Bath Echo - Issue 065 - 21/11/2023

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Tuesday 21st November - Monday 4th December 2023

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Issue No. 065

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MORE TRIALS TO CUT TRAFFIC

Council facing £35 million black hole over next five years P2

Further restrictions could be introduced early next year - P3

Have your say on bus lane and cycling plans for the city centre P3

WIN TICKETS FOR THE THEATRE ROYAL PANTO! P13

Beckford’s Tower grotto revealed to be twice the size expected P4

Inside: More top stories, opinions and what's on + our £20 crossword

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Council faces £35m black hole over next five years

In this issue...

Top Stories

Tuesday 21st November - Monday 4th December 2023

www.bathecho.co.uk

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Pictures from the Past

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Crossword

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Have Your Say / Letters

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What's On

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Community

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Health

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Education

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Business

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Politics

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Sports Fixtures

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BATH & North East Somerset Council is under “significant” financial pressure, a report before the local authority’s cabinet has outlined.

Factors including rising inflation, increasing wages, energy and fuel costs, and the continued rising demand for essential adult and children’s social care services are putting intense pressure on budgets.

The report monitoring the council’s finances from April to September this year draws attention to increases in temporary accommodation costs, additional demand and costs for Home to School Transport, and increased costs coupled with reduced income in the Commercial Estate.

Additional income from Parking Services, the Roman Baths and Corporate Budgets, as a result of high summer visitor numbers, and increased investment interest have helped to offset some of these impacts.

The report, which was presented on Thursday 9th November, shows that £10.6m of savings have been delivered against a target of £14.4m savings and income generation plans that were included in the 2023/24

budget.

However, the report shows an overall projected overspend of £6.5m against the revised 2023/24 budget of £135.06m.

At the meeting, councillors also considered the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), which provides the longer-term framework for the council’s budget setting.

It sets out the council’s current financial position, the challenges it faces and its strategy for addressing the funding gap.

Estimates show the council will need to find a further £35.3m, including the £1.74m already identified, over the next five years.

This is based on the assumption that Council Tax increases of 4.99%, including 2% for the Adult Social Care Precept, remain for the period to 2024/25, with Council Tax reverting to 1.99% from 2025/26.

In the shorter term, £23.19m of savings will need to be found over the next two years.

Councillor Mark Elliott, cabinet member for Resources, said: “Bath & North East Somerset Council has managed its finances very capably and cautiously, with well controlled spending and no

The Guildhall in Bath

high-risk investments.

“Despite that these reports show the significant pressure we face as a result of reduced government funding, the longer term impacts of Covid-19 and spiralling inflation.

“The reports estimate we will need to find £35.3m in savings over the next five years as well as generate additional income and the Medium Term Financial Strategy sets out the scope of the work that is ongoing to meet that those targets.

“With services that are already stretched, the efficiencies

required are extremely challenging, however I want to reassure residents we have the capability and expertise to manage this situation.

“We remain focused on delivering services, supporting the most vulnerable in our community and delivering on the priorities we put before residents at the election in May, which they so comprehensively supported.”

The council’s budget for 2024/25 will be considered at the 8th February cabinet meeting, ahead of a decision on 20th February when council tax will be set.

Decision on 300 homes at Sulis Down deferred John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS to build hundreds of homes on the rural southern edge of Bath have been sent back to developers.

The application to build almost 300 homes on green fields on the city’s edge had been recommended for approval by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s planning officers, despite over 1,200 locals objecting to the development.

But when the plans were set to be decided by the council’s planning committee, councillors said they did not have enough information to make a decision and sent the plans back to the developers.

The Hignett Family Trust hoped to build 290 homes, of which 40% would have been affordable

housing, on the fields by Odd Down as the third and fourth “phases” of the Sulis Down development. Phase one of the project was the new development of 171 homes of Combe Hay Lane, behind Odd Down Park and Ride, which was approved “with the utmost reluctance” by councillors on Bath and North East Somerset Council’s planning committee in 2018.

Sulis Manor and the land surrounding it is phase two of the development, but will be “developed by others.” The whole site sits within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Bath’s World Heritage Site, but the land is allocated as a strategic allocated site for 300 homes. Together with the homes in phase one, the Sulis Down development will exceed this and come closer to 450. But the

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council’s planning officers, who recommended the scheme for approval, said: “Provided that the placemaking policies can be met, there should be no objection.”

At a packed committee meeting on Wednesday 15th November, people objecting to the development challenged whether it met the council’s policies, and whether it met the requirements for building in the area of outstanding natural beauty.

Malcolm Austwick of Combe Hay Parish Council, one of the seven parish councils who objected to the plan, said that planning officers were relying on a 2014 report without acknowledging that there were now other sites for homes. He also criticised the plans for the development as too focused on housing.

He said: “The plans you are being

asked to approve have no pub, no church, no community hall, no community library, no cafe, no shops, no medical facilities, and no school. Everything this community will need will need to be obtained off site.”

Joel Hirst, councillor for the neighbouring ward of Odd Down, warned: “To build here we need exceptional circumstances.

Things have changed. They no longer exist.”

Concerns were also raised about the impact of traffic, which objectors had warned would cause “carmageddon.”

Planning committee chair Duncan Hounsell said that councillors needed more information from the applicant on the impact on local traffic and whether the exceptional circumstances to allow the development still existed.

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Your City, Your News - Bath Echo

Additional traffic restrictions being planned FIVE more trial traffic restrictions could be introduced in Bath as part of B&NES Council’s ongoing Liveable Neighbourhoods programme.

Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders are being proposed for five locations in the city, as part of the local authority’s “Forward Plan”.

They follow on from a community engagement exercise carried out over the past two years, and, if approved, would see additional restrictions installed from spring 2024.

Bath & North East Somerset Council has secured £736,000 of funding from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (WECA) to implement the trials ahead of delivering the wider Liveable Neighbourhoods programme, the purpose of which is to develop a range of measures to improve residential streets.

The trials were chosen because of their suitability to tackle through traffic and create more opportunities for “community cohesion, walking and cycling”.

Single Member Decision reports seeking permission to trial through-traffic restrictions as Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs) will be put

forward for: • A through-traffic restriction in Catharine Place • A through traffic restriction in Winifred’s Lane (south of its junction with Somerset Lane) and supplemented by a noright-turn onto Sion Hill from the northern end of Cavendish Road • A through-traffic restriction on Sydney Road at its junction with New Sydney Place • No entry for motorised vehicles into Upper Gay Street from the George Street junction • Formalisation of a one-way in Charmouth Road, Lyme Road and Lyme Gardens If approved, the schemes would operate under experimental trials which allow residents and the wider public to experience the change in-situ and share their thoughts over a minimum of six months. During trials, the council would monitor the impact of the intervention on traffic and any uptake in active travel. The trials would be removed or made permanent within 18 months of starting.

Councillor Joel Hirst, cabinet project lead for Liveable Neighbourhoods and Residential Parking Zones, said: “Based on feedback from residents, we

are considering five new trials early next year and will receive reports on each of them in order to make our decisions.

“The trial areas are going onto the council’s Forward Plan and reflect our commitment to work with communities to create quieter, safer and healthier streets, and to broaden people’s travel choices by creating more space for walking, wheeling and cycling.”

Councillor Manda Rigby, cabinet member for Transport added: “Three through-traffic restriction trials are already in place, in Church Street, Southlands, and Queen Charlton Lane, and we will decide on whether to make them permanent or not by the end of the year. We will base our decisions on consultation feedback, traffic monitoring data, current transport policies, and air quality data. These schemes have shown us that the best method of introducing Liveable Neighbourhood proposals is via an ETRO giving time to monitor impacts and for communities to

respond to the changes, before any permanent changes are adopted, so we are adopting this method for these next five communities.

“At all times, there will be vehicle access to all properties as part of these schemes once in operation.”

Reports on the proposed new schemes will be available on the council’s website from December, and letters with more details will be sent to residents and businesses in the affected areas at the same time.

Should the new trials go ahead, the council has said it would engage with the community throughout the winter. Detailed plans would be shared and there would be opportunities to speak with advisors in person about any concerns.

Have Your Say Share your opinion on this story via our letters page.

Find out more on page 11.

News in Brief Charity volunteers sought to pack gifts Charity Christmas for CAMHS is seeking volunteers to join them in preparing gifts for young people in hospital for their mental health over the festive season.

The charity will be putting together more than 1,500 gifts, goodies and activities on 25th and 26th November in the city centre. Volunteers are invited to help for a morning, afternoon or evening ‘elf duty’ shift, or even a whole day.

Tasks will include assembling individual and ward gifts, counting fidget toys and wrapping paper, batching homemade Christmas cards and fitting everything in boxes ready for Santa to take to CAMHS units across the UK. Volunteers can be of any age but those aged under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Christmas For CAMHS has been organising gifts for Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service units across the country for 8 years.

Anyone interested in signing up for a shift during the packing weekend can register via https:// bit.ly/packing-xmas4camhs or by emailing info@ christmasforcamhs.org.uk.

Countdown to Christmas underway Consultation on bus lane and cycling plans

THE countdown to Christmas in Bath got underway on Wednesday 15th November, with the switch-on of festive lights across the area.

Bath Christmas Market will run for 18 days from 23rd November to 10th December and will see more than 200 traders and 36 community groups occupy chalets across the city centre.

