is open to Bath & North East Somerset residents, and tickets include a three-course meal and live entertainment. To nominate your young star and/or to book your tickets to the Awards on Saturday 2nd May, visit www.stjohnsbath. org.uk/young-stars-awards or contact St John’s Foundation on 01225 486400. Nominations close on Friday 28th February.

Hive Community Centre awarded £63k

Designability set to help more people thanks to new workshop

PEASEDOWN St John’s new Hive Community Centre has been awarded a total of £63,000 in funding, thanks to a series of grants from several organisations.

The village’s former youth centre is now run by a team of volunteers, from both the local community and churches, and on Saturday 8th February the Centre will be open between 10.00 – 13.00 for all residents to see the facilities available and for the team to hear from people about the kind of activities they would like to see happening.

Last month, Bath & North East Somerset Council announced that they were giving a 30-year lease to the new group to run the building, which will include 2 sessions of open-access youth work each week for teenagers.

Steering group Chair, Joy Fraser, said: “Our vision is to be the cen-

BATH-BASED charity Designability has relocated their production to a bigger workshop on Wells Road, in a move which will enable them to help even more children and adults living with a disability.

Designability had previously split their workshop activity between another location in the city and a small workshop space at their main offices based at the Royal United Hospital.

Martin Rouse, workshop manager at Designability, said: “This marks the start of an exciting new chapter for Designability. We have had much of our machinery and production activity based at the hospital since 1987.

“Our production work has grown significantly over time, forcing us to seek external workspace in 2015, followed by additional external storage.

“This larger workshop will allow

tre for excellence for community activities and events in Peasedown St John and surrounding areas and to be the first choice for those planning activities, events, training and meetings.

“We want to provide a safe environment in which members of the community of Peasedown St John, of all ages, can be encouraged to realise their maximum potential. And now, thanks to a starting budget of £63,000 we are well on our way to achieving this!

“Some of the funding is for core staffing costs, and the rest is for the building.”

Later in the spring, Bath and North East Somerset Council will be transferring the building as a Community Asset Transfer to the Hive Management Committee.

The Hive Community Centre is located next to Peasedown St John Primary School on Bath Road.

us to concentrate all our workshop activities, giving us far more space to build Wizzybugs for young children, engineer prototypes for new products and test and manufacture our new designs.” The charity is best known for their Wizzybug powered wheelchair which they have designed for children under 5 who are living with a disability.

To date, they have built 868 in Bath, most of which have been provided to families in the UK free of charge through a charitably-funded loan scheme.

They also ship some Wizzybugs abroad to distributors in countries including France, Israel, Norway, Canada and Australia who then ensure they reach the children who could benefit.

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Life-saving device installed at Peasedown St John library PEASEDOWN St John’s community library has only been open for 3 months, and now, thanks to the support of a local councillor, is home to an essential life-saving device.

A defibrillator has been installed on the exterior wall of Peasedown Library at St John’s Close, positioned facing the car park entrance for maximum visibility for both residents, passers-by and visitors to the area.

Used to help people suffering a cardiac arrest, as the name suggests, defibrillation stops fibrillation, the trembling that a person’s heart muscles can adopt during a cardiac arrest.

A defibrillator works by using a high-voltage (around 200–1,000

volts) to pass an electric current through the heart so it stops working, and is then shocked into beating normally again at the correct rate.

The installation of the machine has been funded by Cllr Sarah Bevan (Independent, Peasedown St John) through her Ward Councillor’s Empowerment Fund.

Sarah said: “In the UK, figures show that approximately 200 people a day suffer an unexpected cardiac arrest, with the chances of survival increasing by 50% with early defibrillation.

“For every minute that passes the chances of survival decrease by more than 20%.

“Defibrillators therefore need to be as common as fire extinguish-

Young friends to take on Julian House’s Big Bath Sleep-Out ON Friday 6th March, young friends Ben Ashman and Ruby Roberts from Paulton will be returning for the second time to take on the 11th Big Bath SleepOut. The pair will help raise vital funds to support local men and women suffering from homelessness.

After taking on Julian House’s challenge last year and raising over £250, the pair are returning with Ruby’s mum, Helena, to sleep out again for one night in Alice Park to help support the growing number of men and women suffering from homelessness across the local area.

Of her involvement in the event, 10-year-old Ruby said: “I like helping people and I feel that people don’t realise that homeless people are just as important and special as we are.

“Last year I found sleeping out fine but obviously I only did one night, and the weather wasn’t actually too bad.

“By taking part before, it has helped me explain to others how lucky we are to have a roof and walls every night.”

Last year, the charity provided life-changing support to over 1,400 vulnerable individuals who were suffering from, or at risk of, homelessness across Bath, Bristol and the South West.

Without support like Julian House, the life expectancy of a long term homeless person is just 45 years.

Event organiser, Jessica Gay, said “Everyone who has done it before will tell you what a memorable experience it is.

It’s a challenge for sure, but one that will see Ben and Ruby making a real tangible difference. We’re so pleased they are returning to support us again.”

“Of course, no-one is under any illusion that spending one cold night in Alice Park could possibly come close to the stark reality of being homeless and sleeping on the streets.

“People taking part in the Big Bath Sleep-Out may be cold and a little wet. However, the next morning people taking part can go home, have a warm bath, a cooked breakfast, chat to family and friends about their experience or just catch up on lost sleep.

