Bath Echo - Issue 081 - 28/06/2024

ECHO

Friday 28th June - Thursday 11th July 2024

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Issue No. 081

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LANDMARK REOPENS Historic Beckford's Tower to welcome public after £4m project - P3

Inside: Food & drink, archive photos, what's on listings, our £20 crossword & more!

Arson attack at children’s play area in Whiteway - P2

87-year-old man to stand trial for murder - P2

Crash closes Lower Bristol Road for several hours - P4

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Arson attack at children’s play area in Whiteway

In this issue...

Top Stories

Friday 28th June - Thursday 11th July 2024

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Crossword

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Pictures from the Past

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What's On

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Food & Drink

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Education

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Community

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Health

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Business

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Politics

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Sports & Fixtures

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Becky Feather Reporter

A LATE-NIGHT arson attack has been carried out at a children’s play area in Bath, delaying the opening of new facilities.

A climbing wall was destroyed in the attack at Whiteway last weekend along with a portable toilet that had been at the site for use by the team working on the project.

We reported earlier this year that housing association Curo’s project to install new play equipment, including swings and toddler equipment, at Whiteway Green had been awarded £40,000 of community funding.

The play area had been on course to be completed in time for the summer holidays.

Avon Fire & Rescue Service said: “We were called at 11:41pm on Saturday 22nd June to reports of a fire at a play area in Rosewarn Park, Bath.

“Crews from Bath attended and found a fire involving play equipment. Firefighters extinguished the blaze, and the cause of the fire is thought to be deliberate.”

Earlier this week, Curo’s director of estates services, Carl McMurtry said: “Curo works hard to provide spaces that are welcoming to

Part of the play area has been damaged by the arson attack

all, and the new play area at Whiteway Green is a place for children and families to enjoy.

That’s why this arson attack is so heartbreaking.

“We’re doing everything we can to engage with the community, and we’ve been working with local groups to improve the park for everyone.

“The playground was almost complete, but because of this senseless attack, the reopening will inevitably now be delayed.

“If we need to find the money to rectify the damage, then that

will also have a negative knockon effect, as it means there is less money to spend on other community projects.

“We’re aware that there are problems with anti-social behaviour in the area, and we continue to work with the police.

“Behaviour like this is unacceptable, and we need the community to work with us to send the message that it won’t be tolerated. If anyone has any information then we would urge them to contact us or the police as soon as possible.”

A resident sent us a video of the blaze and said it raised concerns about the safety and security of the neighbourhood, adding it was not the first time something had been set on fire at this location.

Other locals have told us there had been problems with the portable toilet being tipped over.

They say they’ve suggested to Curo that CCTV would be a good way to catch vandals, fly-tippers and arsonists who target the area, and that the entrances to the park should be made less accessible to motorbikes and fly-tippers.

87-year-old Bath man to stand trial for murder AN 87-YEAR-OLD Bath man has been charged with murder following the death of a woman in the city on Tuesday 18th June.

William Arthur Haxworth, of Upper Lansdown Mews, appeared before magistrates on Thursday 20th June accused of the murder of 85-year-old Delia Haxworth.

He was remanded in custody ahead of a hearing at Bristol Crown Court the following day.

At that hearing, a trial date was set for Monday 16th December.

No application was made for bail.

A plea and trial preparation hearing is expected to take place

on Friday 26th July.

Mrs Haxworth had been found in need of urgent medical treatment at a property in Upper Lansdown Mews on the morning of 18th June.

Despite the efforts of an ambulance crew, she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detective Inspector Mark Newbury is leading enquiries by officers from the Major Crime Investigation Team.

He said: “Our thoughts are very much with Delia’s family as they begin to come to terms with this tragedy.”

He hoped anyone with information would come forward

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Left: The scaffolding on Bennett Street | Above: Upper Lansdown Mews

to help them find answers for the family.

Detectives in particular want to hear from anyone who saw, or has footage, of an older man with a rucksack walking from Upper Lansdown Mews to Bennett

Street, or of a man climbing scaffolding in Bennett Street.

Call 101 and give the reference Operation Network, or visit the online portal at https://mipp. police.uk/operation/5224B78PO1

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Issue 081

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Your City, Your News - Bath Echo

Beckford’s Tower to reopen after £3.9m refurb Becky Feather Reporter

BECKFORD’S Tower and Museum in Bath is reopening this weekend following a £3.9 million refurbishment.

It has been paid for by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and other public and private funders.

The project, which began in October 2022, has gone beyond essential repairs to encompass reimagining the museum and creating new interpretation, installing renewable energy sources and fully excavating a 19th century hidden grotto which is opening to visitors for the first time ever.

New museum spaces tell the complex and controversial story of William Beckford’s life and legacy.

His wealth came from his ownership of sugar plantations in Jamaica and the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved people.

This gave him immense privilege and power, which he used to collect and commission precious art and objects, and to create influential buildings and landscapes.

These intertwined themes of wealth and power, exploitation and abuse are addressed in the tower’s new exhibition spaces, developed through extensive consultation with a diverse crosssection of the local community so that new voices are part of the tower’s next chapter.

There are new displays showcasing pieces from Beckford’s varied collections, including furniture, design objects and fine art.

Other key highlights of the project include: • New step-free accessible interpretation space in the tower’s vault.

• Solar panels and air source heat pumps which have converted a Grade I listed building to renewable energy sources.

• Conservation works to remove the building from the Heritage at Risk register and secure its sustainable future.

• Restoration of lost historic design elements showcasing the work of highly skilled

News in Brief Jolly’s store repair project approved Plans to carry out repair and alteration work to five skylights at the Grade II listed building that houses Jolly’s in Milsom Street in the city centre have been approved by B&NES Council. Last month it emerged that there had been problems at the department store last year with water pouring in and broken panes of glass falling into the trading area.

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Inset: The uncovered grotto at the site | Above: The newly restored tower | Photos © Casper Farrell

heritage craftspeople • Reconnecting of the tower to its surrounding landscape through accessible footpaths and new interpretation.

Patrizia Ribul, director of museums at Bath Preservation Trust, and the lead for the ‘Our Tower’ project, said the team were excited to welcome people back to the tower and show them the culmination of all the work.

She said: “The grotto in particular forms a really intriguing part of the visitor experience, expanding the visitor route far beyond the previous climb up the tower; we really look forward to seeing visitors’ reactions.

“People will be able to book behind-the-scene tours up the architecturally iconic staircase to the tiny golden lantern at the top of the tower, with extraordinary views over Bath.

“We would like to thank The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players, Historic England and all the other generous individuals and group funders who have helped us in supporting this momentous project.

“We would also like to thank our wonderful members for their constant and vital support of the Bath Preservation Trust.”

Amy Frost, senior curator at Bath Preservation Trust, said: “William Beckford’s obsession with collecting objects and building towers was funded by his involvement in the transatlantic slave trade.

“This means that the creation of Beckford’s Tower and the collection within it was all underpinned by the exploitation and suffering of thousands of enslaved people.

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“It has been vital that we work with others to tell this story as openly and accurately as possible.

“The end of this project is actually the start of a future programme of changing displays and new research at the museum, ensuring that even more previously untold stories are discovered, and voices that have previously been silenced are heard.

“Collaborating with our local communities and advisors, we have worked together to create an expansive, interesting and inclusive experience; this tower used to be a space reserved only for one privileged man, now we want everyone to feel welcome here.”

Beckford’s Tower reopens on Saturday, 29th June. For details of opening times and tickets visit https://beckfordstower.org.uk/

Weather Forecast Fri 28th Sat 29th Sun 30th Mon 1st Tue 2nd Wed 3rd Thu 4th

18°c 20°c 21°c 19°c 19°c 18°c 19°c

Long range forecast:

      

(5th to 11th June) More settled weather is expected, with below average rainfall and temperatures around average. A higher chance of heatwaves developing.

Friday 28th June - Thursday 11th July 2024

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Multi-vehicle collision closes A36

The crash caused significant damage to a number of vehicles

THE A36 Lower Bristol Road in Bath was closed for a number of hours following a serious multivehicle collision on Wednesday 19th June.

A motorhome collided with several vehicles shortly after 9.20am.

In total eight vehicles are believed to have been involved, seven of them cars.

Police shut the A36 in both directions between the junctions with Windsor Bridge Road and Midland Bridge Road.

Avon Fire & Rescue Service sent several crews to the scene, who helped to make the vehicles involved safe.

The driver of the motorhome, from Belgium, is believed to have suffered a medical episode at the wheel.

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A spokesperson for South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust said: “We sent five doublecrewed land ambulances, two operations officers, a hazardous area response team, and a tactical commander to the scene of the incident and conveyed three patients by land ambulances to Royal United Hospitals Bath."

The road was closed for several hours to allow for investigation and recovery works to take place.

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“Protecting women and girls from male violence is one of our priorities and I hope the quick arrest of a man suspected of committing these awful incidents is reassuring to the public.

“The man has since been released from custody while further enquiries take place but with very strict conditions not to attend Sainsbury’s, any of the locations at which the offences took place as well other neighbouring streets.

“We are also working with local schools to assist with any ongoing safeguarding concerns.”

Ch Insp Hill added: “We know there are women out there who don’t feel completely safe walking the streets and we want those women to know that we will listen and that we are committed to doing all we can to make our streets safer.

“Last year, we launched a ‘walk and talk’ initiative where women can arrange to meet with female police officers and PCSOs to show them areas in which they feel vulnerable or unsafe in their local communities.

“Women aged 18 can apply to take a walk with a female officer at a mutually convenient time.

“The walks are flexible and will last around 30 minutes, they can take place any time of day.”