In 2022, the market attracted an estimated 426,000 visitors and boosted the local economy by an estimated £50 million.

Bath & North East Somerset Council is providing traditional lights to the communities of Combe Down, Weston, Moorland Road and Larkhall as well as working in partnership with the three town councils on the provision of lights.

There will be lights on Bath’s historic buildings and streets including in and around Bath Christmas Market and at Saw Close, Walcot Street, Kingsmead Square, High Street and Orange Grove.

The annual Keynsham Winter Festival takes place on 24th November from 6pm to 9pm with the theme ‘Let It Snow’.

It includes a Christmas light switch-on, a procession from the park to St John’s Church, Father Christmas and street performers.

Residents are invited to a special preview evening of Bath’s Christmas Market on 22nd November from 5pm to 7pm.

Councillor Paul Roper, cabinet member for Economic and Cultural Sustainable Development, said: “Christmas

Lights across the city have been switched on, and the annual Bath Christmas Market will begin on 23rd November

lights beginning to sparkle across the district are a great way to end the year and kick-off the seasonal festivities, ahead of the spectacular winter wonderland of Bath Christmas Market that has begun to be created today.

“The market is hugely popular with visitors and increases turnover for local businesses.

“All of the events that are lined up are a wonderful opportunity for residents and visitors alike to join together and help create a special atmosphere in our city and town centres.

“Thank you to our partners and to everyone who has helped provide magical lighting for our communities to enjoy. I look forward to seeing Bath and North East Somerset at its best and another successful Bath Christmas Market get underway.”

Allison Herbert, Chief Executive of Bath BID, said: “We have been looking forward to Christmas for a few months at the BID, all our retail members have filled their shops with carefully chosen items and there are Christmas menus everywhere.”

A CONSULTATION has been launched for people who live and work in Bath to have their say on plans for travel in the city centre, including speeding up bus journeys.

Residents are being asked to give their views on proposals that will affect St James’s Parade and the Ambury Gyratory, as well as changes to better connect cycle routes.

The proposals would see the introduction of bus lanes along Churchill Bridge and St James’ Parade, and making Ambury Gyratory largely two-way, allowing buses to travel directly to and from the bus station.

Other transport ideas locals are being asked for their views on include plans for new and upgraded cycle routes, including two-way cycling between Pulteney Bridge and New King Street, plus other plans which together would create a more direct, joined-up cycle network across the city centre.

The idea behind the changes is to help people who can get out of their cars and onto a bike or use the bus, especially for shorter journeys.

However, the consultation is also upfront that some compromises are necessary.

Residents are advised that several car parking spaces could be lost, up to a maximum of eight, and some city centre journeys would be less direct by car.

Views are sought on these trade-

Bus lanes could be introduced along Churchill Bridge and St James' Parade

offs but nothing is set in stone.

The plans are part of a wider £540 million programme from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, led by the region’s directly elected Mayor, Dan Norris, to improve public transport across the region.

Residents can take part in the six-week consultation to help shape the plans by visiting www. haveyoursaywest.co.uk.

The consultation runs until Sunday 24th December.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the proposed changes can join an online webinar taking place on Tuesday 21 November between 7 – 8pm or attend a drop-in event at: • Bath Cricket Club - Wednesday 29th November - 2pm to 7pm • Percy Community Centre Wednesday 6th December 2pm to 7pm.

More details about joining the online webinar are available on the website link above.

The project is being delivered in partnership with Bath & North East Somerset Council.

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Tuesday 21st November - Monday 4th December 2023

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Beckford’s Tower grotto revealed to be twice the size expected ONGOING work at the Beckford’s Tower site in Bath by a team of archaeologists and building experts has revealed the hidden Grotto to be twice as large as first thought.

For the first time in more than 100 years, William Beckford’s hidden Grotto Tunnel is once again publicly visible.

The project team have uncovered the original steps and retaining walls, along with various historic objects including clay pipes smoked by the stonemasons who first built the Grotto in the 1820s.

It is believed that at some point after Beckford’s death, the Towerend of the Grotto was filled in, leaving the other end open to become what appears to have been a rubbish dump for the then large Victoria villa Hamilton House, on the site where the modern apartment block of Hamilton House now stands.

Emery Brothers Ltd and Wessex Archaeology began the full excavation of the Grotto in September 2023, uncovering several historical objects in the process.

While the existence of the subterranean Grotto was known, nobody knew exactly how large the interior was.

The excavations, involving the removal of tonnes of soil and rock, have uncovered a cavity seven meters long, featuring

The grotto tunnel after it was fully excavated | Photo © Wessex Archaeology

deliberately naturalistic rock work walls in keeping with the highly-fashionable grotto aesthetic of the time.

Once uncovered, experts from Wessex Archaeology created a 3D photogrammetric model of the grotto tunnel.

Capturing and processing hundreds of overlapping digital photographs that were correlated with targets on the structure using survey equipment, ensured the model was accurate.

Patrizia Ribul, Director of Museums at Bath Preservation Trust and the new lead for the Beckford Tower project said: “The Grotto Tunnel is an integral part of the designed landscape of Beckford’s Tower.

“These new findings reconfirm

many of the things that we already knew about William Beckford, such as his attention to detail in design, and his enthusiasm for nature.

“The Grotto also serves as a reminder of Beckford’s enormous wealth, gained through his involvement with the transatlantic slave trade, which enabled him to devote so much of his time to designing and curating his Tower and pleasure gardens, including the colonial acquisition of exotic specimen trees and shrubs.

“We look forward to opening up the Grotto to the public for the first time in March 2024, with thanks to the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England and our other

generous supporters.

“I would also like to acknowledge the involvement and hard work of the following organisations: Thomas Ford & Partners (architects); The Morton Partnership (structural engineers); Qoda Consulting (M&E Consultants); Greenwood Projects (PQS); and Biodiversity

by Design (Ecology).”

Dr Amy Frost, Senior Curator at Bath Preservation Trust and a leading expert on William Beckford said: “Grottos in English gardens were very fashionable in the Georgian period. Beckford’s father created grottos at the Fonthill estate in Wiltshire, which William then added to, before going on to create his own here in Bath in the 1820s.

“Unlike many of the ornate grottos of the time which often featured mosaic floors, Beckford was much more interested in a more naturalistic idea of landscape design, and our findings back this up – at first glance the Grotto looks hacked out of bedrock, but upon closer inspection it has been very cleverly cut and shaped.

“Having only ever seen one partial historic drawing of the Grotto steps prior to the excavation, uncovering the extent of them has been a wonderful surprise for us all – and a real career highlight for me.”

Marek Lewcun, Archaeologist at Wessex Archaeology, added: “Excavation of Beckford’s Tower grotto tunnel began with the removal of three metres of rock and soil, after which we carefully revealed the expertly crafted, naturalistic structure of the grotto.

The rock-cut steps that descend into the grotto wind steadily downwards, with the curving rock face hiding the entrance to the tunnel, heightening the sense of mystery for anyone visiting.

“Near the tunnel entrance, we exposed a series of curved and recessed ledges – the purpose of which is unclear and something we hope to learn more about.

“It has been a privilege to be a part of the project to excavate and restore the grotto tunnel, which will allow the museum’s visitors to see it once again after 100 years of obscurity.”

Beckford’s Tower is a historic building currently on the “Heritage at Risk” register.

Essential capital works, led

by Emery Brothers Ltd and supported by grants from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England amongst other funders, will help to preserve and maintain the attraction for the future.

When the Tower reopens in March 2024, the Grotto will be accessible to visitors as part of their museum experience.

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Latest application for Hartwells redevelopment submitted

Baby remembrance service to be held

John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS for almost 200 student rooms are one step closer to being built in Bath as plans for the final details are set to come before the council.

Developers want to build 186 student bedrooms along with 104 flats on the site of the disused Hartwells car showroom on Newbridge Road.

When first announced in 2019, the plans faced overwhelming opposition from the local community.

Newbridge councillor Michelle O’Doherty said at the time: “I am concerned about the overdevelopment of the site, and I am also worried that the access into the site is both inadequate and dangerous due to the number of people who will be living on the site.”

Bath and North East Somerset Council had voted unanimously to refuse planning permission but the decision was overturned on appeal by the planning inspectorate in 2021, granting approval for the “outline” plans.

Now a “reserved matters” application which sets out the final details of the scheme has been submitted to the council.

How the development could look | Image © Allford Hall Monaghan Morris

With the inspectorate’s decision granting outline permission, the developers have already secured approval for the number of flats and student bedrooms.

All the council can now have a say on is the scale, design, and landscaping of the development.

Hartwells plan to build four apartment blocks around “a series of connected courtyards,” with two residential blocks facing onto Newbridge Road and two student blocks at the southern edge of the site by a new cycle path. They hope to fit the blocks facing Newbridge Road within the design of the largely Victorian street with a modern take on gabled roofs.

A design and access statement

submitted with the application said: “A simple, uncluttered approach to pitched roof form is sought, appropriate to the larger scale of blocks The proposals also contain parapets and hipped gables.”

The flats in the blocks will range from studios and one-bedroom apartments to two-bedroom apartments, while the student accommodation will be a mix of studio apartments and “en-suite clusters” with a shared kitchen and living area.