“The big difference for people who are forced to sleep rough is that they don’t have that option.”

You can support Ben and Ruby and the charity by donating to their Just Giving page at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/helena-roberts6.

The charity is inviting people across Bath to join Ben, Ruby and Helena at its 11th Big Bath Sleep-Out for a truly memorable experience with family and friends.

You can sign up to the event for free at www.bigbathsleepout. co.uk or by emailing Events Organiser Jessica Gay via jessica.gay@julianhouse.org.uk.

ers in all public places and work places.

“This location at Peasedown Community Library is an ideal place for the machine.

“Residents visit the building regularly, which is situated in a sheltered housing area with a high percentage of people living over the age of 70 living nearby.”

The defibrillator was installed

by Arcs and Sparks Electricians, with the kind permission of Curo Homes, the owners of the building. Library Operations Manager, Cllr Karen Walker (Independent, Peasedown St John) added: “We held a training session last Monday, which enabled our library volunteers to find out how the defibrillator works, should they

need to use it in an emergency.

“As well as providing access to over 2 million books, Peasedown

Community Library can now give those suffering a heart attack life-saving help too!”

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Business Airbnb bosses coming to Bath as company plans regulation Stephen Sumner

Local Democracy Reporter

AIRBNB bosses are coming to Bath as they draw up ideas for new controls on short-term rentals.

The move looks like an olive branch from the platform to appease critics – concerns have been raised over the safety of the properties on offer, and about the impact on traditional B&Bs, hotels and the housing market.

The firm says it wants to develop a registration system that “works for everyone and makes communities stronger”.

Speaking at a council debate on short-term lets in September 2018, hotelier Jonathan Stapleton said Bath had failed to address the “explosion” of Airbnb and argued steps should to be taken to create a level playing field.

Visit Somerset chief executive John Turner claimed the platform employs technology to keep its prices artificially low to “destroy” the competition.

Bath Independent Guest Houses Association chairman Harry Tedstone said the spread of shortterm rentals was leaving residents unable to find homes they can afford to live in.

Others have complained about so-called party houses that can sleep large numbers of people and are popular with rowdy hen and stag dos.

Calling for tighter controls in July 2018, then councillor Joe Rayment said short-term letting sites

like as Airbnb were good for tourism and consumers but that they had not been regulated and the system was being abused.

Matt McCabe, a councillor who has a holiday let, said Airbnb had become a “dirty word” and its moves toward regulation were positive.

He had to get planning permission when he converted an outbuilding and has to carry out regular safety checks, but said the same does not necessarily apply to people who rent out single rooms.

“It’s not about punishing people who rent out spare rooms or jump through these hoops,” he said. “It’s for those people who are abusing the system.

“For properties used as holiday lets when the owner is not in residence, I would like to see them subject to planning permission.

That would require some national input.

“It would give residents some say in what happens in their communities again.”

Airbnb has introduced some controls – it was the first platform to automatically restrict how often London hosts can share their homes to support the local 90day hosting limit.

There have been calls for a similar limit in Bath, but also questions about how it could be enforced.

Airbnb is meeting with policymakers, city leaders and hosts across the country to help it develop recommendations for a “clear, modern and simple” registration system that will be

Airbnb allows people to let out properties or spare rooms | Image © AngieYeoh / Shutterstock.com

presented to the Government in June.

Patrick Robinson, the firm’s director of public policy, said: “We want to be good partners to cities and work together on a clear and simple host registration system that works for everyone and makes communities stronger.

“Airbnb has long led the way on home sharing rules in London.

Now we want to work with cities across the UK on proposals that work for them too.”

Dr Marina Novelli, a professor of

tourism and international development, said: “Airbnb has a desire to develop its relationships with local communities and work with government, policy makers and city leaders to develop a host registration system that is accessible and effective.

“This project allows us to explore all the options available.”

An Airbnb spokesman previously said: “The vast majority of hosts in Bath are regular people who occasionally share their homes to boost their income and support

their families – they are not typically businesses or professionals.

“The typical host in the South West earns around £3,400 a year and shares their space for 32 nights a year.

“We are committed to working with local authorities and communities to address any concerns they may have, as well as supporting the responsible and sustainable growth of innovative forms of tourism in Bath.”

The roadshow will come to Bath and Bristol in March.

Shops thanked for backing B&NES Agency relocates to Council’s ‘Shut the Door’ campaign Bath after record growth BATH & North East Somerset Council has said a big ‘thank you’ to more than 130 shops and businesses across Bath for backing a simple energy-saving scheme asking them to shut their doors.

The ‘Shut the Door’ campaign encourages high street businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and cut their energy bills.

Its aim is to get shops, restaurants and cafés to keep their doors closed during the working day to save energy and is supported by Bath and North East Somerset Council and Bath BID. Over a four-day period, the Bath BID team visited 210 businesses in central Bath to encourage them to join the campaign.

The vast majority took a sticker to place in their windows to advertise that they are still open for customers although their doors are closed.

Raising awareness of ‘Shut the Door’ will continue in Keynsham,

Radstock and remaining areas of Bath over the next couple of weeks with as many businesses being visited as possible.

Cllr Sarah Warren, cabinet member for Climate Emergency, said: “The Shut the Door campaign has had an overwhelmingly positive response so far and I’d like to the thank the shops, cafés and restaurants that have been enthusiastic about the idea. Studies have shown that closing the door doesn’t have a detrimental effect on profits and not only saves businesses money on their fuel bills, but also allows them to take real action in helping to tackle the climate emergency.