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POLICE have arrested a 57-year-old man on suspicion of committing a number of sexual offences in Bath.

Officers made the arrest on Friday 14th June, following reports that a man had exposed himself on three occasions and had inappropriately touched a teenage girl and a young woman.

Two of the incidents took place on Wansdyke Path on Tuesday 11th June. A woman in her 40s reported a man had exposed himself in front of her at 1.05pm before two teenage girls reported the same at 1.20pm.

On the Friday, officers received a report that a man exposed himself to a woman in her 70s while she was parked in Sainsbury’s car park, off Frome Road, at about 1.30pm. Police then received two separate reports a man had inappropriately touched a teenage girl at a bus stop on Wellsway and a woman in her late teens in Sainsbury’s.

These incidents happened at about 4.15pm and 4.30pm.

Chief Inspector Scott Hill, Bath and North East Somerset Neighbourhood Policing Team commander, said: “These incidents have understandably caused significant concern in the community, particularly among women and girls.

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Temple demolition would be “step backwards” says former councillor John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

CLOSING Bath’s only Hindu Temple would be a “step backwards” for the city, a Hindu former councillor on Bath & North East Somerset Council has warned.

Since 2021, Europe’s only Shree Jagannatha Temple has been based in the former classrooms of Culverhay School, later Bath Community Academy.

But now two new schools are set to be built on the site — but it means that the Hindu Temple will have to move out next summer.

Former Bath & North East Somerset councillor Dr Yukteshwar Kumar, who is Hindu himself, warned this was “a decision that threatens to dismantle a vital and vibrant part of our community”.

He said: “The Bath Hindu Temple has been more than just a place of worship; it is a cultural hub and a source of solace, support, and education for many.

“It has served as a bridge, connecting people from diverse backgrounds and fostering a sense of unity and understanding.

“The temple’s presence in Bath enriches our city by promoting multiculturalism and offering everyone a glimpse into the rich traditions and practices of Hinduism.”

Dr Kumar was elected onto Bath & North East Somerset Council as a Liberal Democrat councillor for Bathwick in 2019, but lost his seat in 2023 after he defected to the Conservatives.

In 2021 he was the first Asian deputy mayor of Bath and his first deputy mayoral engagement was the opening of the temple. But he said he had “lobbied vigorously” on the issue since even before he was elected, helping to work on getting the space since 2013.

He said: “The proposed closure undermines the principles of inclusivity and respect for diversity that our city stands for. It disregards the needs and sentiments of the Hindu community, who have contributed significantly to the social and cultural fabric of Bath.

“Moreover, the temple provides numerous community services, including proposed language classes, cultural events, and charitable activities that benefit the broader population.

“I urge the local authorities to reconsider this decision and explore alternative solutions that could address the concerns leading to this proposal.

“Whether it involves relocating the temple to a more suitable venue or providing financial assistance for necessary renovations, it is crucial to keep the temple doors open.

“Closing the Bath Hindu Temple would be a step backward in our collective efforts to build an inclusive and harmonious society.

“I call upon the readers, local officials, and the wider community to support the preservation of this invaluable institution. Let us work together to ensure that the Bath Hindu Temple continues to thrive and contribute to the rich cultural

tapestry of our city.”

Speaking after the plans for the two schools were approved earlier this month, Paul Roper, Bath & North East Somerset Council’s cabinet member for Economic and Cultural Sustainable Development, said the council would engage with the temple over the plans.

He said: “We realise the sensitivities of it but the need for educational use is a strong one.”

The Culverhay site has been protected for education since Bath Community Academy closed in 2018. Now the Department for Education has said it will build two new schools in Bath: a new school for children with special educational needs and disabilities, and an alternative provision school for vulnerable pupils at risk of permanent exclusion.

Most of the old Culverhay School buildings will be demolished in early 2025 to make way for the new schools, but Mr Roper said the building containing the Hindu Temple would be retained until July 2025 to meet their requirements to move at certain times. He said: “We are not just kicking them out.”

Ashish Rajhansha, who with Susmita Rajhansha founded the Hindu Temple, said it would take at least six months to build a temporary site that the temple could move into, and warned that the temple may have to close for a period if a new location could not be found in time.

He said: “It will be very painful for us if we don’t find somewhere very quickly.”

Friday 28th June - Thursday 11th July 2024

Paraglider airlifted to hospital after crashing onto playing fields

The Wiltshire Air Ambulance took the paraglider to Southmead Hospital Photo © Martin Hibberd / Shutterstock.com

A PARAGLIDER was airlifted to hospital on Tuesday evening, 25th June, after crashing onto playing fields near the Lansdown Park & Ride in Bath.

The man is believed to have been flying over the west of the city when he came down on the Lansdown Playing Fields shortly after 9pm.

Multiple emergency services, including the police helicopter and Wiltshire Air Ambulance, attended the scene. The man was treated by critical care paramedics, with assistance from fire crews, and he was airlifted to Southmead’s Major Trauma Centre in Bristol at around 11pm.

One resident, who saw a pair of

paragliders, reported seeing one of them “fall out of the sky”.

A spokesperson for Avon Fire & Rescue Service said: “Crews from Bath were called just before 10pm last night (Tuesday 25th June) to reports of a power glider accident near Charlcombe, Bath.

“Crews rescued one person who was treated by ambulance at the scene and transported to hospital.”

Avon & Somerset Police said they were called at 9.20pm to reports of the crash, and that the pilot has suffered “significant injuries”.

It confirmed the incident had been reported to the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association for investigation.

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The swift - a miracle in your roof?

John Yates

Community Contributor

MOST people enjoy the David Attenborough programmes because of the unexpected and amazing things they show, not realising that something really wonderful may be happening in their own roof or one nearby because it’s the season of the common swift.

Browny black with a whitish chin they are approximately 17.5cm long with scimitar shaped wings about 42cm across.

Their diet consists entirely of airborne insects and spiders which are in short supply during most of the British year so they delay their arrival until about the start of May. It is then that parties of swifts will announce their arrival by screaming as they sweep by at roof level. These parties can be a mixture of adult birds pairing off and looking for a nest site and immature birds learning what to do and where to look.

Nest sites are in holes, sometimes in trees or cliffs but more often in or under roofs of buildings of two or more stories high.

Here they are having problems because of recent changes in roof tiles and the modern use of plastic soffits and barge boards. Added to their woes is the competition from other hole

nesters like sparrows, tits and starlings. The nests themselves are simple affairs made of items caught on the wing like straw and feathers.

Three or four white eggs are laid about the end of May with incubation lasting about 18 days.

Most song birds lay their eggs and just do enough brooding to keep the embryos alive before brooding full time when the clutch is complete, ensuring that all the chicks hatch and fledge together, but not swifts. When the first egg is laid brooding starts and further eggs are laid at about two days' interval.

This swift technique leads to nestlings of greatly different size with the largest commandeering most of the food before, when sated, it goes to sleep and lets its siblings enjoy a meal.

This is the parents’ way of ensuring at least one chick survives in years when food supply is short due to factors such as the weather. In bad food years the nestlings die off one by one starting with the youngest.

Parents' visits tend to be less often than for other species because of the nature of their food but each delivery may contain over a thousand items full of goodness.

The nature of their food brings other problems because the number of flying insects decreases rapidly as wind levels increase.

At first the birds will fly lower down taking advantage of the stiller air behind trees or hunting for flies hatching from water surfaces but as wind speeds increase small insects, beetles and gossamer spiders disappear.

Adult birds appear to be able to read the weather and during summer storms fly into the wind (anticlockwise) around the depressions where there is still food, this can take them over 1200 miles and British birds have been seen as far away as Germany.

Left alone for two days without food and a parent’s brooding warmth most fledglings of other species would die but not swifts. The young have a layer of fat and if left alone they go into a state of torpor where their temperature and heart rate drop and they live off that fat which may halve in volume.

This allows them to survive one or two close depressions but a prolonged period of bad weather can spell disaster.

With luck, however, they will fledge and then comes another miracle, they don’t land again for two or three years until they become mature and have their first nest.

During that time they both feed and sleep on the wing. Flying and sleeping at an altitude of

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Friday 28th June - Thursday 11th July 2024

Community Contribution several thousand feet makes it hard to study how they do it. One theory is that they shut one side of their brains down at a time, another that they sleep but only in a series of catnaps lasting only a few seconds, we just don’t know.

Another unique peculiarity of the swift is that it mates on the wing while flying at 30 or 40 miles an hour.

Not landing for two or three years results in legs being too weak for walking and indeed the birds rest their breast on the surface and use their legs to push themselves along. I have watched swifts nesting in a hole in a wall, sometimes they fly right in, closing their wing at the last second. At other times they use their feet to grasp the bottom edge of the hole before tipping over and ‘shuffling’ in.

This leg weakness means they cannot use their legs to spring into the air like most birds and, if grounded, perhaps by collision, they cannot take off. Over the years I have found about a half dozen such birds and discovered the best way to help them is to let them go from a second floor window.

As June gives way to July swifts tend to feed higher and so are more difficult to see but when ants start to fly swifts may come down in good numbers to take

part in the bonanza.

By the end of July many swifts will be on their way back to the south of Africa and by the end of August all will all be gone as will be our summer.

Flying at the speed that they do it might be thought that the swift would have no natural predators but there is one bird that can outfly them, the hobby.

This is a falcon that prefers large insects but if these are in short supply, and especially if it has young, it will readily take to hunting swifts, swallows and martins as well as other small birds.

The hobby is like a peregrine falcon in appearance but smaller and slimmer. In flight it looks very much like a large swift itself; a summer migrant, it is common over the Somerset Levels.