The proposed new cycle path at the south of the side would line up with the former railway line which runs through this part of Bath and later becomes the Bath and Bristol Railway Path.

FAMILIES across the Bath area who have lost a baby are being invited to attend a special Winter Baby Remembrance Service, organised by the RUH and charity Sands.

This service will take place on Saturday 2nd December at 1pm at The Weston Hub on Penn Hill Road, Weston.

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

“The service, for people of all faiths or none, will include readings, music, and an act of remembrance for our special

babies and the opportunity to place an ornament bearing your baby’s name on the Christmas tree.”

If you would like to attend the service, email Narinder – narinder.tegally@nhs.net.

If you are unable to attend in person, you can email Narinder with your baby’s name so it can be written on an ornament and placed on the Christmas tree.

After the service, the Christmas tree will be on display in the RUH’s Spiritual Care Centre until 6th January 2024.

The RUH Trust offers a full bereavement and support service for grieving parents and families, including a purpose-built bereavement suite that provides the space and privacy they need at a particularly difficult time.

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www.bathecho.co.uk

Tuesday 21st November - Monday 4th December 2023

Pictures from the Past Bath at Work Industry and the canal Kirsten Elliott Akeman Press

TODAY, when the Kennet & Avon Canal through Bath is seen as a pleasant place for a walk or cycle ride, a holiday destination, or even, for many, a place to live, we do not think of industry.

But, like all canals, it was born out of the need for better transport during the Industrial Revolution.

Canals offered smooth reliable carriage of goods, unlike the terrible roads, but were

also much more efficient.

Once established, other industries sprang up alongside them – and the maintenance of the canal created industry too.

The main purpose of the K&A was to move coal – the essential fuel for industry in the late 18th and 19th centuries – from the Somerset coal fields to places like Wiltshire and Berkshire where there was none.

So coal wharfs sprang up along the canal, like this one at Sydney Wharf in Bathwick.

Rather to the disgust of local colliers, coal from other parts of the country could also be brought in.

The canal was ideal for transporting stone too, but it was not all about exports. Here, further along Sydney Wharf, was Tucker’s hay and corn stores.

When the motive power of road transport – the horse – relied on hay, straw and corn for food and bedding, dealers in these commodities were always busy, and they relied on the canal to import them.

A perhaps surprising business which prospered was pleasure boating – here is the launch Margherita powering along towards Bathampton. Perhaps its passengers were off to admire another

business that had sprung up by the canal – Harbutt’s plasticine.

Or this may be one of the regular holiday trips in 1923 organised by the Great Western Railway (which then owned the canal) in conjunction with Mr Hitchens, who owned the launch.

Among the jobs which have always been necessary on a canal are dredging and flood prevention.

Here on the river section of the canal we see work in progress about 1970 during construction of the River Avon flood scheme.

Above: The coal wharf at Sydney Wharf in Bathwick | Below: Dredging and flood prevention works

Above: Tucker's hay and corn stores | Below: Pleasure boating towards Bathampton

Issue 065

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Your City, Your News - Bath Echo

Crossword

Congratulations to John Burgoyne for winning £20!

You can find the answers to last issue's crossword on page 16.

Complete our crossword for your chance to win £20!

Across 8 Track performer, perhaps (7) 9 Spock-like (7) 10 Squirmed (8) 11 Power source (6) 12 One responding to a stimulus (7) 13 More often than not (7) 14 Twitcher's cover (4) 17 Split or indentation (5) 19 Bridge section (4) 23 Vets (7) 24 Piccadilly hotel (3,4) 25 Drawn to end the game (6) 26 Spherical (8) 27 Missing a piece (7) 28 Passage (7)

Down 1 Large pig (8) 2 Had Latin corrected in the Far East (8) 3 Agree it got made over in Surrey (7) 4 Recommendation (8) 5 Duke whose family name is Seymour (8) 6 Explanatory drawings (8) 7 Flowering garden tree (8) 15 Fomenting (8) 16 In perpetuity (8) 17 Ammunition case (8) 18 Road accident statistic (8) 20 Easy (8) 21 Jesus's childhood home (8) 22 Balkan native (7)

Entering our competition - via email or post For your chance to win £20, submit your full name, postal address and answers by email to puzzles@bathecho.co.uk or via post to: Crossword Competition 2111, Bath Echo, PO Box 5395, Bath, BA1 0YA The winner will be the first randomly opened entry with the correct answers on 30/11/2023.

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Tuesday 21st November - Monday 4th December 2023

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More than 200 locals access Breathing Space debt scheme MORE than 220 people across the Bath area have accessed the government’s Breathing Space debt scheme since it launched in May 2021, according to new official figures.

National Debtline, which is one of the free debt advice charities able to register people who are eligible for Breathing Space, is urging more people to seek advice as the cost of living crisis continues.

Breathing Space, also known as the Debt Respite Scheme, gives eligible people who contact debt advice services like National Debtline the time to seek advice and start to find a safe route out of debt, without being subject to creditor collection and enforcement activity.

The scheme was launched in 2021 and provides up to 60 days protection, and pauses any additional charges or interest for that period.

In the last year, National Debtline has helped 179 people in Bath and North East Somerset tackle their debts, including through the new Breathing Space scheme.

To mark ‘Talk Money Week’, the charity-run service urged residents who are worried about their finances to contact their debt advisers for free, independent advice as soon as possible.

Seeking advice has a positive, long-term impact, with nine in ten National Debtline callers reporting that their debts reduce or stabilise, and seven in ten seeing a positive impact on their emotional and mental wellbeing.

David Cheadle, acting chief executive of National Debtline’s parent charity, the Money Advice Trust, said: “The cost of living crisis has had a huge impact on household finances and people in Bath and North East Somerset and right across the South West are struggling to cope.

“In the last 12 months alone, National Debtline advisers helped 179 people in Bath and North East Somerset through our free phone service – including registering people who are eligible for the government’s new Breathing Space scheme. But we know there are many more

BATH CRAFT FAIR

people who are struggling alone – and no one should have to do that. I would urge anyone in Bath and North East Somerset who is worried about their finances to contact our advisers at National Debtline who can give you the advice and support you need.

“Our advisers are here to help – and can see if you are eligible for the Breathing Space scheme to give you the time and headspace you need to make a plan.

“Everyone’s situation is different, and even if you aren’t eligible for this particular scheme, our expert advisers can help find the best option for you.”

Residents can speak to a National Debtline adviser for free independent advice, including on the Breathing Space scheme, over the phone at 0808 808 4000, or get advice online at www. nationaldebtline.org.

Bath MP praises city centre firework display

Wera Hobhouse, Simon McNeill-Ritchie, Davina Rose and Cllr Dine Romero

MP Wera Hobhouse has praised the Rotary Club of Bath for the annual fireworks display held on the Recreation Ground in the city centre.

Ms Hobhouse was joined by the Mayor of Bath, Councillor Dine Romero, and thousands of residents to watch the display.

The Rotary Club’s annual display is a popular fixture in the city’s calendar and raises money for local charities.

This year their fundraising efforts will go towards The Glasshouse Academy, who work alongside schools to improve children’s wellbeing by engaging in active opportunities, and to SSAFA South West, The Armed Forces Charity.

Wera Hobhouse commented: “It

was such a pleasure to attend the annual Charity Fireworks Display on Saturday, hosted by the Rotary Club of Bath.

“It was wonderful to see the brilliant display, as well as all those who came to show their support for the wonderful work

by The Glasshouse Academy and SSAFA South West.”

The Mayor added: “I was delighted to support the Rotary Club of Bath, from being a judge of their safety poster campaign, to watching the fantastic fireworks display; the work of Rotary is tireless and selfless as demonstrated in their charity work as ever raising money for extremely worthy causes, while giving the city a muchanticipated seasonal treat.”

SATURDAY 9th DECEMBER Weston free church High Street, Bath, BA1 4DB

WESTON VILLAGE

12pm - 4pm

JOIN US FOR OUR 2023 CHRISTMAS FAIR & FIND THOSE PERFECT PRESENTS! FESTIVE REFRESHMENTS AVAILABLE!

www.bathcraftfair.co.uk

Issue 065

Have Your Say...

Donate your unwanted winter woollies Dear Editor, Stocks of winter clothes are flying off the rails in our Barnardo’s shops across the South West, and more stock is needed urgently to keep up with demand.

So if you are having a clear out, please think about donating good quality winter items to your local store.

You will be doing your bit to support Barnardo’s work with children, young people and families through more than 800 services across the country.

Quality stock also means that families struggling financially can shop for winter economically.

We need autumn and winter clothing, such as coats and jumpers and we will be happy to take those unwanted presents of hats and scarf sets that are not your thing but could be just perfect for someone else.

Anything suitable for gifts would be very welcome too, as more and more people are now coming to us on their Christmas shopping trips.

We stock a wide range of brandnew gifts at discount prices but welcome seasonal donations too.

You’ll be supporting the wonderful work we do with more than 380,000 children, young people and families across the UK each year.

That work includes help for struggling families and for children with disabilities and mental health issues, those leaving care and those who have suffered exploitation or are facing homelessness.

You can find your nearest store here: https://shop.barnardos. org.uk/store-finder/ Thank you!