“I hope many more businesses across Bath and North East Somerset will adopt a closed-door policy if they haven’t done so before now.”

One of the first businesses to back the idea was Eve Beddows, team leader at Tea Too in New Bond Street, who said: “We have our doors closed as much as possible.

When we have the heating on we close the door so energy isn’t wasted. All businesses across the country need to be on board with this initiative.”

Allison Herbert, CEO of Bath BID said: “When visiting premises in Bath, our representative had a lot of people say that they had heard of the scheme before she had barely started to speak.

“The words, nods of approval and number of people who say they support the idea far outweighs those who do not. It’s great to see that our local businesses are switched on to not only reducing their own costs but also their carbon footprint.”

ONE of the UK’s fastest growing communications agencies has relocated to new premises in Bath, following a period of record growth.

Clearly PR & Marketing Communications has taken up residence on Bath’s Saville Row, having previously been based in Bradford-on-Avon.

The business offers public relations, content marketing and social media services.

The move to central Bath capitalises on a three-fold increase in revenues for the firm in 2019.

Clearly’s expansion also includes the recent hiring of two senior communications professionals.

Ben Veal has been appointed as Associate Director, while Tommy Gibbs has come on board as part of the business’ senior team.

Paul MacKenzie-Cummins, founder and managing director at Clearly PR & Marketing Communications, said: “Over the past six years, we have established a

strong reputation for tenaciously and enthusiastically delivering results, and our rapid growth has surpassed our own ambitious goals. 2020 is already shaping up to be a landmark year for Clearly, and our move to prominent premises on Bath’s Saville Row is the latest step in our story – we are now in a location that gives us the opportunity to scale even more, and we are proud to be part of Bath’s vibrant business community.

“What sets us apart is our hunger for headlines, coupled with our excellent team of in-house creative writers who can turn their hand to anything. We are passionate about enabling organisations to be seen, read and heard by the people who matter most to them.”

Ben Veal added: “Clearly’s mission is simple: to provide a level of quality and service that we would want if we were clients ourselves.”

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Community charity Bath City Farm Bath Racecourse benefits from £4000 donation offering free tickets FUNDRAISERS at Bath City Farm have welcomed a donation of £4000 from local business HPH Commercial Property, with the money set to be spent on improving health and safety at the site.

The farm, based in Twerton, is a free visitor attraction and supports members of the community who are experiencing hardship, such as ill-health, social isolation or unemployment.

The money donated will be used to improve the health and safety of the site, including installing a new handwashing station.

Farm Manager, Helen Fisher said: “HPH have been a big support over the past year.

“Being chosen as HPH’s charity of the year for 2019 has enabled us to replace the animal enclosures thanks to their donation of materials and expertise. Now with this generous donation, we are able to install new handwashing facilities. I was not expecting an additional donation of £4,000 at

the end of this sponsorship so this really is fantastic news.”

Bath City Farm improved the quality of life for over 700 people last year through a range of targeted projects in animal care, horticulture and catering.

Aimed at supporting adults with complex health and social needs and improving the lives of children facing adversity, the projects run by the farm grow confidence and teach new skills.

Lindsay Holdoway, Managing Director of HPH Commercial Property, said: “As a Bath-based company we aim to support the local community in a variety of ways, and this delivery to Bath City Farm will help the charity to continue its excellent work.”

Helen added: “We would like to thank HPH for all of their support.

Having the backing of local businesses is really important to us.”

BATH Racecourse is offering free tickets to their first horse racing fixture of the 2020 season on Monday 30th March, with four complimentary tickets up for grabs per household.

Anyone, local or from further afield, can register for up to four complimentary tickets per household and experience live horse racing at the Lansdown venue. As well as seven races on the day for people to enjoy, there’ll be plenty of food and drink available whilst people soak up the atmosphere as the horses thunder down the home straight and across the finish line.

Maddie Difazio-Wright, Acting General Manager at Bath Racecourse, said: “We wanted to start our exciting 2020 racing season with a bang, so thought a Free Raceday would be a great opportunity for people to enjoy a fantastic day at the races without the cost of buying a ticket!

“The free entry tickets are available to anyone – regular

customers as well as people who’d like to experience a day at the races for the first time.

“Looking ahead, we’ve got a brilliant line-up of events planned for this year, including indie-rock band the Kaiser Chiefs live on Friday 5 June, our highly anticipated Ladies Day on Saturday 13 June and Super Cider Saturday with The Wurzels in August.

“We hope that people who come racing for free might even fancy coming back again for another great day out.”

Anyone can claim their free tickets in advance by visiting bath-racecourse.co.uk/whatson/free-raceday.

A maximum of four tickets are available per household. There are also a variety of upgrade options available including hospitality and access to the exclusive Roof Garden.

Free tickets and upgrades must be claimed by midnight on Sunday 29th March.

Much-loved pub Pig & Fiddle reopens after refurbishment BUTCOMBE Brewery has fully reopened the Pig & Fiddle in Bath after a refurbishment.

The back bar has been redesigned with timber and metal tubing with a nod to modern après ski.

There’s new built-in seating with dining height tables, mid-century styled accent lounge chairs and statement pendant lighting.

The walls have been refreshed with chalky tones of taupe and

heritage greens.