Over the last 20 years we have lost half of our swifts, partly through lower insect numbers and partly through loss of nesting sites.

We can help by fitting swift nest boxes or swift bricks.

The latter have been used in Europe with great success for years and although generally new to Britain I do know of one swift brick in Bath in a Georgian building. Because of their insectivorous diet, swift nests are relatively clean and don’t smell.

If you want to know more, join your local RSPB Group or contact Swift Conservation.

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Down

3 Crisp, lustrous fabric (7) 8 Loose Japanese robe (6) 9 Cynical and pessimistic film genre (4) 10 An island, according to John Donne (2,3) 11 Hypersensitive (8) 12 Musician --- Clapton (4) 16 Pirouetted (7) 20 Forsake (7) 21 "Honour and ---, fore-damned they sit ..."

(Kipling) (3) 22 Amalgamate (5) 23 Chemical Ali was one (5) 24 Apollo moonshot vehicle (1,1,1) 25 Willingly obedient (7) 26 Symbol of sovereignty (7) 30 1920s art style (4) 34 Not expressly stated (8) 36 Bring to fruition (5) 37 In (4) 38 Essential (6) 39 Attribute sounds like a writer (7)

1 Stuff with stuff (4) 2 "Not likely!" (2,4) 3 Ego nut goes bananas for a mouthful (6) 4 Seed-eating bird variety (5) 5 "The moan of doves in immemorial ---" (Tennyson) (4) 6 The last Stuart monarch (4) 7 "Hot spot" IT service (2-2) 11 Greatly surprised (9) 13 Shining (7) 14 Big bit of crust? (9) 15 Literary ridicule (6) 17 Featherbrained (7) 18 "Cut it out!" (3,3) 19 Reside (5) 20 Components of molecules (5) 27 Mobster caught for tax evasion (6) 28 Values highly (6) 29 "Ten Commandments" mountain (5) 31 "Little Sir ---, how do you do?" (4) 32 Black and white marine predator (4) 33 Grand-scale (4) 35 Separate article (4)

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 2806, Bath Echo, PO Box 5395, Bath, BA1 0YA The winner will be the first randomly opened entry with the correct answers on 10/07/2024.

The winner will be notified using the details they provide when entering the competition.

Cedric Road, Bath £745,000

Westbrook Park, Bath £825,000

4 Bedroom Semi Detached House

4 Bedroom Detached House

01225 444447 • sales@kitjohnson.co.uk • www.kitjohnson.co.uk

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Friday 28th June - Thursday 11th July 2024

www.bathecho.co.uk

Pictures from the Past Lower Bristol Road, Twerton

Looking along the Lower Bristol Road , with houses on the right now replaced by the Spring Wharf development

Kirsten Elliott Akeman Press

TODAY, the children posing in this postcard and the photographer taking the picture would be flattened by traffic as this is the approach to the junction of the Lower Bristol Road, Windsor Bridge Road and Brook Road, looking westwards.

If you are still having trouble identifying the

scene, the Royal Oak pub is slightly behind the photographer, on the left but out of shot. Although parts of the Lower Bristol Road still look like this, virtually everything in this photograph has disappeared.

On the right can be seen Nos. 4 to 10, Rosebery Place, with the railings of No. 3 just visible. They were demolished in 1974. Today, a modern block including a gym and a cycle shop as well as the flats in Spring Wharf stand in their place. The road beyond it is still known as Rosebery Road.

Beyond that, identification becomes more difficult.

Just beyond where the horse and trap are standing is the garden wall of houses in Charlton Buildings, of which Nos 6 – 8 remain. They were hidden by other houses then and today they are still hidden – by student blocks which are perhaps some of the blandest buildings in Bath.

Partly obscured by a tram gantry is a very tall building which was called Vernon House.

When this photograph was taken, the Merediths, a family of canal carriers, lived there, but one of them, James, ran a steam joinery.

It seems possible that the impressive building beyond Vernon House is his works.

On the left-hand side of the picture, the shop too has gone, to be replaced by Morley Terrace. However, Vernon Terrace, whose gardens can just be glimpsed beyond the shop, is still standing.

COLUMN | Clare Moody, Labour Police and Crime Commissioner

I

've now been in the role as your Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for six weeks.

It’s been an exciting and interesting time, getting to grips with the role and getting to know the excellent team in my office.

I’ve also been getting out and about meeting as many people as I can from across our communities to hear about their experiences of Avon and Somerset Police.

A vital part of my role is to be the voice of local people in policing.

To do that I need to continue to hear from as many people as I can.

I will be visiting Bath in July, and holding a public forum to offer you the opportunity to come and meet me and discuss any policing issues or suggestions you may have.

We will publish the date and venue for the forum on the Office of the PCC website when it’s available (www.avonandsomerset-pcc. gov.uk).

Beyond amplifying your voices, I’m here to hold the Chief Constable accountable and ensure a unified approach to preventing and reducing crime.

My office runs several scrutiny panels, ensuring transparency

and accountability in: • Police use of force and stop and search (Independent Scrutiny of Police Powers Panel) • The way the police use alternatives to prosecution (Out of Court Resolutions Panel) • How detainees are treated (Independent Custody Visiting scheme) • Police complaints management (Independent Scrutiny of Police Complaints Panel) I also oversee police performance against our Police and Crime Plan through a monthly Governance Scrutiny Board. You can find the

meeting minutes on our website. As part of my commitment to transparency, accountability, and open communication, I’m launching a new initiative designed to make it easier for you to have your say in local policing called Police Question Time (PQT).

I’ll be asking questions about the performance of Avon and Somerset Police to Chief Constable Sarah Crew.

The questions will be from members of the public, and the first session will be live streamed

on the OPCC Facebook page on the 17th July.

If you can’t join the live session, a recording will be available on the page for you to watch later.

I’m looking forward to being out and about in Bath and North East Somerset in July and to hearing from individuals and organisations in person.

In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to me and my office with any questions, concerns, or suggestions you may have via www.avonandsomerset-pcc.gov. uk

Issue 081

What's On An Evening with Simon Armitage

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Your City, Your News - Bath Echo

Friday 28th June - Thursday 11th July 2024 Seasonal Posy Making Workshop

80s Live!

St Swithin’s Church 28th June, 7pm Simon Armitage, Poet Laureate, brings new perspectives and energy to a timeless poetic subject. Blossomise celebrates the arrival of spring blossom and acknowledges its disappearance.

The Guildhall 29th June New for this year there will be a Regency Breakfast on Saturday morning, followed by an afternoon dance workshop to brush up on those Regency dance steps before the Summer Ball.

Bath City Farm 29th June, 10.30am – 12.30pm Join Jude, the Community Grower, and volunteer Karen to learn how to create a beautiful posy or table centrepiece with seasonal flowers from the Farm or local growers. Light refreshments included.

The Forum 29th June, 7.30pm Direct from The Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End - the biggest 80s party show to tour the UK - 80s Live! The ultimate 80s night out - go dressed to impress for a night to remember.

Teddy Bears' Picnic

Vineet TRG

Accolade

Dancing at Lughnasa

Avon Valley Railway 29th & 30th June All children will travel for free this weekend if they bring their Teddy Bear!

Enjoy a 50 minute train ride. Then, back at Bitton Station enjoy magic shows, balloon modelling and face painting.

Jane Austen Festival's Summer Ball

Komedia 1st July, 7.30pm An Indian Fusion ensemble that is based out of Mumbai, Bristol & New Delhi blends original compositions with spirited live performances, featuring a line-up of seasoned musicians.

Theatre Royal 2nd – 6th July With razor-sharp dialogue, poignant moments, and unexpected twists at every turn, Emlyn Williams' play remains remarkably relevant nearly 75 years after its debut.

Passiontide with Monique Roffey

Fused Glass Workshop

Meat Loaf By Candlelight

Comedy at the Roman Baths

Mr B's Emporium 4th July, 6.30pm Mr B's welcomes Monique Roffey back to Bath to discuss her brand new novel, Passiontide, a story of four women who spark a revolution on a Caribbean island.

Newton Farm 4th July, 10am – 1pm Join Suzanne of Bee Happy Glass Designs for this new 3-hour workshop and learn all about glass fusing and how to make two beautiful sunflowers for your garden.

Bath Pavilion 5th July, 7.30pm Featuring a live cast of singers including stars of the West End production of 'Bat Out of Hell', accompanied by a live rock band, experience the ultimate tribute to Meat Loaf.

Roman Baths 5th July, 6.30pm Historic Bath takes centre stage for an evening of enjoyment and laughter as they take exclusive use of the Roman Baths and the Pump Room for a truly side-splitting night of entertainment.

Laudate

Japanese Star Festival – Tanabata

All-American Summer Party

Garden Theatre Festival

Bath Abbey 6th July, 7.30pm This summer, Bath Bach Choir proudly presents an exciting and inspiring evening of orchestral and choral music by two masters of Baroque music.

Tickets from £25.

The MEAA 6th July, 10.30am - 4pm Learn the story of the star-crossed lovers and how they can only meet for one day of the year. Get creative with the craft activities and make tanzaku wishing strips.

American Museum & Gardens 7th July, 10am – 5pm Join a fantastic day out celebrating American Independence Day with a backdrop of stunning views across the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the incredible gardens.

The Holburne 10th – 21st July Be immersed in the world of Shakespeare, Peter Pan, Sherlock Holmes, slapstick comedy with laughter aplenty and so much more. Sip a drink at Bath's only open-air theatre festival.

The Mission Theatre 2nd – 6th July Next Stage Theatre Company presents Brian Friel’s play performed in-theround. A semi-autobiographical exploration of the playwright’s memories of growing up in Donegal.