Keith Taylor Barnardo’s retail area manager - South West and Wales

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Your City, Your News - Bath Echo

Opinions & Letters

Order a Letter from Santa to support children this Christmas

Christmas presents

Dear Editor, We are rapidly approaching the festive period, and children and young people across the South West will be writing their letters to Santa.

While their faces will hopefully light up on Christmas Day when the presents arrive, the NSPCC has a way to help brighten them a little earlier, thanks to our Letters from Santa. These are a nice way to make the season as special as possible for little ones, but they

Dear Editor, Through your newspaper, I would like to encourage people to reconsider the purchasing of gifts for loved ones this Christmas. Though it's nice to spend considerable sums on fancy presents, taking the time to spend an evening or day out with them may prove just as fulfilling.

are also a fantastic way to help us help children across the country for whom Christmas is not a magical time.

On average, a child will contact Childline by phone or web chat every 45 seconds this Christmas, and we are calling for support to ensure the service can continue to be there for children.

One way to support the charity is to make a donation when ordering a Letter from Santa for your child.

Last year alone saw us raise over £1m from these letters, which were vital for us to continue our work to support young people and families in need, as our charity relies on donations for almost 90 per cent of its funding.

To order your letter please visit: www.nspcc.org.uk/support-us/ ways-to-give/letter-from-santa/

Henry Street NSPCC Supporter Fundraising Manager, South West

Have a Deaf Aware Christmas Dear Editor, Christmas is a time when families and friends look forward to getting together, but for the 1 in 5 adults with hearing loss, crowded dinner tables full of people laughing and shouting over each other can be a nightmare to follow. Not to mention softly lit rooms and the blaring notes of Rocking around the Christmas tree. This is no Christmas cracker joke.

You may have family or friends that struggle with hearing loss? Or perhaps you are the one who often feels left out of conversations?

RNID’s Christmas Dinner Game was created to ensure that everyone at your dinner table can have fun together whilst being deaf aware to make sure that everybody feels included and no-one misses that joke you’ve been practising!

Visit rnid.org.uk/game and we’ll

send you a game pack in the post which will include everything you need to have a festive, fun filled dinner, at the same time as also learning a bit of BSL on the side!

You’ll also find tips for being Deaf Aware on our website. This Christmas let’s make sure no one is left out.

Teri Devine Director of Inclusion and Employment at RNID

Sue Ryder's December Daily Dash Dear Editor, We lost my Dad to cancer in 2015, just 18 months after we’d lost my Mum to the same illness.

Dad was cared for by the excellent Sue Ryder Nurses in his last days and we wanted to give something back to say thank you for helping us through one of the most difficult times in our lives. That’s how the charity’s December Daily Dash was born.

The Sue Ryder December Daily Dash asks fundraisers to run, jog or walk every day of the month to raise vital funds for the charity.

We wanted the challenge to be all about choice and accessibility –

so you can do the Dash wherever, however and at any pace that you’d like.

Initially, it was just us joined by 11 friends – now there is a community of over 2,000 people that take part in the challenge to raise money for Sue Ryder’s palliative and bereavement support! It doesn't matter how you take it on, with friends, with family or on your own. Do it for yourself, do it to support a loved one, or do it in memory of a loved one.

Not only will running, jogging or walking everyday help to raise money for Sue Ryder, which

supports people through the most difficult times of their lives, whether that’s a terminal illness or the loss of a loved one, but it’s a fun way to take time out for you. We have created a wonderful community that motivate each other to keep going through the grey, rainy days.

You can sign up to the December Daily Dash by visiting DecemberDailyDash.com.

On behalf of us and Sue Ryder, thank you.

Jackie and Mark Smith Founders of the December Daily Dash and Sue Ryder fundraisers

Name & Address Supplied Bath How to get involved To submit your letter, you can either email it to us via letters@bathecho.co.uk or pop it in the post to: Letters, Bath Echo, PO Box 5395, Bath, BA1 0YA. We will endeavour to publish your letter in the next issue after it's received, however this may not always be possible.

Depending on the content, we may also publish your letter on our website.

Please consider limiting your letter to around 400 words or less, or we may have to edit it if necessary.

We require a name and address to be supplied with letters, however please indicate if you would like your submission to be published anonymously.

Publication of letters does not mean we share the views of the writer, and submissions/content may not be shared without our written permission.

If you have any questions regarding the submission of a letter for publication, please email our editor via editor@bathecho.co.uk.

COLUMN | Councillor Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council

T

HE countdown to Christmas has well and truly started with our fantastic Christmas Market due to run for 18 days from November 23 until to December 10.

This will see more than 200 traders and 36 community groups occupy chalets across the city centre. In 2022, the market attracted an estimated 426,000 visitors and boosted the local economy by an estimated £50 million.

Christmas lights are also beginning to sparkle around our area.

There will be lights on Bath’s historic buildings and streets including in and around the Christmas Market and at Saw Close, Walcot Street, Kingsmead Square, High Street and Orange Grove.

We are providing traditional lights in Combe Down, Weston,

Moorland Road and Larkhall as well as working in partnership with the three town councils on lights in Keynsham, Midsomer Norton and Radstock.

Residents are invited to a special preview evening of the market on November 22 from 5pm to 7pm where people can meander through the magical atmosphere and have an exclusive first look at the fabulous gifts, food and drink on offer.

All of this is another example of how our city centre is thriving. Just walking around, we can see new openings. The council is playing a key role in ensuring this, focusing on bringing empty premises back into use and supporting events such as the Great Bath Feast and Art on the Street.

Meanwhile, we are continuing to

deliver our priorities. We’ve recently announced plans for five new trial Bath Liveable Neighbourhood schemes under Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders.

They follow on from a large community engagement exercise carried out over the past two years, and if approved would see five trial schemes installed from spring 2024.

The council has secured £736,000 of funding from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority to implement the trials ahead of delivering the wider Liveable Neighbourhoods programme, the aim of which is to develop a range of measures to improve residential streets.

The trials have been chosen because of their suitability to help

tackle through-traffic and create more opportunities for community cohesion, walking and cycling.

During trials the council would monitor the impact of the intervention on traffic and any uptake in active travel. The trials would be removed or made permanent within 18 months of starting.

At all times, there will be vehicle access to all properties as part of these schemes once in operation.

Information on these plans and the current through-traffic restriction trials in Church Street, Southlands and Queen Charlton Lane can be found at www.bathnes.gov.uk/liveableneighbourhoods .

Talking of making our neighbour-

hoods more “liveable”, I would like to say a big thank you to the council’s “Clean and Green” team who I recently saw at work in Twerton High Street. Backed by council investment, the team is making a real difference to the appearance of our streets.

Finally, the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority is consulting until December 24th on plans for Bath city centre, aiming for improved air quality, healthier travel choices and ensuring safer routes for pedestrians and cyclists.

We really want to make Bath city centre an even better place so it’s really important that you have your say so please do respond to the consultation if you can.

Issue 065

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What's On

Tuesday 21st November - Monday 4th December 2023 Bath Christmas Market

Laura Veirs

Après Ski Bar

Father Christmas' Grotto

Komedia 22nd November, 7.30pm Laura culled through over 900 voice memos on her phone to curate 14 songs which she recorded herself in her living room over the past 8 years, straight into her phone.

The Abbey Hotel 23rd November – 31st December The perfect place to rest weary feet after a day exploring the Bath Christmas Market or the city’s shopping scene.

Expect traditional après ski fare including mouth-watering bratwursts.

Milsom place 23rd November – 24th December Enjoy a magical experience, receive a gift and meet Father Christmas. Much more than your usual Grotto, this is a fun interactive experience with professional actors in the heart of Bath.

City Centre 23rd November – 10th December Featuring over 200 twinkling chalets entwining some of Bath’s most iconic monuments, a plethora of food and beverage stalls and a light display that will transport you to another world.

BRLSI Christmas Market

Oz Clarke's Story of Wine

Across the Vast, Eternal Sky

Mozart Requiem - Bath Cantata

BRLSI 23rd November – 9th December A cosy indoor Christmas market offering local makers the chance to showcase their talents and allowing the people of Bath to support local and independent producers.

Topping & Company Booksellers 24th November, 7.30pm Join a festive wine tasting and talk by the indomitable Oz Clarke as he introduces a revised and updated recounting of the history of wine - Oz Clarke's Story of Wine: 8000 Years, 100 Bottles.

St Swithin’s Church 25th November, 7.30pm Choral jewels from Scandinavia and the UK by Bath Minerva Choir. The concert features a mixed programme of muchloved composers Paul Mealor, Ola Gjeilo, Paul Carr and Elgar.

St Stephen’s Church 25th November, 7.30pm Bath Cantata Group launches their 2023–24 Season with a thrilling concert featuring some of the best music ever written. Handel's youthful Dixit Dominus, coupled with Mozart's Requiem.

1984

Bath Community Big Band

The Muppet Christmas Carol

The Turn of the Screw

The Mission Theatre 28th Nov – 2nd Dec, 7.30pm Orwell's warning of what could happen if State and technology gain full control remains frighteningly relevant in Matthew Dunster's faithful and enthralling adaptation.

Christ Church 29th November, 7.30pm BCBB present an evening of jazz, swing and Latin music in aid of Genesis Trust.

Tickets on the door (cash) £10 (children £5) includes first glass of wine or soft drink from cash bar.