New standing height shelving has been built and the floors stripped, polished and finished off with vintage rugs.

An eclectic collection of contemporary artwork, antique mirrors and curios decorate the walls. The loos have also been treated to a revamp.

Gemma Hampton, Operations Manager, Butcombe Brewery

said: “We’re delighted with the new look Pig. The heart and the soul of this much-loved pub has remained untouched but we’ve subtly brought it up to date and it’s now much more in keeping with our sister property the Broad Street Townhouse next door.”

The reopening of the Pig & Fiddle coincides with the launch of their new menu and a daily breakfast offering.

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Politics Bath congestion zone mooted to fund new regional transport Stephen Sumner

Local Democracy Reporter

DRIVERS entering Bath could one day have to pay a congestion charge, on top of the clean air zone bill that will be levied on many dirty vehicles.

Paying to park at work and council tax hikes are also being considered to plug a £6billion black hole in funding for new infrastructure across the region.

The West of England’s new joint local transport plan (JLTP4) says upgrades of existing road and rail networks and a slew of new schemes are essential to make the region carbon neutral by 2030.

The 20-year wishlist calls for better public transport between Bristol and Bath, a new train station at Saltford, a new park and ride on the east of Bath, and improvements to walking and cycling.

But it is unclear how much of it is deliverable.

The total cost will be £8.9million, or up to £600million a year.

The previous plan saw £500million spent on infrastructure in seven years, which is itself described as a significant achievement.

The JLTP4 says the investment is necessary to cut car use, but will require a “step change” in funding to provide transformational infrastructure and it is unrealistic to assume central government will plug the £6billion gap.

Options for securing the necessary funding include congestion charges to drive into specific areas, using income from clean air zone charges, a workplace parking levy and increasing council tax.

Bath and Bristol are both introducing clean air zone charges to cut illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide in the cities, with daily fees for the worst polluting vehicles – but not cars.

The JLTP4 says: “The introduction of charging mechanisms, such as road pricing covering the Bristol and Bath urban areas, would raise a significant amount of revenue.

“This would help fill the funding gap and raise revenue for infrastructure delivery, but would be extremely challenging to deliver.

“Phasing will need to be considered carefully in order to ensure that effective alternatives to private car use are implemented in tandem with the roll-out of any charging mechanism.”

The idea of congestion charges were popular in last year’s JLTP4 consultation.

What new infrastructure is proposed?

Mass transit The JLTP4 says a mass transit network could dramatically improve journey times across the Bristol and Bath urban areas, and take passengers from central Bristol to Bristol Airport within 15 minutes.

The network will be complemented by metrobus, the new bus network in Bristol.

The JLTP4 says a mass transit system for Bath is part of the solution to reduce congestion, ease traffic pollution and re-energise the economy.

“Through further detailed technical work, the major role trams could play in helping to meet the future growth and transport needs of the city, and improved connectivity with Bristol, will be established.”

All key routes within Bath will be considered, including: • A367 Odd Down • Newbridge – either along the A4 or A36 integrating with the new rapid transit corridor between bath and Bristol • Lansdown from the north of Bath • A4 from the east of Bath.

Bath Trams spokesman David Andrews commended metro mayor Tim Bowles for including trams in the plan as an alternative to rubber-tyred buses.

But he said it was a pity a metrobus extension was being mooted between Bath and Keynsham, saying it had been “well proven that buses cannot attract car drivers out of their cars, whereas trams can”.

Many of the buses across the region, including metrobus, are run

by First West of England. Managing director James Freeman said:

“If we are to maintain the quality of life in Bath and North East Somerset, we are going to need some decisive action to tackle to appalling congestion that is more and more blighting not just the city of Bath but the whole area.

“This will need more priority devoted to public transport on the street, coupled with the encouragement of walking and yes, even in Bath, cycling.

“We welcome the stated desire to see the development of a rapid transit system not just between Bath and Bristol along the A4 corridor but also within the city.

“While there may well be ambitions for rail-based solutions on the street, buses can actually meet these needs perfectly well as long as they have proper priority. This plan points the way towards some radical solutions and we welcome it.”

Transport campaigner Dave Redgewell said the plan had too little emphasis on getting people out of their cars and onto public transport.

New roads Chief among the new roads proposed for Bath and North East Somerset is the South East Bristol Orbital Corridor, which would connect the A4 to the A37.

Its inclusion has sparked disappointment from campaigners who rallied against it.

South Bristol Wrong Road founder Faye Dicker said the 1,600 people who objected in the JLTP consultation “were not being listened to”.

She said: “At a time of a climate emergency, it is a backwards step to destroy valuable green belt and build more roads. We all know, more roads, bring more traffic.

“We want to see an end to the whole ring road concept through green fields at enormous cost in financial and community terms.”

Ms Dicker said the next JLTP should bring radical changes to mass transit, through light rail and the use of trams powered by green energy, along with better walking and cycling options.

The plan says: “There is poor infrastructure and public transport service facilitating orbital movements around south east Bristol

Traffic in Bath | Photo © 1000 Words / Shutterstock.com

and the surrounding area.

“The lack of any orbital connection is forcing people to drive along the A4 and use unsuitable local roads in residential areas.

This adds more traffic to the already heavily congested A4.

“This is preventing us from reallocating road space to transformational and sustainable modes such as Mass Transit and other low carbon travel options.