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www.bathecho.co.uk

Food & Drink

Friday 28th June - Thursday 11th July 2024

Melissa Blease Sponsor our Food & Drink section! Get in touch via advertise@bathecho.co.uk

Food Writer

Tasty Dates For Your Diary “An enticing evening of superlative Modern Indian dishes prepared by one of the UK’s finest Indian chefs”: it's all going on at The Mint Room (Lower Bristol Road) on Monday 1st July, when Humayun Hussain – one of the UK’s leading exponents of Indian food and restaurants – hosts a glorious event that puts superchef Saurav Nath's skills in the spotlight (£55pp). www.themintroom.co.uk Indulge your senses in “playfully Italian food and wine from Nonna with love” at Manja Manja (George Street): a new venture from the team behind the highly-acclaimed Circus restaurant that's already earned itself a sparkling reputation for excellence. www.manjamanja.co.uk Go (tastefully!) wild at the next

Whisky Social at The Dark Horse (Kingsmead Square) on Wednesday 3rd July when a guided tour through the methods, techniques, extraordinary stories and, of course, tastes of America's legendary Wild Turkey bourbon get in on the Independence Day celebrations one day early (£35pp, to include tippleaccompanying nibbles). https://bit.ly/4cqYkZ4 The rumours are true! Bath-based boisterous bagel specialists Taylor's Bagels are indeed opening a third branch on lovely, lively Moorland Road (number 42, to be precise) any day now... www.taylorsbagels.com The next Summer DJ Night at the Royal Crescent Hotel and Spa takes place on Friday 5th July – and it's gonna be a scorcher!

Live music on the hotel's gorgeous

terrace overlooking the superpretty private garden; carefullycurated summer cocktails; sharing plates a go-go... and, if the weather threatens to stop play, heated parasols on standby.

This event is free to attend on a first-come, first-served basis, but tickets may be purchased for £15 per adult to include a glass of Champagne (normally £16.95) on arrival. https://bit.ly/3VSAu2R Spice up your life at the recentlyopened, supremely elegant Indian fine dining bistro Root Spice (Argyle Street), which the proprietors describe as “a culinary destination for those seeking an extraordinary dining experience”. Prices, however, are exceedingly down-to-earth... www.rootspice.co.uk Turn a drinks date into a small

plate party at Walcot House (Walcot Street), where 50% off chic bar snacks every MondayThursday means that the average price for delicious delights such as Buttermilk Chicken with Roasted Garlic Mayo and Butterbean Hummus with Grilled Sourdough tease your tastebuds (and tantalise your wallet!) for around £3-4 per plate. www.walcothousebath.com Check out the Hotel Indigo's brand new, super-stylish diner Brasserie Beau (South Parade), which complements the hotel's already-fabulous Elder Restaurant and adheres to a simple yet powerful ethos: only the finest British ingredients find their way onto their plates and the kitchen champions wild food and small producers, ensuring that every dish bursts with flavour. www.brasseriebeau.co.uk

The food programme for the 10th annual Valley Fest – “the besttasting festival in the south west” no less – has just been revealed; phew, it's a scorcher! From Street Food fun to full-on foodie feasts and chef demos a-plenty, it's time to go wild in the country (Chew Magna, overlooking the Chew Valley lake, to be precise) ...and the live music line up rocks to a thrilling beat too (Thursday 1st Sunday 4th August. Ticket prices vary, from early bird/locals deals to full-on VIP camping bundles). www.valleyfest.co.uk Melissa regularly reviews restaurants across Bath.

You can find out more at: www.theprandialplayground.uk Follow Melissa on X Find her @ThePigGuide

Recipe: Chicken Thighs with Romesco Sauce and Shallot Gravy Romesco Sauce – a rich, piquant purée made from sweet roasted Spanish peppers, almonds, garlic, sherry vinegar, bread and oil – offers an authentic taste of Spain (Catalonia, to be precise) that teams wonderfully well with barbecued (or chargrilled) meat, fish or vegetables, or even as a cheese board accompaniment.

This recipe makes a double quantity of Romesco Sauce; it'll happily keep an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week, so you can try it out in all manner of ways.

Ingredients (serves 2) • 2 fat, skin-on chicken thighs, on the bone • 2 tbsp olive oil • A handful of shallots, peeled and chopped For the Romesco Sauce • 100g blanched almonds • 200g roasted red peppers from a jar, drained • 1 garlic clove • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar • 1 tsp smoked paprika • 50g day-old white bread, torn into chunks • 50ml olive oil

Method • To make the Romesco Sauce, dry-fry the almonds in a small frying pan over a medium-high heat until toastybrown (keep a close eye on them! You don't want them to burn/char).

• Drain the red peppers and tip into a food processor or blender with the bread, almonds, garlic, sherry vinegar and smoked paprika, then blitz to a chunky paste. With the motor still running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until you've achieved a smooth, thick paste still retaining a bit of texture. Season to taste and set to one side (you don't need to heat it up; we're serving it at room temperature).

• Pre-heat the oven to 180c/gas mark 5. Scatter the shallots over the base of an oven-proof tray and top with the chicken thighs. Drizzle with the oil, season well and roast for around 30-40 minutes until the shallots have caramelised and the chicken thoroughly cooked through.

• Remove the chicken pieces from the tray and keep warm. Over a medium-high heat, thicken the resting juices in the tray with a sprinkling of cornflour and enough hot chicken stock to make a gravy. Serve the chicken on pools of Romesco Sauce, drizzled with the shallot gravy.

MANTRA

Progressive Indian ALFRESCO DINING AVAILABLE ON OUTSIDE ROOFTOP TERRACE

THE HEART OF INDIAN CUISINE REIMAGINED IN THE HEART OF BATH

OUR DISHES ARE HEALTHILY PREPARED WITH FLAVOUR, CRUNCH, PUNCH AND ZING OFFERING PLENTY OF CHOICE TO VEGANS, VEGETARIANS AND NON-VEGETARIANS

01225 446332 www.mantraofbath.co.uk 5 Bladud Buildings, The Paragon, Bath BA1 5LS

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www.bathecho.co.uk

Review

Cosy Club

Pan Fried Sea Bass with a silky white wine cream sauce

Southgate Place, Bath BA1 1AP 01225 464161 www.cosyclub.co.uk They describe it as “industrial chic meets chic Victoriana”; I say it's daringly flamboyant, wittily ostentatious and laden with contemporary flair.

You'll no doubt find your own way to describe the Cosy Club vibe, but the bottom line remains the same: artfully stylised décor flourishes in this artfully stylish contemporary diner which has transformed an erstwhile prosaic corner of SouthGate into a uniquely seductive, quirky space.

In and up we go, and the plush bar

area gives way to a rather grand dining room and a spacious, recently-refurbished alfresco balcony offering ultra-modern cityscape views.

Menus, meanwhile, run the whole gamut of refuelling opportunities from breakfast to suppertime, including top tapas/sharing platters, glorious modern British comfort food and plenty of GF/ veggie/vegan options. There may be a lot to take in, but the overall experience fully lives up to its name: there's a cosy, members' club vibe to the whole affair, and failure to chillax somehow just isn't an option.

We chose to take our Cosy Club cruise on the terrace,

people-watching the lastminute shoppers, first daters and student skaters on the SouthGate street below until our attention-grabbing starters arrived: gloriously soft Treaclecured Pork Belly Bites in a cider mustard glaze neatly balanced on top of a crisp potato and chive rosti that added texture and bite, and addictively frangible Asian Fried Chicken slathered in a harmonious soy, ginger, sesame and chilli sheen – both dishes were truly scrumptious, and great fun in a tasteful, grown-up way.

For our main courses, he eventually eschewed the skittishly indulgent lure of the Dirty Chicken Burger (“the ultimate eat for burger fans”) in favour of the more sophisticated Pan Fried Sea Bass which came perfectly complemented by salty/sweet smoked bacon, leeks and peas, silky white wine cream sauce and roasted new potatoes.

I, meanwhile, opted for the elegant Black Truffle and Ricotta Ravioli, which most certainly didn't stint on either the truffle nor the sophisticated herb butter, lemon oil and parmesan that my silky pasta parcels were bathed in.

My dish came accompanied by a thick slice of garlic bread too – an unnecessary addition given the size of the pasta portion, but

CHIPPENHAM MONKTON PARK

FOOD & DRINK

Festival Opening times:*

Friday: 10am – 6pm Saturday: 9am – 6:30pm Sunday: 10am – 5pm

since when did garlic bread have to be 'necessary'? The same could be said of dessert...

Miso Caramel Custard Tart, Lemon Posset, Velvet Chocolate Brownie, Salted Caramel and Chocolate Mousse – the Cosy Club's pudding parade is enticing to say the least and, like the Cosy Club itself, offers broad appeal to all-comers from trend-seekers to traditionalists. But despite the temptation klaxon roaring loudly, we just couldn't go there; portions go large here, and we

wanted to stroll rather than have to be rolled to our car.

But the Cosy Club is the kind of place where you could, should you wish, cosy up in for 'just' a pud – or three courses of just desserts if that's the way you want to roll.

Groucho Marx once famously said that he refused to join any club that would have him as a member – but bear in mind, he never had the opportunity to get cosy.

Reviewer: Melissa Blease

Treacle-cured Pork Belly Bites in a cider mustard glaze

28-30 JUNE 2024 Great grocery foods and quirky crafts, superb street foods and liberal libations from bars of distinction together with park party entertainment including live music stage, fairground rides, children’s comedy and workshops. Here’s to feeling chipper in Chippenham with a big serving of foodie fun!