The Forum 29th November, 7pm Disney’s much loved 1992 musical comedy, The Muppet Christmas Carol, is to be presented live in concert this winter across the UK, featuring its music score performed live to the film.

Ustinov Studio 1st - 23rd December Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, based on Henry James’s famous novella, is a pillar of twentieth century opera and regarded as one of the most dramatic in the repertoire.

Bach - Christmas Oratorio

Christmas at Dyrham

Wendy: A Peter Pan Story

Meet Father Christmas

Bath Abbey 1st December, 7.30pm Performed by Bath Choral Society. For nearly three hundred years J. S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio has joyously proclaimed the Christmas story. The work has become a much-loved tradition.

Dyrham Park 1st Dec – 7th Jan, 10am – 4pm Step back in time this season on a journey to Christmas through the ages.

Families can track down giant wooden presents in a discovery trail dotted around the 270 acre site.

The Egg 1st December – 13th January Award-winning writer James Baldwin’s adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s classic story speaks of the innocence and wonder of childhood and the importance of imagination and creativity.

No.1 Royal Crescent 2nd – 24th December Father Christmas is making a special stop at No.1 Royal Crescent, he’s keen to experience the 12 Tales of a Georgian Christmas tour! He'd like to read a story to the children and give them a gift too.

Win tickets to see Sleeping Beauty at the Theatre Royal!

Your chance to win a family ticket for 4 people on Sunday 10th December, 5pm How To Enter Visit www.bathecho.co.uk/sleepingbeauty or fill in the form below and send it to us!

Question: Who wrote this year's script? ☐ Neil McDermott ☐ Jon Monie ☐ Nick Wilton Your Name: Address: Phone Number: Email Address: ☐ Confirm you are available on Sunday 10th December at 5pm Jon Monie as Lester the Jester, Sarah Jane Buckley as Fairy Snowfall, Neil McDermott as Prince Vincent, Maisie Sellwood as Princess Rose and Nick Wilton as Dame Nanny Nora from the cast of Sleeping Beauty | Photo © Freia Turland

EASTENDERS’ and West End star Neil McDermott, Panto legend Jon Monie, Dame extraordinaire Nick Wilton and Hollyoaks’ Sarah Jane Buckley lead the cast in Bath’s Christmas pantomime Sleeping Beauty.

Staged by UK Productions, the traditional show takes to the stage at the Theatre Royal Bath for the festive season from Thursday 7th December to Sunday 7th January.

Promising a laugh-a-minute extravaganza with a new script by

Jon Monie, the magical story tells of a beautiful Princess, cursed by an evil spell on her 18th Birthday party, who can only be awoken by true love’s kiss.

As Fairy Snowfall works with her friends to lift the curse and break the spell, expect plenty of fun in a thrilling quest for a happy ending.

This brand-new show full of top musical hits, fantastic costumes, stunning sets and exciting special effects promises to keep panto fans young and old thoroughly

entertained.

Alongside the company of professional actors this year’s pantomime will also feature the delightful young dancers from Bath’s Dorothy Coleborn School of Dance.

Sleeping Beauty appears at the Theatre Royal Bath from Thursday 7th December to Sunday 7th January. Tickets are on sale at the Theatre Royal Bath Box Office on 01225 448844 and online at www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Post your completed form to: TRB Competition, Bath Echo, PO Box 5395, Bath, BA1 0YA

Terms & Conditions

The competition will close at 5pm on Saturday 2nd December 2023.

Each entry, either via post or online, will be given a unique number, after which a random number generator will be used to select the winner. Entrants must be 18+ years and UK residents.

The prize: A family ticket for 4 people to watch the pantomime Sleeping Beauty at the Theatre Royal Bath on Sunday 10th December, for the 5pm performance.

The prize holds no cash value and is non-transferable.

The winner’s details will be passed to the Theatre Royal Bath for the purposes of arranging tickets for the performance.

Issue 065

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Your City, Your News - Bath Echo

Community

Share your news with us Email: news@bathecho.co.uk

Charity seeking volunteers to help with Christmas appeal

New fire engine design to promote water safety

Wrapping the Bath fire engine with the new water safety design

Photo © Philip Hardman Photography / Marie Curie

END-OF-LIFE charity Marie Curie is on the lookout for people in Bath to give a few hours of their time to help volunteer during its annual Christmas appeal.

Marie Curie believes everyone experiencing death, dying or bereavement should be able to have the best Christmas possible, which is why it is encouraging people across Bath to don a festive hat and take to the city centre to help raise much-needed funds.

The charity is dependent on public donations so that nurses and healthcare professionals can provide hospice care, whatever the illness, in the comfort of home.

Marie Curie helps people with any illness they are likely to die from, including Alzheimer’s, and other forms of dementia, heart, liver, kidney and lung disease, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s, and advanced cancer.

The money raised also funds the

charity’s free support line and webchat, which is available to anyone with an illness they’re likely to die from and those close to them. It offers practical and emotional support on everything from symptom management and day-to-day care to financial information and bereavement support.

Over the next five years, Marie Curie aims to double the number of people across the UK being cared for and supported in homes, hospices and through its free information and support services.

Hannah Drury, Marie Curie Community Fundraiser for Bath, said: “During our Great Daffodil Appeal, the generous folk of Bath donated just over £730 and we were incredibly grateful to have 16 volunteers help us raise these much-needed funds.

“Christmas can be challenging for many, and we know many homes are affected by the cost of

living.

“We appreciate every donation, of any size. For families experiencing dying, death, or bereavement, Christmas can often feel overwhelming, so we want to make sure our services are there to spread care, comfort, and joy for even more people this Christmas. We will be collecting at Bath Christmas Markets on Friday 24th November. If you are interested in helping us, we’d love to hear from you!

“Volunteering is a great way to meet new people in your local area, and to help get you into the Christmas spirit.”

To find out more about how you can get involved, visit mariecurie. org.uk/collect or contact your local Community Fundraiser, Hannah on 07753 258937 or email hannah.drury@mariecurie.org. uk.

To donate to Marie Curie’s Christmas Appeal, visit www. mariecurie.org.uk/christmas.

FIREFIGHTERS in Bath have unveiled their latest fire engine design, which has been created to raise awareness of the dangers of water.

Designed to bring to life simple advice that can save lives, the artwork features striking blue colours and key messages to catch the attention of passers-by.

Watch Manager at Bath Fire Station’s Blue Watch, Rich Wheeler said: “We know all too well the grave danger that our waterways present, and believe that nobody should fall victim to drowning.

“Whilst we strongly urge you not to enter the water where it is unsafe to do so, we know that sometimes people do fall in, and so knowing what to do if you or someone else gets into difficulty is vital.”

With three panels, the design covers important water safety points: • Respect the water. You never know how cold, how deep or how dangerous the water is, so don’t go in when it’s not safe to do so.

• If you fall in, float to live.

Stretch out your arms and legs and lie back in the water.

Breathe slowly, and fight your instinct to panic and thrash about. Once your breathing is under control, call for help.

• If you see someone in trouble in the water, call 999. Do not enter the water to help them yourself, instead offer help from a safe distance away from the edge such as throwing them a floatation aid or throwline which can be retrieved from any of the River Rescue SOS stations along the waterways in Bath or Bristol.

Rich added: “Cold water shock, currents and other hidden dangers can harm even the strongest of swimmers, so never assume you could just swim to edge and get out.

“Please take the time to learn what to do in an emergency and share it with family and friends.”

The design comes as part of the fire service’s ongoing work on water safety, and their commitment to helping people stay safe around Bath’s waterways.

awarded the Legion d’Honneur. I then accompanied Stan at GWR’s ‘Routes of Remembrance’ tribute, where we dedicated wreaths of poppies which were carried from Bath to London and laid at the War Memorial in Paddington Station.

I also joined many of Bath’s war veterans at the Remembrance Day Parade on Sunday.

This was a time of great reflection for me, and it is vital that we never forget the ultimate sacrifice so many have made for our lives today. While we remember the hope brought by the agreement

to stop fighting on Armistice Day over a hundred years ago, we must keep in mind all those lost in ongoing conflicts across the globe.

Like many people in Bath, I have felt great distress over the last month seeing the horrific suffering of civilians in the Middle East.

I called on the government and the newly appointed Foreign Secretary to be on the side of peace when approaching the conflict in Israel and Palestine.

I urge them to heed my party’s calls for an immediate bilateral ceasefire in Israel and Gaza.

COLUMN | Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath

I

T has been an incredibly busy few weeks in Parliament.

On the 20th of October I passed my Private Member’s Bill into law, creating a new duty for employers to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. I introduced this Bill in July 2022 with the support of the Fawcett Society and the wider Alliance for Women, after the government committed to supporting this duty for employers in 2021.

My Bill requires employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, instead of putting the onus on individual employees to report incidents. It was clear that laws to prevent har-

assment in the workplace were in dire need of transformation.

A TUC report found that 79% of women did not report sexual harassment at work. This is why we need to place the responsibility on employers to prevent harassment in the first place. Only then can we begin to change the culture of workplaces.

While debate and negotiation over my Bill in Westminster has taken considerable attention, I still stood up for my constituents at every turn.

Last month a constituent who commutes from Bath to London got in touch with my office to highlight that their regular route

was set to double in price, with no announcement or indication from the train companies of why this might be.