“Comments received through the JLTP consultation raised concerns that residents felt that plans are well developed, however only initial modelling options have been assessed at this stage and we have much more to do, in consultation with the local community, to develop the plans and any future infrastructure solutions further.”

The JLTP also refers to a new Saltford bypass, but further work will be done to assess options for bus priority on the approaches to the village before a decision is made.

Rail New train stations will be considered at Saltford, along with Charfield, St Annes Park, Saltford, Ashton Gate and Constable Road, and there could be new rail links to Thornbury, Pilning and Bristol Airport.

Saltford station is described in the plan as an “early investment schemes under development”.

Park and rides The JLTP4 says: “We support the concept of a ring of park and ride locations around the urban areas, to help tackle traffic and air quali-

ty problems in central areas.

“In Bath, the priority is to intercept traffic on the A4 corridor to the east of the city.

“We will promote further expansion and improvement of the existing park and ride sites at Newbridge, Lansdown and Odd Down.

“We will deliver the Freezing Hill junction upgrade and improvements at two other junctions along the route between the A420 and Lansdown park and ride.”

A new park and ride could be built in Whitchurch, and another is being mooted south of Hicks Gate junction to replace the existing Brislington park and ride.

Cycling “Completion of a continuous and integrated network of strategic cycle routes, comprising key corridors and cross city routes, complemented by improved permeability and investment in public realm in the city centre.

“This network will connect key destinations across the Bath urban area.

“Local routes will be improved and integrated into the strategic network as part of ongoing programmes.

“Bath city centre is in a natural ‘bowl’ with steep slopes into the city centre from the north and south.

“This is likely to constrain the attractiveness of cycling from the north and south, and the primary opportunities will be on eastwest corridors in the city.”

Conference discusses increasing generation of regional energy THE region’s community energy sector has come together with local authorities who have declared a climate emergency to consider their role in helping to deliver new targets for renewable energy.

Bath & North East Somerset Council hosted more than 90 people from community and public sector organisations at the Wessex Community Energy Network Conference on 5th Feb-

ruary at the Guildhall, discussing how to increase the amount of community-owned renewable generation across the Wessex area to help tackle the climate emergency.

Community energy describes renewable energy projects such as solar panels mounted on schools and free-standing wind turbines that are owned by residents, often those living in the areas close to the generation site.

People buy a share in the scheme, have a say in the project and re-invest surplus income earned from energy generation back to projects in the local area.

Councillor Sarah Warren, B&NES Council's cabinet member for Climate Emergency, opened the conference.

She said: “It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to host this timely conference about renewable energy generation, one of

the three priority areas in our Climate Emergency plan.

“As well as learning about what is happening in our neighbouring authority areas, it was also good to be able to share our own experiences of working together with the community energy companies with whom the council has cooperation agreements – Bath & West Community Energy and Keynsham Community Energy.

“It was great to see lots of ener-

getic conversation and networking between the attendees.”

Pete West, secretary of the Wessex Community Energy Network said: “It is very important that local authorities work with the wider community on tackling our climate emergency – the greatest threat we face today as Sir David Attenborough recently stated.

“We believe that community energy groups can play an important role in this process.”

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Council leaders admit confusion over “mass transit" meaning Adam Postans

Local Democracy Reporter

THE leaders of two West councils have demanded to know what “mass transit” actually means for the region after complaining the lack of information is sowing widespread confusion.

North Somerset Council’s Don Davies said everything from underground trains and trams to jetpacks and cable cars had been mooted, leaving residents with potentially unrealistic expectations and creating a vacuum for lobby groups to exploit.

Cllr Davies was joined by Bath & North East Somerset Council leader Dine Romero who said details were needed urgently.

The pair spoke out at a recent meeting of the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) committee as they, along with Bristol mayor Marvin Rees, South Gloucestershire Council leader Toby Savage and metro mayor Tim Bowles approved the next stage of the region’s mass transit project.

Consultants will be appointed by next month to produce a strategic outline business case to nail down what is feasible and where funding gaps remain, following a lengthy tendering process that began last year.

They will examine options in the

latest version of the Joint Local Transport Plan, published in January, an £8.9billion wishlist of projects for completion by 2036 to transform how people move around the region.

It includes a £2.5billion mass transit system that envisages four major routes branching out from central Bristol to the north, south and east of the city and to Bath.

There is also the possibility of underground trains, although on-street trams and light rail are preferred.

Cllr Davies said: “I very much welcome this proposal but there is a vacuum.

“Because nobody is saying what it might be, lots of people are saying what they think it will be.

“There are certain lobbies on rail, bus, tram, underground, cable car.

“There are lots of options – even rocket packs on the back – but until we start to fill that with some level of vision of what we think is achievable then either it’s the same old, same old or people’s expectations are too high and then they will be disappointed.

“So I really welcome the idea that we get some vision very quickly of what might be achievable, and that those things will be relatively practical given the geology of the area.

“We need to get something out of what we are actually considering for mass transit because I really

The Docklands Light Railway in London is an example of a light rail system

don’t know what they are.”

Cllr Romero said: “It would be of particular interest to most people to know what really is meant by ‘mass transit’.

“I appreciate this is commissioning a piece of work looking at strategy but I would like some reassurance of exactly when such a definition could be made clearer.”

West of England mayor Tim Bowles told the meeting on January 31: “There is work going on about how we agree and conclude that piece of work so we can start sharing more about our vision in terms of what this means.