For more information please visit: www.zoomevents.co.uk info@zoomevents.co.uk /zoomeventsuk @zoomeventsuk @zoomeventsuk * Please note that opening times may vary slightly up to and during the event.

Issue 081

P15

Your City, Your News - Bath Echo

Education

Interested in sponsoring this section?

Get in touch: advertise@bathecho.co.uk

Ofsted praises ‘shared vision for improvement’ at school Becky Feather Reporter

INCREASED expectations are raising standards at Aspire Academy at Odd Down in Bath, says Ofsted.

The education watchdog inspected the special school at Frome Road in April and published its report earlier this month.

The school, which takes pupils from the age of four to 19, had last been inspected by Ofsted in 2017 and has retained its Good rating.

There are 99 pupils on the roll at Aspire Academy, and most have more than one identified special educational need and/or disability (SEND).

Aspire became an academy in April 2014 and is part of the Futura Learning Partnership.

Last year North Star Academy Trust was commissioned by the Department for Education to work with Futura to develop the school’s offer for pupils with SEND. Admission to Aspire Academy is commissioned by Bath & North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Bristol and

Wiltshire councils.

In their report, the inspectors said that at Aspire, pupils learn how to be enthusiastic and successful learners: “For many pupils, this contrasts with their previous experience of education.

“Careful consideration of pupils’ special educational needs and/ or disabilities (SEND) shapes the school’s curriculum design.

“With appropriate support from skilled staff, pupils achieve the school’s aspirations.

“Effective use of praise, encouragement and challenge means individual pupils’ needs are well met.”

Relationships between staff and pupils are said to be strong.

Pupils feel safe and most are keen to attend school regularly.

As part of their personal and social development, pupils explore what it means to be part of a community with school activities such as fundraising for charities and camping together.

Career guidance and work experience help pupils to learn important life skills that prepare them well for adulthood.

The report continues: “Increased expectations for pupils’ learning and behaviour are raising

Inspectors praised the support provided to pupils

standards.

“The highly individualised curriculum ensures that pupils gain recognised qualifications before moving on to college or employment post-16. Pupils

know that practice helps them to learn and reach their potential.”

On the joint working between Futura and the North Star Academy Trust, the inspectors observed: “Significant changes

to the school’s curriculum and behaviour expectations have had a substantial and positive impact on pupils’ development in a short time.

“The newly formed leadership team has carefully considered how to ensure these changes are manageable for staff, well understood by staff and sustainable.

“Checks on school development priorities are frequent and accurate. Consequently, there is an ambitious and shared vision for school improvement.”

The number of subjects is growing to offer pupils more options.

This academic year, pupils are completing GCSE qualifications.

The report also highlights: “The school has worked relentlessly to embed routines and raise expectations for pupils’ learning behaviour. This can be seen in the calm and purposeful learning environments. Pupils’ behaviour and attendance have significantly improved over the past year.

Pupils’ social and emotional needs are woven into lesson structure and content.”

The safety and welfare of pupils are said to sit at the heart of the school’s work.

Musical tribute to retired teacher on Cats and Dogs Home trip down memory lane launches workshops for schoolchildren

Rush Hill Mews resident Roger with Paul Calvert, Head of Music at Beechen Cliff | Photo © Care UK

A CARE home in Bath recently organised a special visit for one of its residents to the school where he spent much of his life, first as a pupil and then as a teacher.

When staff at Care UK’s Rush Hill Mews at Clarks Way learned that retired music teacher Roger Tobin, 83, was keen to go back to Beechen Cliff School, they were determined to make it happen.

Roger attended Beechen Cliff as a boy and it was also where he started his teaching career. He worked his way up to become head of music, a position he held until his retirement.

Roger was reunited with Paul Calvert, the current head of music, who worked alongside Roger during his time at the school.

He gave Roger a tour of the new music building and surprised him with a performance from some of the sixth-form students.

Later, Roger was also able to play the piano on which he used to teach students.

Caroline Carter, general manager at Rush Hill Mews, said: “It was great to see Roger reconnect with not only his childhood but his successful career as a music teacher.

“At Rush Hill Mews, we love to support residents’ wellbeing with activities and trips that are important to them, especially those that encourage reminiscence.

“Activities that bring back happy memories are incredibly important for older people, as they can help maintain a sense of purpose and identity through reconnecting with their past achievements and experiences.

“I’d like to extend a big thank you to the team and everyone at Beechen Cliff School for welcoming Roger back; he was truly in his element.”

BATH Cats and Dogs Home is responding to the animal rescue crisis with a new programme of free workshops for primary schools as part of its ongoing outreach work in the community.

The charity saw a 12% increase in the intake of rescue pets in 2022, due to the cost-of-living crisis, and services continued to be stretched to capacity in 2023, coupled with the added pressure of 15% fewer dog adoptions last year. The charity has to raise over £2 million in funds each year to continue operating.

In the workshops, pupils learn the five essential welfare needs of pets, with the long-term aim that future generations have a good understanding of pet care responsibilities and fewer pets are handed into animal rescue centres.

The charity, based at Claverton, has so far run the fun and interactive sessions at Twerton Infant School and Nursery, St Martin’s Garden School and Combe Down Primary School in Bath, and at Castle Mead Primary School in Trowbridge.

Bath Cats and Dogs Home is now inviting more primary schools to benefit from its new workshops which cover how to keep pets

happy and healthy, how to be safe around dogs, and engaging activities such as memory games and drawing sessions.

Fiona Netto, education and outreach manager at Bath Cats and Dogs Home, said: “We often learn our love of animals and how to care for them from a young age, so we’ve developed these workshops specifically to inspire pupils aged four to nine to understand and care about animal welfare, and the importance of empathy towards animals.”

Bath Cats and Dogs Home’s outreach work to support pets and their owners in the community includes the Together Project which provides free, monthly veterinary clinics run by volunteers from Bath Vets to support the pets of people who are homeless or vulnerably housed in Bath and being supported by Genesis Trust or Julian House.

The charity also runs a LowCost Neutering Programme, Emergency Vet Care Financial Assistance Fund and provides monthly deliveries of surplus pet food to local foodbanks in Bath, Trowbridge and Frome.

Interested teachers can email reception@bcdh.org.uk.

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Friday 28th June - Thursday 11th July 2024

Community

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

Special identification plaque unveiled on Abbey Green tree

Clean Air Day celebrations held at primary school

Celebrating Clean Air Day outside the school | Photo © St Stephen’s School

Unveiling the plaque in Abbey Green | Photo © James Levelle / Bath Urban Treescape

Becky Feather Reporter

THE first identification tree plaque on one of Bath’s most iconic trees has been unveiled by His Majesty’s LordLieutenant of Somerset.

The Bath Urban Treescape project started in 2022 to draw the attention of residents and visitors to the wealth of trees on the streets of the city and encourage them to consider their importance.

Designed by a voluntary team of local tree enthusiasts, a website has been established (www. bathurbantreescape.com), with four tree trails through the city

supported by free paper maps.

Last year 11,000 of the map leaflets were shared at events, leisure and garden centres, surgeries and parks.

They have received so much positive feedback from different sectors that the group have reprinted a further 8,000 and are going on to launch four further tree trails this year, including one at the Royal United Hospital.

The group are also installing identification plaques on many of the trees featured in the first four trails.

The London plane tree in Abbey Green was selected for the first plaque and is the only one that features on two of the urban tree trails.

The plaque unveiling ceremony was carried out on Tuesday 18th June by Mohammed Saddiq, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset.

Also attending were the Deputy Mayor of Bath Cllr Ruth Malloy and guests including Professor Marion Harney, recently appointed chair of the City of Bath World Heritage Advisory Board and Enhancement Fund, and Ian Gadd, Chair of Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Society.

The Bath Urban Treescape team are grateful to local resident Vaughan Hopkins, from The Street Nameplate Company, who has manufactured and donated the tree plaques to the specification used by Kew Gardens.

IN celebration of the national Clean Air Day campaign on Thursday 20th June, St Stephen’s Church Primary School at Lansdown had a party in the streets outside the grounds.

Children were encouraged to walk or cycle to school to protect the air from pollution and enable a safe place for everyone to dance and play.

Anyone who left the car at home was greeted with a pastry and a cup of squash and were asked to make a pledge to make the school streets safer and the air cleaner.

School travel ambassador Liz Rees said: “It is wonderful to see the children skip, play, dance and draw with chalk on the road before school starts.

“Often the area outside school can become congested in the mornings with cars dropping children off and this can present a safety issue.

“Today we are demonstrating the possibility of a healthier and

safer school street, with no cars to contend with directly outside the school.”

The celebration involved children, parents, carers, volunteers, governors, and staff from the school who all wore the colour pink to mark the occasion.

Liz added: “The pink is a nod to our team of road safety volunteers who wear pink high vis to help the children cross the road safely and discourage parking on the yellow lines directly outside the school.”

The school’s deputy headteacher Louise Flynn helped to organise the day. She said: “We have appointed two junior travel ambassadors at the school who have made posters and often speak in assembly about the importance of road safety and reducing air pollution around school. It would be magical if we could enjoy a safe space on these roads before the school day starts every day, and we appreciate everybody playing their part to make this happen.”

Charity introduces monthly carer café at Bath Abbey A NEW monthly carer café is being introduced in the city centre thanks to a partnership between The Carers’ Centre and Bath Abbey.

Unpaid carers provide a vital role, whether that is caring for someone with physical or mental ill health, disability or care needs due to age.

For many carers, the help and support they provide can take a toll on their wellbeing.