In the House of Commons, I demanded to know why the Government allows such wide variance in fares, and what it would do to make pricing decisions on rail transport more transparent.

This past weekend, I attended several memorial events for Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday. I planted a cross in the Westminster Garden of Remembrance to honour Bath Normandy veteran, Stan Ford.

He was a survivor of the D-Day operations in June 1944, and

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Tuesday 21st November - Monday 4th December 2023

Health Revised opening date for new Dyson Cancer Centre at RUH THE Royal United Hospital has announced that the new Dyson Cancer Centre will now open in spring 2024, rather than later this year as previously planned.

Construction at Combe Park has progressed well since work began in 2021, however a shortage of engineers to complete some of the complex internal engineering means completion of the centre will take longer than originally planned.

Libby Walters, RUH Chief Financial Officer, said: “We know how disappointing this will be for our patients, staff and our wider community and we are very sorry.

“We are maintaining the highest quality build whilst also allowing enough time to safely equip the new building, deep clean it and ensure our staff are familiar with their new working environment.

“We’ll be ready to welcome patients in spring 2024 and will confirm an exact opening date as soon as possible.”

Once open, the Dyson Cancer Centre will bring together the

majority of the RUH’s cancer services, including research, under one roof.

It will provide oncology, chemotherapy and radiotherapy services and a 22-bed inpatient ward as well as a Macmillan Wellbeing Hub. The centre will provide a nurturing and therapeutic environment, with a ‘land, water, sky’ theme, making extensive use of natural light and external spaces as well as the work of local artists and designers.

Ros Helps, RUH Lead Cancer Nurse said: “Anyone who has been to the RUH recently will have seen the impressive three storey Dyson Cancer Centre.

“The exterior is complete and all the activity is focused on finishing the interior, including the light filled atrium that will provide such a welcoming space for our patients and their loved ones. In the New Year we’ll take possession of the building and start fitting it out with all the equipment we need to care for patients.

Work is ongoing at the new Dyson Cancer Centre | Photo © RUH

“We’re really excited about the incredible new facility we are creating, and the difference it will make to our community.

“As we enter this final phase there will be no disruption to our cancer services and we will continue to provide high quality care from our current facilities at

Day Surgery Unit expanded to help reduce waiting times

the RUH until the new centre is ready.”

The £50 million Dyson Cancer Centre is backed by over £40 million in Government funding and supported in part by a £4m donation from The James Dyson Foundation to create a cancer services hub for half a million

people in the South West of England.

A further £1m was donated by the Medlock Charitable Trust, £1.5m by Macmillan Cancer Support and £5m was also raised

by RUHX (formerly known as The Forever Friends Appeal), the official charity of the RUH Trust.

Staff come together to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Denise Bond, Head Receptionist at the Bath Clinic

Staff in one of the new cubicles | Photo © RUH

THE Day Surgery Unit at the Royal United Hospital has been upgraded to provide additional capacity for elective patients and reduce surgery waiting times.

Over the past few months, the unit has been refurbished to provide an additional five new cubicles, which will allow it to take more patients, as well as a new waiting room.

The building works mean that patients on the ward will also benefit from improved privacy.

The unit will now be available for use by paediatric patients too, reducing pressure on the

hospital’s Children’s Ward.

David Harding-Clark, Theatre Improvement Support Manager, said: “It’s fantastic to see these improvements in place.

“They will make a really positive difference for the people we care for and I know our staff are really pleased with them too.

“The vast majority of operations carried out at the RUH are day cases, which means patients can get back home once they’ve had their surgery.

“The new improvements will mean we have capacity to treat more patients and the unit will become an even more welcoming

place for the people we care for.

“This has been a big project and I would like to thank all of our staff who have been involved for their support and patience while these fantastic improvements have been made.”

RUH Chief Executive Cara Charles-Barks said: “We are always striving to further improve the experience of the people we care for.

“These improvements to our Day Surgery Unit will not only provide our patients with updated, more private facilities but, crucially, enable us to increase our overall surgical capacity.”

STAFF at the Bath Clinic hospital in Combe Down recently came together to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, talking about the disease and raising funds for charity.

Championed by Head Receptionist Denise Bond, who was just 36 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she wanted to take the opportunity to share what she had learnt from her experience and give something back.

As part of the hospital’s fundraising efforts, events included a Breast Cancer Big Pink Quiz, a bake sale, a Bath Clinic Technical Challenge Bake Off, and a grand draw.

A raffle, with the main price of a luxury hamper, was won by a

Bath Clinic patient.

The efforts of staff and patients helped raise £2010.

With around 55,000 women and 400 men diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the UK, Denise chose Breast Cancer Now as the charity she wanted to support.

They are the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, and its mission is to be recognised as the place to turn for information and support on everything to do with breast cancer, as well as the driving force behind breakthroughs in prevention, detection, and treatment.

After a month of fundraising for Breast Cancer Now, Denise said she was “truly overwhelmed by the kindness and support”.

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Education

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Artificial heart sees students win international competition A GROUP of engineering students from the University of Bath have won an international competition after designing an artificial heart.

Team Bath Heart took top prize at the grand final of the first-ever Heart Hackathon, which was held in Texas at the end of October.

Six members of the team presented their device to global experts in artificial heart technologies, competing against teams from Australia, the United States, Sweden, New Zealand, Romania and Egypt.

The ‘total artificial heart’ they have developed could in theory be used to replace a heart patient’s organ.

Artificial hearts are used in medicine to treat patients with certain cardiovascular diseases, usually while they wait for a donor heart to be found, or to help their heart recover.

The winning design, currently a scaled-up prototype, incorporates cutting-edge materials and features a bag pumping mechanism to achieve sophisticated blood handling characteristics as well as automatic flow rate adjustment to respond just as a real heart does.

During the competition, which aims to encourage the medical and cardiovascular innovators of the future, team lead Fleur Upton and technical manager Alex Myers had to deliver a

15-minute presentation, before all six students were quizzed on their design choices by a panel of expert judges.

Each team was scored on the quality of their research, technical innovation and commercialisation efforts.

The uniqueness of the Team Bath Heart design, which put patient needs at the centre of decision making, helped them stand out from their competitors.

Now comprising 45 students studying courses in engineering, computer science, biology and management, Team Bath Heart was established in early 2022 when six members of the team took on the challenge of creating an artificial heart as part of a group project.

Fleur Upton, who is studying Mechanical Engineering, said: “We are immensely proud to have won first prize at the Heart Hackathon.

“It was great to meet the other teams and learn about the different ways in which everyone approached the challenge, and how they innovated in different ways.

“Getting to work on the project has been incredibly rewarding, so to win the competition is really the icing on the cake.

“The whole team is grateful to the support of the University, and especially to our academic advisors Katharine Fraser, Mélusine Pigeon, to Chris Bowles

Fleur Upton and Marcell Kuba with their Total Artificial Heart | Photo © University of Bath

from Harefield Hospital for their specialist advice, and to the judges.

Dr Katharine Fraser, one of Team Bath Heart’s academic advisors and a senior lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, said: “It was a tough competition with several excellent designs from the competitor teams.

“Team Bath Heart won because they analysed the needs of patients and clinicians, used everything they’ve learnt in their degrees so far, and put in a

huge amount of time and effort, to create their completely new, innovative total artificial heart.

“We’re all very proud of the team and what they’ve achieved.

“Medical engineering and technologies like these have massive industrial potential, so as well as gaining great problemsolving and management experience in entering the competition, the team are also building really relevant skills for their future careers.”

Following the Heart Hackathon

contest, members of the team attended the International Society for Mechanical Circulatory Support (ISMCS) conference, a meeting of the world’s top experts in artificial heart and blood technologies, to learn more about the field and to connect with industry professionals.

The team is now starting development of the next iteration of their design, with the aim of competing again at the 2024 Heart Hackathon final.

Youngsters find out more about new plastic-free poppy DESIGN students from Hayesfield Girls’ School in Bath recently visited product design agency Matter, which developed the plastic-free poppy for the Royal British Legion.

Sixteen students attended the special Design Day held by Matter at their studios in the city.

The Bath-based company wanted to inspire the next generation of young designers by inviting them to experience a design agency in person and highlight how, as designers, they have the power to initiate positive change.

The recent launch of the Royal British Legion’s 2023 Poppy Appeal saw Matter’s new plasticfree design of the poppy go on sale to the public.

Matter, who initially approached the Royal British Legion with their sustainable design solution in collaboration with papermaking company James Cropper, wanted to use their work as the basis for an inspirational design day with Hayesfield School, demonstrating the impact designers can have on the world and empowering the students to initiate their own projects that result in positive change.

The day’s agenda included a Poppy Creative Case Study &

Students visiting the design studio in Bath | Photo courtesy of Matter

Workshop where students were asked to engage in the creative design process, make their own paper poppy and experience a Studio Tour, demonstrating some of the activities that take place in a working design studio.

Following this was a deep dive

into Matter and what they do, explaining to the students how the agency works with a range of brands and companies, and through an array of design practices, to create impactful products and experiences.

The day ended with a Positive

Impact Workshop, highlighting how as designers, the students can make positive changes for people and the planet.

Lottie King, Design Director at Matter said: “At Matter, we feel very strongly that, as designers, we have a huge responsibility to

initiate and drive change for good – and this is how the sustainable poppy came about.