“That work is going on between the unitary authorities at the mo-

Government has “no plans" to reintroduce Severn crossing tolls Stephen Sumner

Local Democracy Reporter

THE Government has said it has “no plans” to reintroduce tolls on the Severn crossings after details of a possible congestion charge emerged.

The West of England’s 16-year transport plan said there had been a major impact on the road since the fees to cross into Wales were scrapped in December 2018 after being in place for 50 years.

It floats the idea of “demand-management measures, such as charging measures and controls”, on both sides of the Severn.

West of England mayor Tim Bowles denied there were plans to reintroduce tolls on the crossings themselves, and said he would oppose any such charge.

He said: “Scrapping the tolls on the Severn Bridges has removed a barrier to our economy and opened up opportunities for businesses in the West of England and South Wales to grow and thrive.

“Removing the tolls was the right thing to do.

“There are no plans suggesting that tolls or any other form of charging on the bridges will be reintroduced and I would be

ment and that will come forward very soon.

“We are looking to appoint that consultant who’s going to do that really detailed work to help us look at what those real options are in terms of delivering that.”

South Gloucestershire Council leader Toby Savage said it was essential that answers were found urgently to Bristol ring road’s chronic congestion following First Bus managing director James Freeman’s open letter last month bemoaning the problems facing the metrobus system.

In the letter, Mr Freeman said the £230million of public money spent on the project had been

Charity calls on B&NES Council to declare “ecological emergency" Stephen Sumner

Local Democracy Reporter

Fees to cross into Wales were scrapped in December 2018 | Image © Google

strongly opposed to any such charge.”

The joint local transport plan – the West of England’s transport blueprint up to 2036 – said scrapping the Severn Bridge tolls was likely to increase delays on already congested roads, and there could be knock-on impacts on public transport.

“Charges and controls” were mooted to tackle the issues, including a congestion charge, but no timescales were given and there was no detail on how any charges would be levied.

The Weca spokesperson said councils are considering conges-

tion charges, not the combined authority, and it has “no power” over decisions made by Highways England.

A UK Government spokesperson added: “The UK Government has no plans to reintroduce tolls or charges on the Severn Crossings.

“We removed the tolls to boost business, enhance inward investment, increase tourism and create jobs on both sides of the Severn. Since their abolition, motorists are collectively saving hundreds of thousands of pounds per day and travel between Wales and south west England has been made easier.”

“largely wasted” because the buses were getting stuck in roadworks and jams.

Cllr Savage told the meeting: “I’m pleased that because of decisions we have taken and funding we have already said is available that we can move forward with that technical, modelling piece of work to understand what the issues and options are for the ring road as a matter of urgency so we can begin to address the concerns.”

Weca has allocated £1.5million for the mass transit study, which will take about a year to complete before more detailed options are considered.

A WILDLIFE expert has warned that the rapid decline of hedgehogs could pose as big a threat to human beings as greenhouse gases heating up the atmosphere.

Avon Wildlife Trust chief executive Ian Barrett delivered a stark message as he called on Bath and North East Somerset Council to declare an “ecological emergency”.

The authority has already declared a climate emergency and is ramping up efforts to be carbon neutral by 2030. The pledge included opposition to the expansion of Bristol Airport and the application was thrown out by North Somerset Council on Monday. But speaking at the council’s cabinet meeting on 13th February, Mr Barrett said the climate and ecological emergencies are linked and nature needs defending in its own right.

“What is happening to wildlife and ecosystems around the world is truly shocking,” he said.

“We’ve lost 60 per cent of populations of wild vertebrates worldwide since 1970. We’ve lost 95

per cent of hedgehogs since the 1950s. We no longer see bugs on our windscreens when we drive in the summer.”

Mr Barrett said the issues do not just matter to wildlife lovers: “We rely on functioning ecosystems for our air, water, health, quality of life, food and economy.

“So, if we manage to transition to a zero-carbon economy and fix the climate crisis, but our ecosystems collapse, we still face an existential threat to our future.

“The council’s current strategy talks about the natural emergency, but the priorities and actions set out are all about carbon.

“This is only half of the solution.”

He said the council is already doing a lot of work on ecology, through projects like Bathscape, which is revitalising the landscape, and through its woodland strategy. Leadership in this area will help to establish momentum nationally and regionally, bringing more focus to the action needed to save our natural environment for people and wildlife.

“Declaring an ecological emergency is a small step, but could provide a crucial rallying point for action to save our natural environment for people and wildlife.”

22

Puzzles

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Crossword

Across 9 Cliff face (9) 10 South American ruminant (5) 11 One who shapes metal (5) 12 Rhizome (9) 13 Telegraph messages (9) 14 Government supremo in a specified policy area (4) 18 See (7) 20 Uproarious (7) 21 Vex (4) 22 Caused by overexposure on a hot day (9) 26 Musical note (9) 28 Inexpensive (5) 29 Type of male (5) 30 Cut off (9)

Tuesday, 18th February 2020

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Codeword

Down 1 Sudden convulsion (5) 2 Type of military flag (10) 3 Made more restrictive (9) 4 Reflecting surface (6) 5 Progressive (8) 6 Utter joy (5) 7 Western pact (1,1,1,1) 8 Cold weather personified (4,5) 15 Retailer (10) 16 Fencer (9) 17 Eighty (9) 19 Memento (8) 23 Perspiring (6) 24 German submarine (1-4) 25 Malice (5) 27 Charts (4)

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23

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In Other News....