The new carer café at Bath Abbey will provide a welcoming and informal environment for carers to meet, chat and connect with others in similar positions and understand the pressures many are facing.

CEO of The Carers’ Centre, Jacqui Orchard, said: “We’re so pleased to be working with Bath Abbey to provide a carer café not just in the centre of Bath, but also at one of the city’s most historic and beautiful buildings.

“At The Carers’ Centre, we hear first-hand the impact of the

Revd Chantal Mason with Jeremy Key-Pugh at Bath Abbey’s Learning Centre | Photo courtesy of The Carers’ Centre

growing economic and social pressures on carers’ day-to-day lives. Carers have also told us how much they value the cafés and the interaction with others who understand intrinsically just how tough their role can be.”

Revd Chantal Mason, Bath Abbey

Pastor, said: “Hosting a carer café in partnership with The Carers’ Centre is a privilege for us.

“To be able to offer social and emotional assistance to carers and those they are caring for helps fulfil the aspiration that our new facilities will be available to

the city as places of support and care.”

Jeremy Key-Pugh is a volunteer at Bath Abbey and will be part of the team running the new café at the Learning Centre.

He added: “The benefits that I as a carer, and my wife as the

cared-for have received from The Carers’ Centre’s cafés are simply priceless. Dementia does not only affect the person who has it – whoever is caring for them is also living with dementia.

“Their caring role was probably thrust upon them, and they may have little or no knowledge or experience to help them.

“That was the situation I found myself in, and I can honestly say that carer cafés not only saved my mental health, but enabled me to offer better, wiser support to my wife.”

The first carer café at Bath Abbey took place on Wednesday 26th June, and they will continue to take place on the fourth Wednesday of every month.

Carers are welcome to go along alone, or with the person they care for.

The cafés are free to attend, though attendees are being asked to register their interest via The Carers’ Centre website or by calling 0800 0388 885.

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Health RUH holds celebration to mark 21,000 hours of volunteering A CELEBRATION was held at the Royal United Hospital in Bath earlier this month to mark the invaluable contribution made by volunteers at the site.

The event kicked off National Volunteers’ Week 2024, during which charities and organisations such as the RUH thank all those who give their time to help others.

In 2023, around 250 people volunteered with the RUH, ranging from 16-year-olds participating in the NHS Cadets programme, up to people in their 80s. Together, they gave 21,000 hours of time – with 71 individuals helping for more than 100 hours each.

Receiving specialist training for their roles, the volunteers offer both practical and emotional support to those at all stages of a hospital journey, from the Welcome Volunteers in the Atrium who help visitors find their way around, to the Dorothy House Compassionate Companions who sit with endof-life patients to ensure they are not alone.

Visitors and patients might also meet them on wards and in outpatient clinics and the Emergency Department, or be entertained by them when listening to the hospital’s Bath Sound community radio station.

Others serve cake and gifts in the ‘Friends of the RUH’ café and Atrium shop, or help with the gardening to keep the outside spaces pleasant places to take a break from busy wards.

Some also assist with specialist services, such as the spiritual care volunteers and breastfeeding peer supporters.

Canine volunteers, such as Bob the Dog, are known as ‘Pets as Therapy’ (PAT) dogs, who along with their volunteer owners, visit staff and patients throughout the hospital.

Their presence is shown to help reduce anxiety, boost mental health and bring comfort to those missing their own furry friends.

Warren Finney, CEO of Friends of the RUH, said: “Volunteers are the life blood of the Friends of the RUH as they bring their time, skills and experience to everything we do. Without them we wouldn’t be able to have the impact across the charity’s work with patients or run our shop and café, which enables us to financially support important projects across the RUH. “This includes funding the hospital’s musician in residence, which provides patient-led music interactions with patients of all ages to help recovery, as well as maintaining the gardens as green spaces, which can have a positive impact on rehabilitation and help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

“The volunteers are amazing, and we are thankful for their support.”

The volunteers don’t just support in the hospital: many also help the hospital charity, RUHX, with fundraising events.

Rhyannon Boyd, Head of RUHX, said: “Volunteers offer an

Photo courtesy of the RUH

incredible amount of support to RUHX and the RUH. “The support and dedication from volunteers enable us to make our place healthier, happier, and stronger for the future, and help us support the extra extraordinary work that leads to exceptional care for everyone.

“A huge thank you to every single volunteer that has ever given their time, knowledge, or experience to RUHX, we could not do it without you.”

The RUH also supports volunteers considering a career in healthcare.

Run in collaboration with St John Ambulance, the NHS Cadets programme aims to widen access

to health volunteering for young people, particularly those who might not have traditionally experienced these opportunities.

Another option for some is Volunteer to Career, which helps those considering a career in healthcare to understand their options, develop their skills and explore which roles might match their skillset.

Matthew Davies, who has been providing companionship and teas and coffees on the Older Persons Assessment Unit for ten months, explained that after being stuck in a rut, the programme has given him the confidence and experience to pursue a career in care.

He said: “Since working here, I’ve realised that this is where I want to be. I feel like I’m at home.”

One of the RUH’s more longstanding volunteers is Andy Edwards, who has been at the hospital for ten years and helps in the Emergency Department and Respiratory Ward providing emotional and practical support to patients and their families, as well as staff members.

He said: “You can’t underestimate the value that there is in volunteering. You go home at the end of the day and you think ‘I’m glad I was able to give some comfort to that’.

“If you like people, I can’t think of a better place to be a volunteer.”

Call for support during latest strike action by junior doctors

People encouraged to join step challenge

RESIDENTS are being asked to consider their options during the latest round of strikes by junior doctors, the first of which began on Thursday 27th June.

Junior doctors at the Royal United Hospital in Bath are taking industrial action for five days across the end of this month and the beginning of July.

The five-day walkout, which began at 7am on Thursday 27th June, will run until the same time on Tuesday 2nd July. It is the first episode of industrial action by junior doctors since February.

Healthcare leaders are working to minimise disruption for patients during the strikes, and are now calling on members of the public to show the same level of support that was seen during previous rounds of industrial action.

Gill May, Chief Nurse, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said: “Although we are no longer in the depths of winter, all periods of prolonged industrial action within the NHS are real causes for concern, and this one

PEOPLE across the Bath area are being encouraged to get involved in a step challenge which raises vital funds for leading charity Diabetes UK this summer.

The One Million Step Challenge runs between 1st July and 30th September, and challenges participants to complete a massive one million steps over three months – which works out around 10,000 a day. Participants are able to take on the challenge from their own doorstep, at their own pace, in their own way.

The challenge, which is free to sign up to, is designed to boost your mood and your fitness while helping raise vital funds for those living with diabetes.

All funds raised will go towards Diabetes UK’s work funding lifesaving research and ensuring everyone living with diabetes gets the care and support they need.

Phaedra Perry, Head of Diabetes UK, south west and south central, said: “Walking is a fantastic way to help you get fit and by taking on the One Million Step Challenge,

especially so, due to it coinciding with this year’s Glastonbury.

“Our hospitals throughout the five-day walkout, as well as in the days immediately after, are expected to be extremely busy, with our teams doing their utmost to keep services running so that people requiring urgent care can get the help they desperately need. Local people can support us in achieving this difficult task by only visiting hospital or calling 999 in genuine, life-threatening emergencies and by seeking help for minor illnesses and injuries from the many other services that will be open as usual during the strikes.”

While all GP practices in the region will remain open, some surgeries may be busier than usual, which is why people requiring help for issues that cannot wait should seek guidance from either a community pharmacy of the NHS 111 service.

Both options can provide people with advice on symptoms, possible treatment options and, where appropriate, directions to

other in-person NHS services.

People can find details of their nearest pharmacy, including opening hours, via the Find a Pharmacy function on the NHS website at www.nhs.uk.

Any person with a confirmed hospital appointment for any of the strike days will be contacted at the earliest opportunity if their consultation or procedure needs to be postponed.

Those who are not contacted are asked to attend as usual and not to phone ahead to check the status of an appointment, as booking teams are likely to be very busy supporting those whose plans have had to be changed.

Throughout any period of industrial action, people experiencing a life-threatening emergency, such as chest pains, severe bleeding or loss of consciousness, should not put off attending the nearest hospital or calling 999.

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you’ll not only be stepping towards a healthier version of yourself, but every step you take and every pound you raise will help us fund research for new treatments, campaign for better care, and provide vital support through our helpline. So, please, take the first step and sign up to the One Million Step Challenge for Diabetes UK today.”

People can take part anywhere from their local park to their living room, alone or with family, friends, or colleagues.

In addition to the standard One Million Step Challenge, there are two other challenges to choose from. People can do the half a million challenge, about 5,400 steps a day, or for the more experienced walkers, the 1.7 million step challenge is around 18,400 steps a day and the equivalent of walking from Lands End to John O’Groats.

To register for the One Million Step Challenge, visit https://step.diabetes.org.uk.

There is no registration fee and no minimum sponsorship.

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P20

Friday 28th June - Thursday 11th July 2024

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Sponsored by Goughs Solicitors www.goughs.co.uk

Business

Major refurbishment of historic hotel approved Reporter

Are your Will and LPA still on your ‘to-do list’?

The Parade Park Hotel on North Parade

“Through extensive research into the building’s history, a clear design brief has been developed to not only improve the hotel but protect its historic fabric.

“Through remedial works, removal of modern alterations and the replacement of original details and windows, the proposed scheme will greatly improve the condition of the hotel.

“In addition, the improvement works to the garden and proposed courtyard rooms will enhance a currently forgotten

and important area of the existing building.”

The plans include using the basement rooms of the rear wings as spa rooms and treatment facilities and adding three ensuite rooms in a new singlestorey garden building.