“But we also believe we have a responsibility to pass this ethos onto younger generations, who will ultimately be designing our future.

“We wanted to create an experience for students, whose education is largely classroom based, that would provide practical and tangible examples of how, as designers, they can drive change, whilst giving them an insight into design studio life.

“It’s been such a great day – we look forward to opening our doors again soon!”

Philippa Johnson, Head of Product Design from Hayesfield Girls’ School commented: “It is so important that our students get as many chances as possible to see how their learning in the classroom can become a reality in practice.

“So, when Matter approached us to get the students involved in this design day, we jumped at the chance! It has been such an insightful and exciting day for the students and everyone has walked away enthused about the opportunities that a career in design can offer them.”

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“Loss-making” Wansdyke Business Centre to be auctioned John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

A COUNCIL-OWNED office block deemed “loss-making” after the council turned away new tenants for five years is going up for auction.

The Wansdyke Business Centre in Midsomer Norton will be up for auction on 21st November, with a guide price of £300,000.

The 19-unit building is advertised as having an estimated rental value of £75,000 if fully let.

In March, Bath and North East Somerset Council said they were making the decision to sell it off because it was “loss-making” and had required a subsidy.

When councillors called in this decision to be scrutinised before a council panel in April, a council cabinet member admitted that they had not taken on any new tenants in five years since the council had taken over the running of the building from Business West.

Councillor Colin Blackburn, who led the call-in, said at the meeting: “This has been a five year plan to sell off the family silver.”

Meanwhile, councillor Shaun Hughes, who rented an office in the building for his business called the council’s management of the building “disastrous”.

But after a short debate behind closed doors, something allowed if councillors pass a motion that the public interest would be better served by keeping commercially sensitive information private, the panel voted to dismiss the call in and allow the sale to proceed unchallenged.

Mr Hughes was one of the last two tenants left in the building when he moved out in July due to the council’s plans to sell it.

He said that he had approached the council about buying the building himself to keep it going as a business centre.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the business centre had “performed a vital function” by offering serviced office space to new businesses in the local area, allowing them to stay local.

He criticised the council’s refusal to accept any new tenants and questioned the logic behind selling it.

He said: “There are flaws in their argument, I believe, with the costs. Personally, I believe it was capable of being financially selfsufficient as a serviced office space.”

The move to sell off the centre also comes as the council is aiming to create more employment space to bring jobs back to the area on the other side of Midsomer

The Wansdyke Business Centre | Photo © Google Street View

Norton.

The council is progressing with plans to allow companies to develop the Somer Valley Enterprise Zone — covering fields off the A362 opposite the Old Mills industrial estate and near the batch “volcano.”

But the council’s cabinet member for economic and cultural sustainable development Paul Roper said: “The sale of the long leasehold for the Wansdyke Business Centre won’t result in any loss of employment floorspace.

“The centre was inherited in 2018 with tenants on differing

SouthGate Bath shopping centre wins sustainability award THE SouthGate Bath shopping centre has been recognised with an award for significantly increasing the amount of waste it has recycled in the past year.

The site was recognised with a Green World Award for its waste management, which has seen the quantity of waste it recycles increase by 40 per cent since November 2022.

The project combined a range of initiatives including implementing new waste streams to expand recycling capabilities, enhancing signage to ensure a clear colour-coded waste segregation system was in place, as well as engaging employees and businesses.

The improved system has resulted in more than 70 per cent of the centre’s waste now being recycled or reused since the project was completed last year.

Guy Henderson, centre director at SouthGate Bath, said: “We’re continually working to make a positive difference for our customers, communities and the environment.

“Achieving the Green World Award is great recognition for all of the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes to improve the centre’s waste management

lease terms and rents, and the council was unable to take on new tenants until a full review of the centre’s financial viability had been completed.

“Following this review, we took the decision to return the centre to the local market through disposal. The council remains committed to providing employment space in the area – as is demonstrated by our plans to develop the Somer Valley Enterprise Zone (SVEZ) that will create significant numbers of jobs.”

Wansdyke Business Centre, officially being sold as Midsomer

Enterprise Park Units 22 & 23, is lot 516 in a remote auction by Savills on 21st November.

It is being sold as a long leasehold of 999 years from 15th September 1993.

The lot listing for the business centre states: “The property would suit continuation of its current use as a business centre, with a number of local occupiers requiring surplus office space.

“Alternatively the property could be converted to provide industrial/workshop space similar to the surrounding use (subject to obtaining requisite consents).”

Approval granted for conversion to HMO John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

The shopping centre in Bath | Photo © SouthGate Bath

system.

“Employee and tenant engagement played a pivotal role in the successful rollout of the new system with our team hosting training and workshops to educate on the importance of waste re-use and recycling.”

The Green Apple Awards are run

by The Green Organisation. It is an international environment group that began in 1994 to recognise, reward and promote environmental best practice around the world.

The commitment to waste reduction is one of several ways the centre is making responsible choices that have a positive impact, including the installation of energy-efficient LED lighting, which has cut usage by over 25% over the last seven years.

SouthGate Bath also has six electric charging stations and 50 cycle spaces to support sustainable travel to the centre and water refill stations to encourage shoppers to stay hydrated while using less plastic.

OWNERS of a “spotless” and “cosy” bed and breakfast in Bath have been given the goahead to turn it into a shared house.

Bath & North East Somerset Council has granted planning permission for the change of use of Bay Tree House from a bed and breakfast to a house in multiple occupation (HMO).

An HMO is a property rented out to three or more people who are not considered one “household”, with Bay Tree House having space for six sharers to move in.

But the website of the hotel, on Crescent Gardens, which has a four-and-a-half star rating on trip advisor, still shows rooms available to book into February next year.

The bed and breakfast has received glowing reviews on the ratings website.

Keith, who stayed there in January, wrote: “My stay was so easy and very welcoming. The room I most recently stayed in — on the ground floor — was spotless, cosy and spacious. I have travelled a lot and I could

The Bay Tree House B&B on Crescent Gardens | Image © Google Street View

not recommend Bay Tree House more strongly.”

Martin, who stayed last April, gave the place top marks and wrote: “The room was spacious and the bathroom enormous for a bed and breakfast. All toiletries were provided and it was spotlessly clean and tidy.”

Council officers approved the application, stating that the rooms were larger than the minimum size requirements and that there were not so many HMOs in the area that another one would create a high concentration.

No changes to the floor plans are to be made as part of the conversion, although six cycle parking spaces will be installed outside.

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Green councillors oppose “woefully poor” stadium plans John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

BATH’S local Green Party has slammed Bath Rugby’s plans for a stadium in the heart of the city, warning it will “cause misery for residents”.

In September, the rugby club submitted their long-awaited plans to build an 18,000-seat “Stadium for Bath” on the Recreation Ground.

Over 1,000 people had lodged comments in support by the time the consultation closed, compared to just 85 people submitting objections.

Among the voices opposed to the development are the three Green councillors on Bath and North East Somerset Council.

Saskia Heijltjes, who was Bath’s “bicycle mayor” before being elected as a councillor in May, said the plans were “car-centric.”

She said: “Transport plans for this application are not sufficient and could result in thousands of new car journeys into a UNESCO world heritage city for every game, at a time when we have to significantly reduce car miles if we are to meet the council’s own

climate targets.

“There are hardly any improvements in the plans for walking and cycling or the use of the Park & Ride.

“The application is woefully poor in its transport obligations and appears to be car-centric. The additional use of the stadium beyond rugby will cause misery for residents across the city and this clearly needs to be rethought and significantly changed.”

Meanwhile, Joanna Wright, who leads the Green group on the council, said: “Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and this proposed development imposes a massive stadium which will impact important views from the city of Bath and also the centre of the city from the east.

“People come to Bath for the views, and this new stadium will directly affect how we all see the city of Bath.

“It is clearly over-development in the heart of the city.”

The Green’s other councillor, Sam Ross, added: “The stadium will be an exclusive and privately controlled recreational space with no benefit to residents, local businesses, or the city.

“The retained space would

Inside the proposed stadium | Image © Bath Rugby

be severely compromised in terms of the sporting activities which it could and should be accommodating.”

Based at the Recreation Ground, Bath Rugby currently spends about a million pounds a year on temporary stands they have to assemble and disassemble.

As the plans were submitted, the club’s CEO Tarquin McDonald

Council commits to inclusivity and tackling discrimination

Staff Network Group Chairs with Councillor Kevin Guy and Chief Executive Will Godfrey | Photo © B&NES Council

LEADERS at Bath & North East Somerset Council have committed to supporting inclusivity among staff and tackling discrimination in the workplace.

Council leader Councillor Kevin Guy, chief executive Will Godfrey and the local authority’s Staff Network Group chairs signed an Inclusive Leadership Pledge, which is now being rolled out across the organisation.

The pledge commits leaders to help break down barriers in communities, ensure elimination of discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relationships between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

Councillor Kevin Guy, leader of the council, said: “The council is committed to showing leadership and organisational commitment to equality and employing a diverse and engaged workforce.

“They are fundamental objectives and are set out in the Equality Improvement Plan which I wholeheartedly support.”

Will Godfrey said: “We value all our staff. They work hard to serve all our Bath & North East Somerset residents.