Concerns raised over violence against public transport staff Adam Postans

Local Democracy Reporter

A COACH driver at Bristol bus station and a Bath Spa railway booking clerk were assaulted in separate incidents, raising concerns about violence against public transport staff and passengers, a public meeting heard.

Campaigner David Redgewell told the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) committee that antisocial behaviour was a serious issue on the region’s network and called for more resources to tackle it.

His comments came as it was announced CCTV is being installed at Severn Beach and Avonmouth railway stations to improve safety, a move welcomed by local politicians.

Mr Redgewell, of Bristol Disability Forum, said talks had taken place between Weca, the police, trade unions and local passenger groups on addressing the issue.

“Following recent assaults on members of staff working on the public transport network, including a National Express coach driver at Bristol bus station and a GWR booking clerk at Bath Spa railway station, we welcome these discussions,” he told the meeting at Bristol City Hall.

“We have antisocial behaviour on our bus and rail services.

“Bath and Bristol bus stations are among the worst.

“There are also problems at the University of the West of England

bus stops, Cribbs Causeway and Weston-super-Mare town centre.

“This is a real issue and it needs more resources when Weca takes over the transport powers on April 1 and works with the police and crime commissioner, British Transport Police and Avon & Somerset Police.

“Hate crime is not acceptable to anybody on the public transport network day or night.

“We have cameras on our bus fleets and on our stations.

“We request that the metro mayoral transport authority continues the unitary authorities’ programme of installing CCTV at local stations including Bedminster, Sea Mills, Shirehampton, Avonmouth, St Andrews Road and Severn Beach.

“We must have safe stations. We cannot have hotspots.

“There is no room for BME hate, gay hate, disability hate or any hate on our transport network.”

It is not known how seriously the coach driver or booking clerk were injured.

From 1st April,, Bristol city, South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset councils, which comprise Weca, are combining resources so that the combined authority will deliver their public transport functions directly in its regional strategic role.

Keith Walton, chairman of Severnside Community Rail Partnership, which links local communities with the rail industry, told the meeting on Friday, January 31: “CCTV will be going in at Avonmouth and at Severn Beach

stations before the end of this financial year.

“This has been arranged through the partnership.”

The upgrades to Severn Beach station, which also include bicycle storage, have been welcomed

by South Gloucestershire Conservatives.

CCTV will be installed by rail operator Great Western Railway over several days in March.

Pilning and Severn Beach ward Cllr Robert Griffin, who has campaigned for the improvements, said: “Severn Beach station is becoming a more regularly used station each year, both with an increase in the number of services passing through and, with the continuing expansion of employment in the area, more local commuters going to and from work.

“As a result, I am delighted to see these upgrades have been approved, giving rail users more freedom in getting to and from the station and more peace of mind while leaving their property there.”

South Gloucestershire Council cabinet member for planning, transport and the strategic environment Cllr Steve Reade said: “It is fantastic to see residents and commuters being encouraged to get out of their cars and not only onto their bikes, but also onto public transport.

“Not only will it have positive financial implications for each passenger, but there are also wider health and environmental benefits as a result of being active and creating less emissions.”

Curo partners with MiSpace to transform flats BATH-BASED housing association Curo has announced that the £5 million refurbishment of three four-storey blocks at Bradford Park will be completed by Mi-space, which specialises in providing maintenance and property services to affordable housing providers.

Mi-space, part of the Midas Group, has already started work on transforming the flats.

Plans for the refurbishment of the 48 flats were developed in partnership with local residents and are based on residents’ priorities and Curo’s SHAW (Safe, Healthy, Affordable and Warm) standards.

As well as contributing to Curo’s plans, Foxhill residents were involved in the contractor selection process to choose Mi-space.

Each of the three blocks at Bradford Park will get a new roof, new windows to improve natural lighting, new ventilation and insulated exterior walls to improve the energy efficiency of the blocks and reduce energy costs for residents.

New kitchens, bathrooms and gas boilers will be installed and all three blocks will benefit from a full electrical re-wire, fire safety improvement works and new plasterwork, joinery, decorations and flooring.

The old front and rear entrances to the three blocks were demolished during pre-construction works in the autumn. To improve accessibility for residents, communal areas inside the blocks will be reconfigured.

Curo and Mi-space are also

making improvements to the hard and soft landscaped areas around the blocks, remodelling bin stores and installing new intercom systems.

Mike Grist, Curo’s Director of Property Safety & Regeneration, said: “The refurbishment of Bradford Park flats is an important part of our investment programme for Curo-owned homes in Foxhill. We’ve worked closely with residents to find out what improvements are important to them. Residents told us the flats in Foxhill are the homes in most need of improvement – this is why we’re starting with Bradford Park.”

Mike added: “The refurbishment works to the building, communal areas, flats and surrounding grounds have been shaped by the views of residents. Our improvements will increase the energy efficiency of the flats – making them much warmer and cheaper to heat.”

Mark Bishop, Pre-Construction Director at Mi-space, said: “We’re delighted to start work on the refurbishment and upgrade of Bradford Park flats. We’re working closely with Curo to transform the flats to meet their SHAW standards and make them homes fit for the future.”

Curo expects the refurbishment of Bradford Park flats to be completed later this year with tenants moving in by the autumn. Previous residents of the flats have already moved to new homes with many choosing to move to the Mulberry Park development.