Being next to a “highly sensitive part of the highway network within the city centre”, one of the conditions of permission being granted is for a construction management plan to help mitigate the impacts of the building work.

Sarah Tassell, director at Spratley & Partners, the architects appointed for the project, said: “We’re delighted to have achieved planning consent for the refurbishment of Parade Park Hotel. Given the building’s Grade I listed status, this is a significant milestone and has taken careful negotiation with the local authority. Through extensive research into the building’s history, we’ve developed a design which breathes new life into the hotel whilst respecting its heritage.”

Optician branch celebrates longest-serving staff THE team from the Specsavers opticians on Westgate Street in Bath is celebrating its longestserving members of staff who have a combined total of more than 150 years of service.

Specsavers has been honouring colleagues who have shown years of dedication to the store.

The current team at the store has more than 180 years of experience between them, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the local community.

The longest-serving members of the team are Kingstone Katebe, audiology director and Phil Lodge, retail director, who have both dedicated more than 20 years of service to Specsavers Bath.

Elliot Chambers Solicitor, Goughs Solicitors

Becky Feather A MAJOR refurbishment project for the Grade I listed Parade Park Hotel at North Parade in Bath has been approved by Bath & North East Somerset Council.

The hotel spans three houses that were originally constructed around 1740 by John Wood the Elder and connected under the road to Parade Gardens.

The buildings were used as lodging houses from the 1750s for 170 years. Separate hotels were then created, with numbers 8 and 9 becoming connected and known as the Grosvenor Hotel in 1921. By 1931, No 10 had become Sheriff’s Hotel and was rebranded as North Parade Hotel around 1966. The three properties were linked in 1997 to create one single large hotel.

Many important features, including staircases, remain.

The application to carry out refurbishment work was submitted to the council by Fairtree Asset Management LLP. A supporting statement notes: “Parade Park Hotel is in need of essential repair and refurbishment, and the proposed alterations to internal layouts and external improvements will provide functionally and accessible facilities necessary for that of a modern hotel.

Business Expert

Other long-serving team members include supervisor Emma Hansford, who marks 15 years this year.

Kingstone said: “It’s an incredible feeling to be part of a team with so many dedicated people.

“I initially started working at the store while waiting for my medical registration to work in the NHS to be processed, but after spending time working at Specsavers, I realised that I wanted to forge a career path here. I have made wonderful friendships, learned valuable skills and really enjoy working alongside Phil, our wonderful retail director.

“I was offered the chance to become a partner in 2009, and took on the role of audiology

director, which was a pivotal moment in my career.

“Since then, I’ve developed a passion for helping others with their career paths. Before Specsavers, I spent the first 20 years of my career working as a doctor and helping people improve their health.

“It’s been equally as rewarding to have spent a further 20 years working in audiology and changing the lives of our customers through our hearing services.

“I’d like to say a huge thank you to our retail director, Phil, for his outstanding leadership. I’m incredibly grateful to have had his support over the years.”

Emma Hansford started as an

admin assistant, before working her way up to her current role.

She said: “I’ve spent 15 years of my career at the store because of the wonderful team and management.

“We’re all so supportive of one another and it makes the store such a great place to work.

“We have fantastic career progression opportunities here, and I’m proud to come into work and help our customers every day.

“As a team, we have so many years of experience between us that our customers get to come in and see familiar, friendly faces for every appointment.

“It always puts a smile on my face when customers recognise us.”

Before heading off on summer holidays make sure you have your Will sorted.

In many situations, people make assumptions about how their estate will be distributed on their death and therefore don’t make a Will. If you don’t create a valid Will, your estate will be passed through the rules of Intestacy.

This could mean your assets don’t end up where you wished, or, could end up in a contentious legal battle.

Having a Will can also protect your children as you’re able to appoint a Guardian to look after them, should both parents die before their eighteenth birthday.

It is important to keep your Will updated to ensure it continues to reflect your circumstances.

We would suggest reviewing your Will every five years, however, if you have a serious change in circumstances such as a marriage or buying / selling property, it should be reviewed sooner.

It’s a common misconception that Lasting Power of Attorneys (LPA) are for the elderly, but mental incapacity can affect anyone regardless of age.

Sadly, anyone can have an accident or be struck down by an illness. In this respect an LPA is just as essential as having a Will in place.

As a Will only takes effect after death, by making an LPA you can have peace of mind that all your affairs will be dealt with by your chosen, trusted Attorney, during your lifetime.

Contact Goughs to discuss creating your Will and LPA. Goughs Solicitors 2 Fore Street, Trowbridge Wiltshire BA14 8HX 01225 762683 info@goughs.co.uk

Issue 081

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Campaign for B&NES Council to New café being planned introduce a ban on out-of-area taxis for Westgate Street John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

BATH’S taxi drivers are calling on their local council to take action on out-of-area taxis undermining their livelihoods.

Taxi drivers need to be licensed by local councils, but since 2015 have been able to be licensed by any council, not just where they live or work.

Now, drivers who have studied to pass the Bath knowledge test and paid the £582 cost of applying for a taxi licence from Bath & North East Somerset Council have warned that drivers licensed by other councils are taking the work in the city.

One local taxi driver who has been working in Bath for six years said: “Our earnings have been massively affected with Covid and everything.”

He added: “We can’t carry on if we are being completely saturated.”

Over 600 people have signed a petition from the area’s local taxi drivers calling on the local authority to do what it can to put a stop to the practice.

A statement from a group of Bath and North East Somersetlicensed taxi drivers said: “The influx of licensed taxis from Bristol, South Gloucestershire,

Concerns have been raised about taxi drivers from outside of the Bath area

North Somerset, Swindon, and Wolverhampton into Bath is severely undermining the livelihoods of local drivers.

“These out-of-area taxis are saturating the market, making it increasingly difficult for Bath’s licensed drivers to secure fares and sustain their businesses.

“Local drivers contribute significantly to the community by paying their licensing fees, which support local regulatory and infrastructure needs. However, the presence of these external taxis, which do not contribute to Bath’s licensing revenue, creates an unfair competitive environment. We urge the council to take immediate action to ban these out-of-area taxis from

operating within Bath. By doing so, the council would not only be supporting local drivers but also ensuring that the fees paid

by Bath’s licensed taxi operators are reinvested into the local economy, ultimately benefiting the entire community.

“Protecting local drivers is essential for maintaining a fair and balanced marketplace, and we call on the council to enforce stricter regulations to preserve the integrity of Bath’s taxi industry. Please support Bath’s private hire and hackney taxi industry by signing our online petition and asking for the support of your local councillor or MP.” You can view the petition at https://bit.ly/3VZb8jN

The former Thyme Deli premises on Westgate Street

PLANS have been drawn up to change the shopfront of a proposed new café in the city centre.

An application to carry out internal and external changes to 27 Westgate Street, previously Thyme Deli, has been submitted to Bath & North East Somerset Council.

One of the drawings submitted with the application shows the name of the new business as being Frites Caesar.

The application says the use will remain as a café with hot food takeaway. The proposal has been submitted by ATA International

Trade and Consultancy Ltd and says the works will have a positive impact upon the Grade II listed building and the conservation area through “sensitive changes”.

The application aims to give a “more modern frontage to reflect the branding of the new operators of the café”. It also allows for a wider door to improve accessibility.

New signage is proposed and the removal of a canopy to the rear.

Some changes to the cooking and serving area are also planned.

The planning reference is 24/02275/FUL. Consultation on the plans ends on 18th July.

Celebrating 120 years of Bath Building Society Since 1904 the Society has been helping the local community achieve their home ownership dreams and develop strong savings habits.

From financial education in local 6th forms to our annual Charity Awards, we’re proud of our long history of community support.

Visit bathbuildingsociety.co.uk to find out more about our savings and mortgage products, and what we’re up to in the local community.

P22

Friday 28th June - Thursday 11th July 2024

www.bathecho.co.uk

Politics Future of controversial traffic restrictions remains uncertain John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

LOW traffic neighbourhoods have become one of the most controversial aspects of local politics in recent years.

Also called liveable neighbourhoods — or just referred to as LNs or LTNs for short — the schemes generally see local councils close residential roads to through traffic in a bid to make them safer and more pleasant. But some have warned the schemes just push traffic down other roads, causing congestion and putting people on other roads in danger.

Earlier this month, Exeter Highways and Traffic Orders Committee voted to axe a controversial LTN in part of the city. The Active Streets Heavitree and Whipton Trial Scheme had been in place for nine months before it was axed. But could the same happen in Bath with the city’s controversial Sydney Road Liveable Neighbourhood?

It is possible; the scheme is in place on a trial basis. But people have been told the decisions on whether to make LTNs permanent are “not yes/ no referendums.” And axing the scheme could mean the local council loses more than £700k.

The New Sydney Place and Sydney Road Liveable Neighbourhood saw Bath & North East Somerset Council install bollards across the end of Sydney Road where it meets Sydney Place in April — blocking off what had been a popular route for traffic heading down Warminster Road into the city centre. About 4,000 people signed a petition against it going ahead when the plans were announced and the scheme has even been debated in Parliament.

But the scheme also has its supporters, with people living on the roads saying it has been

The controversial traffic restriction on Sydney Road in Bath

“freed from the tyranny of the motor vehicle”.

Bathonian Malcolm Robinson, who lives on the road, told a council meeting in May: “The Sydney Road LN creates a small safe space to move around without fear of being run down by a rat runner from Bathampton trying to get to Waitrose before it closes.”