But we recognise that all organisations need to do more to develop, listen to, and act on the widest possible range of diverse voices.

“This pledge actively encourages an environment where people can collaborate and help shape the future of the council and

the diverse communities it represents and serves.”

The local authority has four Staff Network and Development Groups representing Minority Ethnic staff, Access & Inclusion (Disabled Staff ), LGBTQ+ staff, Women’s Careers (for staff who identify as female).

These groups help identify, promote and support role models and act as champions of inclusivity.

There is representation from these groups offering support to the council’s Corporate Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group by providing direct, honest and open feedback and healthy challenge to the senior leadership team.

The Staff Network Group Chairs won a Bath & North East Somerset Council Staff Recognition award for their work championing inclusivity.

The Staff Network Group Chairs representatives said: “Chairs of the Staff Network Groups ensure that colleagues across the council learn together in a positive and collaborative way.

“We are a strong employee voice, encouraging and supporting others to be heard for the benefit not just of staff but for the services the council delivers to residents.

“We welcome this pledge as another step the council has taken to champion inclusivity.”

said: “If we were not able to redevelop it, it calls into question our ability to stay here long term.

That would be tragic for the city and the club.”

The club say that the stadium will have a “contemporary and sensitive design” and that the new hybrid pitch will increase community and amateur use.

A traffic assessment also

submitted stated that the increase in traffic on a match day would be “negligible” The chair of Bath and North East Somerset Council’s planning committee has called for the decision on whether to grant planning permission for the stadium to be decided by them in a public meeting, although no date has yet been publicly set.

Safety improvements on the London Road SAFETY measures at a junction on the London Road into Morrisons supermarket have been improved thanks to a local councillor.

When the former Joint Cabinet Member for Transport at Bath & North East Somerset Council, Councillor Joanna Wright, saw collision data for the busy junction, she called for council officers to review the layout.

The yellow box at the junction has now been enlarged, with a cycle lane along the London Road marked in red.

Cllr Joanna Wright, now Green Group leader at B&NES, said: “The data on collisions at this busy junction on a main road, which is also a cycling main route for many including school children, was not acceptable.

“The layout of our roads should be examined and wherever there are hotspots immediate action to improve them should be undertaken.

“Over the years the Council has received several reports of collisions and conflict between vehicles turning right into Morrisons and people cycling toward the city centre.

“From the collision analysis, it appears that the majority of the cases occur when inbound vehicles are queuing through the junction and allowing right turning vehicles access to the

Cllrs Joanna Wright & Saskia Heijltjes

supermarket car park.

“The queuing inbound vehicles obscure cyclists approaching on the inside and therefore a driver turning right cannot see them.

“I understand that the new scheme will help improve the safety of all road users by increasing inter-visibility of the driver and approaching cyclist by enlarging the yellow box across the junction.

“Additionally, the new scheme will be highlighting the presence of cyclists by implementing a marked cycle lane on the road surface, which will act as a reminder to drivers that cyclists may be approaching on the inside of stationary traffic.”

Cllr Saskia Heijltjes said: “The implementation of work to improve this junction is just one of the many actions needed across our road networks.

“It is clear from the data that how we design our roads affects all road users and the public highway should be safe for every user.”

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Tuesday 21st November - Monday 4th December 2023

In Other News...

Sporting Fixtures

Man jailed for fraud and money laundering A MAN from Bath has been jailed for six-and-a-half years after committing fraud and money laundering to secure more than £4.5 million in spread betting.

Jeff Arundell, 75, was convicted of multiple offences concerning financial business he carried out in 2016 and 2017.

He also was sentenced for a separate fraud offence in which he used power of attorney to take approximately £260,000 that belonged to his now late mother.

With that sum, he bought a Bentley car and increased his spread betting efforts.

Arundell, of Sion Hill in Lansdown, invited a friend in November 2016 to join him in investing in what he claimed to be a guaranteed money-making investment.

He stated he had information that shares in a pharmaceutical company were set to significantly increase in value in the coming weeks.

He promised the friend, and his friend’s family members who also invested, that he would personally guarantee their stake money if he was wrong.

In total, he received about £100,000 to invest on their behalf.

In early December 2016, Arundell placed the money on numerous trades of spread betting, but told

the victims within weeks that he had lost their money and did not have the funds to repay them as per the guarantee he made.

It was later discovered by the police Arundell had indeed profited on some of the trades he had placed in December 2016 using their money, but lied about it to them.

From the winnings, he continued to trade and place further bets, which in turn attributed to the £4.6million windfall he had accumulated by August 2017.

The friend and his family reported the matter in January 2017 and a police investigation was carried out.

Arundell claimed to police that when he placed the trades in December 2016, he could indeed have repaid the guarantee, as

he had received approximately £100,000 in inheritance from his late-mother’s estate earlier that year.

However, this was investigated as a separate fraud, as it was discovered he had taken his mother’s money, while holding a power of attorney for her some years before.

By taking the money while she was alive, he had deprived other family members from inheriting from her estate upon her death.

Arundell was convicted of three counts of fraud by false representation and one of money laundering at Bristol Crown Court on Monday 30th October, in relation to £86,000’s worth of money he received from his friend and their family.

He was found not guilty of a

fourth count of fraud by false representation relating to the rest of the money he received.

He was also separately charged with fraud by abuse of position in respect of the handling of his late-mother’s finances in early 2020. He was convicted of this offence in April 2021.

Arundell was sentenced to a total of six-and-a-half years in prison for all five offences at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday 31st October. An application has been made under the Proceeds of Crime Act to recoup money he gained from his criminality.

The friend who lost money in the fraud said Arundell had ‘got what he deserved’ and added: “He caused myself and my family a lot of grief and heartache.”

Dr Kirstie Cogram, manager of the serious and organised crime investigation team, said: “We are pleased to secure five guilty verdicts against Arundell following what has been a long drawn out investigation into his fraudulent behaviour.

“Arundell portrayed himself as an experienced trader in the financial markets. He seemingly thought little of defrauding his own family by taking cash from his elderly mother, nor using money from a friend and their family to bankroll his spread betting efforts.

Awards for dam restoration work at Prior Park THE Prior Park Landscape Garden in Bath has received two awards for a crucial engineering scheme to save an 18th century dam and ponds.

The restoration project at the National Trust site, designed by Binnies and constructed by Alun Griffiths Contractors, preserves the historic vista, featuring one of England’s last Palladian Bridges.

At a gala ceremony in Bristol for the ICE South West Civil Engineering Awards 2023 on 10th November, Prior Park was awarded the trophy for the best re-engineered project under £8 million, before also being revealed as the winner of the People’s Choice Award having received the most votes in a free online poll.

The judges said that the project was completed with “absolute consideration” for the history

The dams before restoration works | Photo © National Trust / Rachel Beaumont

and landscape of the park.

They praised the re-use of the old stones in the dam as part of the new solution, the preservation of the archaeology throughout the site and effective collaboration between partners.

They said the scheme sensitively preserved an important heritage

site with clever engineering that is now largely hidden from view to the casual observer.

The dams project, which began in 2019, was needed as the middle dam at the site had been leaking in several places for many years, and this had been exacerbated by burrowing invasive American

signal crayfish.

Ten project awards and two individual trophies were presented at the awards in association with Kier BAM, which are held annually to recognise achievement among regional engineers and project teams.

Miranda Housden, ICE South West Regional Director, said: “The ICE South West Civil Engineering Awards 2023 showcased a strong field of entries, marking a competitive year that underlines the region’s depth of expertise and achievement.

“These amazing projects are taking on some of our most significant regional challenges.

And with the talent of our apprentices and graduates, the future for civil engineering in the South West looks very promising.

Congratulations to all who participated this year.”

Share your sports news with thousands of people across Bath! Email sport@bathecho.co.uk

Crossword answers - Issue 064 (07/11/23) Across: 8 Phrase, 9 Neophyte, 10 Plymouth, 11 Hung up, 12 Sixty-three, 14 Cake, 15 Shopping trolley, 18 Ship, 20 Optimistic, 22 Balaam, 23 Rosemary, 25 Forensic, 26 Onions.

Down: 1 Childish, 2 Palm, 3 Deduct, 4 On the right track, 5 Cochlear, 6 Phone calls, 7 Struck, 13 Tape player, 16 Iron mask, 17 Emigrant, 19 Head-on, 21 Mascot, 24 Main.

Bath Rugby Friday 24th November – 7.45pm Bath Rugby v Sale Sharks (Away) Gallagher Premiership – Round 7 Saturday 2nd December – 3pm Bath Rugby v Exeter Chiefs (Home) Gallagher Premiership - Round 8

Bath Rugby Ladies Sunday 26th November 1ST XV v Sutton & Epsom (Home) Sunday 3rd December 2ND XV v Supermarine (Away) Sunday 3rd December 3RD XV v Aretians (Home)

Bath City FC Tuesday 21st November – 7.45pm Bath City v Hemel Hempstead Town (A) Vanarama National League South

Saturday 25th November – 3pm Bath City v Farnborough (A) Vanarama National League South

Tuesday 28th November – 7.45pm Bath City v Frome Town (H) Somerset Premier Cup 2nd Round

Saturday 2nd December – 3pm Bath City v Chelmsford City (H) Vanarama National League South

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