Last issue's puzzle solutions Crossword Across: 7 Absent, 8 Galactic, 9 Northern, 10 Recoil, 11 Redeemer, 12 Geezer, 13 Oscillation, 18 Mozart, 20 Surveyor, 22 Sitcom, 23 Impostor, 24 Falsetto, 25 Enamel.

Down: 1 Abdomen, 2 Restless, 3 Stream, 4 All right, 5 Icicle, 6 Limited, 8 Generalissimo, 14 Intimate, 15 Overseas, 16 Topical, 17 Colonel, 19 Accuse, 21 Rapier.

Sudoku Easy

Codeword Medium

Hard

24

Tuesday, 18th February 2020

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Sport

Share your sports news for our next edition!

Email sport@bathecho.co.uk or call 01225 585484

Locals to take on 24-hour World Record endurance challenge A TEAM of residents will be taking on a daunting endurance challenge in an attempt to break a world record and raise money for the Bath Rugby Foundation.

The 10-strong Big Bear Ski Club will try to set a new 24-hour SkiErg record on Saturday, 21st March.

The team is made up from clients of Bath gym, Get Fit in Bath, where a range of abilities and ages have been put together to beat the current record of 369,343 metres.

Supporters can sponsor the team, with all donations going to support the work of Bath Rugby Foundation.

The challenge has been arranged

by Dave Bowler from Get Fit in Bath.

He said: “The challenge is a huge one, as mentally tough as it will be physically painful!”

While the challenge lasts 24 hours, the key to success may be in the little things. Dave said: “If every changeover between team members loses two seconds that could add up to a huge amount of time – it could even be as much time as an hour.”

Dave is no stranger to exhausting physical tests. Last year he took

part in a challenge to scale a Tour de France mountain four times in 24 hours… on a tandem bike.

That challenge raised an incredible £14,795 for the Bath Rugby Foundation.

He said: “The impact Bath Rugby Foundation has is huge. We see the Foundation’s team helping to change the lives of young people who’ve been given a tough start to life, through no fault of their own. If we have to feel uncomfortable for a few hours, but raise important funds for this work, it will be worth it.”

The team’s ages range from 17 to 51 years old and for the last four months, they have been training with weights and the Concept2 Ski-Erg machine up to five times a week to be able to cope with the physical and mental exhaustion this challenge presents.

The challenge will begin on 21st March 21 at 9am at Get Fit in Bath and will run until 9am on 22nd March. The team will be working in shift patterns, which will see each team of 5 completing a halfhour shift before handing over to the second team to continue the pacing needed to beat the record.

To sponsor the team, visit: https://bit.ly/37tCuCc

Young swimmers invited to try out for Team Bath squad

TALENTED swimmers aged between eight and 13-years-old who live in the Bath area are being invited to attend a Talent ID Day being run by the Team Bath AS community club on Saturday 22nd February.

The event, which has been made possible by a grant from the Swim England Membership Growth Fund, will offer a free one-hour skills and technique session in the Olympic-sized pool at the University of Bath Sports Training Village.

Parents and guardians of the

aspiring swimmers will also be treated to a presentation from Team Bath AS Head Coach Chris Alderton about the Swim England Pathway and Developing Talent.

Team Bath AS will offer successful swimmers a trial in the squad most suited to their skills and level of development so they can begin their competitive swimming journey.

Places are limited. To apply, contact membership@teambathas. co.uk or visit www.teambathas. co.uk for further details.

Legends to join upcoming sportive THREE rugby legends have signed up to take part in The Rugby Sportive to help Bath Rugby Foundation continue to carry out their life-changing work.

Former Bath Rugby duo Phil de Glanville and Matt Perry will be joined by Welsh Rugby icon Andy Powell at the Rugby Sportive, when hundreds of cyclists will help raise funds for the local charity.

The Rugby Sportive, taking place on Sunday 7th June, has been created to give riders three routes to choose from, a family fun day with numerous attractions and competitions together with live music from a variety of musical artists. All the money raised will go towards Bath Rugby Foundation’s work with vulnerable children and young people in Bath.

Former British Lion Andy Powell will cycle one of the three scenic routes, which have been planned and put together by organisers, Martin Smith and Mark Barnett.

Former England Rugby captain and Bath centre player Phil de Glanville, who scored 53 tries across his 189 games played for Bath and won 38 caps for his country, will also be swapping his rugby boots for cycling shoes and

Photo © Bath Rugby Foundation

taking part in The Rugby Sportive.

Joining these two players and supporting the Foundation is Matt Perry. The former England, Bath and Lions full-back is a man who Bath Rugby Supporters will remember for eternity.

He proudly won 36 caps for England, three for the Lions in Australia in 2001 and made 221 appearances scoring 561 points for Bath Rugby between 1995 and his retirement in 2007.

All routes will start and finish at Corsham Rugby Club and will pass a number of rugby clubs, some of which will be offering facilities for pitstops with both sweet and savoury offerings, together with plenty of hydration.

Three routes, (circa 86 – 61 – 25

Keep an eye out for the next issue of the Bath Echo - due out on Tuesday 3rd March 2020

miles) along scenic country lanes and through ‘chocolate box’ villages will cater for riders of all abilities. Sign up at: https:// www.bathrugbyfoundation.com/ Event/the-rugby-sportive.

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