In Exeter, the Active Streets Heavitree and Whipton Trial Scheme was removed at the end of its trial period when it came before Exeter Highways and Traffic Orders Committee for a vote on whether to axe it or make it permanent. Officers recommended it be removed after an equality impact assessment found it had significantly negatively impacted the lives of disabled people, people with health issues, and a local special school.

In Bath, the Sydney Road scheme is also only officially in place on a trial basis and a decision will be taken on whether to make it permanent at the end of the trial. Other LTN trials are also

planned on Gay Street, Catharine Place, Winifred’s Lane at the top of Cavendish Road, and on the roads by Newbridge Primary School.

A decision on whether to make the schemes permanent will be made within 18 months of them being in place and a consultation will run for the first few months of each trial.

When the council’s previous round of LTN trials were made permanent in January, the final decision was taken as a single member decision, a council mechanism by which a council cabinet member can take an executive decision without needing to go for a vote before councillors.

But councillors did challenge the decision on one of the schemes: the controversial LTN on Southlands which 57% of the people on the street had said should go.

Nine councillors signed a “callin” of the scheme, bringing it before a council committee in February to be debated.

At the meeting in February, Robin

Moss (Labour, Westfield), who led the call-in, said: “The reason for calling in this particular scheme is there is not the public support, there are more people against this scheme than in favour.”

But Manda Rigby (Bathwick, Liberal Democrat), the council cabinet member for highways who took the single member decision, told the meeting: “These consultations are not yes/ no referendums.”

She said that she had read all responses people had made but also had to base her decision on traffic and air quality monitoring data — the quality of which has been disputed by those opposed to the schemes — and the council’s policies and manifesto commitments.

She said: “The reasons people gave for opposing the scheme, such as fears of displacing traffic and worsened air pollution, are not backed by the evidence recorded.”

But she added: “I am genuinely, genuinely saddened that the community has felt split in this way. That absolutely was not the

intention.”

Councillors on the committee voted to dismiss the call-in.

The decision on whether to make the Sydney Road LTN permanent may also be made through a single member decision, and will also take into account the data gathered by the council and not just the responses to the consultation.

But there is another aspect to the decision which is likely to factor into whether or not to remove the scheme.

After David Wood (Mendip, Liberal Democrat), the council cabinet member for council priorities and delivery, approved the decision to begin the LTN trial on Sydney Road, new pavements, bollards, signage and road markings were all installed.

A £736,000 grant from the West of England Combined Authority is to reimburse these costs and the costs of installing the other currently planned LTN trials — but the council will lose out on this money if the scheme is not made permanent.

Asked, when the scheme was installed, whether the council knew how much it would cost to undo these if a decision was taken to remove the scheme at the end of the trial period, Councillor Wood said: “This is an experimental traffic regulation order and the outcomes of the trial will inform the future decision on whether to remove the restrictions or make them permanent.

“The costs of either of these options would be contained in future budget forecasting.”

LTN trials are also planned to begin on Gay Street, Catharine Place and Winifred’s Lane at the top of Cavendish Road.

The consultation on the Sydney Road LTN runs until 3rd October.

You can have your say here: https ://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/ sydneyroadETRO

People reminded about constituency boundary changes PEOPLE across Bath and North East Somerset are being reminded about recent boundary changes which come into force at the upcoming 4th July General Election.

The changes have been introduced since the last General Election in 2019 following a Parliamentary Boundary Review.

Bath & North East Somerset Council now covers three parliamentary constituencies: the whole constituency of Bath, the whole constituency of North East Somerset and Hanham (which also includes part of South Gloucestershire Council) and part of the constituency of Frome and East Somerset.

The Bath and the North East Somerset and Hanham

constituencies are both administered by Bath & North East Somerset Council.

The Frome and East Somerset constituency, which in addition to a Somerset Council area also includes Midsomer Norton, Radstock, Westfield, Peasedown St John and the parishes in Bathavon South (Camerton, Claverton, Combe Hay, Dunkerton, Tunley, Englishcombe, Freshford, Hinton Charterhouse, Marksbury, Monkton Combe, Priston, Shoscombe, South Stoke and Wellow), is administered by Somerset Council.

The maps of the new constituencies can be found at: https://bit.ly/4eD1jzh In order to vote, you must be a

British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen (including Maltese and Cypriot), and your name must be on the electoral register.

EU citizens are not entitled to vote at UK parliamentary general elections.

Voters have a range of options for casting their vote – in person, by post or by appointing someone they trust to vote on their behalf, known as a proxy vote.

If voting in person at the polling station, you will be required to show an accepted form of photo ID to the polling station staff. The full list of accepted forms of ID can be found here.

People are reminded that the B&NES Discovery Card is not an accepted form of ID at polling stations.

Photo © B&NES Council

Issue 081

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Your City, Your News - Bath Echo

Seven councillors standing to become an MP John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

MORE than a tenth of the councillors on Bath & North East Somerset Council are currently campaigning to become Members of Parliament.

Seven of the 59 councillors on the council are standing in the General Election on 4th July.

Three of them are all standing against each other, while others are standing in constituencies as far away as Swindon and Wales.

Robin Moss, Gavin Heathcote, and Shaun Hughes are all standing for the Frome and East Somerset constituency.

The three councillors all represent wards within the constituency, which includes much of the eastern half of the former North East Somerset seat.

Councillor Moss, who leads the opposition Labour group on the council, is the Labour Party candidate for the seat.

He previously stood in North East Somerset in 2017 as the Labour challenger to Jacob Rees-Mogg, coming second with 35% of the vote, to Sir Jacob’s 54%. But since the boundary changes, his Westfield council seat now lies in Frome and East Somerset.

Councillor Hughes, an Independent councillor for

Midsomer Norton North, also stood in North East Somerset in 2017 and did again in 2019, coming last with about 1% of the vote both times. Meanwhile, it is fellow Independent councillor Councillor Heathcote’s first time running for Parliament since being elected onto Bath & North East Somerset Council as councillor for Peasedown last year. Colin Blackburn, who has been a councillor for Westmoreland in Bath since 2015, has thrown his hat into the ring to become Bath’s next MP. He is also an Independent, meaning that half of the six Independents on the council are running for Parliament.

In North East Somerset and Hanham, the Liberal Democrat candidate is former council leader, previous Mayor of Bath, and, for 21 years, councillor for Southdown in Bath, Dine Romero.

Meanwhile, two other Liberal Democrat councillors are standing further afield.

Matt McCabe, councillor for Bathavon South, is standing as the potential MP for Swindon South (candidate list available at https://bit.ly/4eG0NRa), and Manda Rigby, councillor for Bathwick, is standing for Cardiff West (candidate list available at https://bit.ly/3zhHXQh).

Planning Round-up No objection to plans to fell 17 trees at farm Bath & North East Somerset Council has raised no objection to an application to fell approximately 17 tall trees at a farm on the edge of Bath.

The line of mature leylandii trees lie along the boundary of Rohannon Farm and Weston Farm Lane at Upper Weston and are more than 80ft high (approximately 25 metres).

The trees don’t have Tree Preservation Orders but are in a conservation area. Most are said to be in a poor condition and some have already shed limbs.

The leylandii will be felled over a two-year period, avoiding the bird nesting season. They will be replaced with a mixed native hedgerow including some specimen trees such as rowan or silver birch.

Seven out of 59 B&NES councillors are hoping to become an MP

The full list of candidates standing for the Bath constituency is: • A.N.ON. (Independent) • Bill Blockhead (Independent) • Colin Blackburn (Independent) • Dan Bewley (Labour) • Dominic Tristram (Green) • James Wright (Conservative) • Matthew Alford (Workers Party) • Teresa Hall (Reform UK) • Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat) The full list of candidates standing for the Frome and East Somerset constituency is: • Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat)

• David Swain (Reform UK) • Gavin Heathcote (Independent) • Lucy Trimnell (Conservative) • Martin Dimery (Green) • Robin Moss (Labour) • Shaun Hughes (Independent) The full list of candidates standing for the North East Somerset and Hanham constituency is: • Barmy Brunch (Monster Raving Loony Party) • Dan Norris (Labour) • Dine Romero (Liberal Democrat) • Edmund Cannon (Green) • Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative) • Nicholas Hales (Independent) • Paul MacDonnell (Reform UK)

Obstacle course in marquee at university A planning application has been submitted to erect a marquee at the University of Bath to house an obstacle course. The custom-made marquee would be installed on existing unused tennis courts at the Sports Training Village at the Claverton Down campus to provide a Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) obstacle course for use by the Modern Pentathlon team. The planning application says the marquee would strengthen the economic and social benefits the university derives from its partnership with the UIPM. The university hosted the 2023 Modern Pentathlon World Championships last August where Pentathlon GB, in partnership with British Obstacle Sports volunteers, set up a temporary ‘come and try’ obstacle course. Permission is sought to keep the marquee - measuring 12 metres by 30 metres and four metres high for a two-year period. After that it is expected that proposals will be brought forward for the redevelopment of the courts and the surrounding area for student accommodation.

Storage King reveals retail park expansion plans Becky Feather Reporter

A SELF-STORAGE company is applying to expand its home in Twerton because of growing demand.

Storage King Bath is based at Unit C at Weston Lock Retail Park, which is also home to a McDonald’s drive-thru and restaurant and an M&S food hall.

The storage company began trading at the site off Lower Bristol Road in April 2023.

The planning application submitted to Bath & North East

Somerset Council says there is growing demand for self-storage facilities nationally and due to high demand and a growing customer base, Storage King is looking to create additional floor space by providing 12 external direct access units in its car park, creating 261.1sqm of new selfstorage space.

The proposals include rearranging the existing car park layout to provide a slight reduction to 16 spaces, including two Blue Badge spaces and a loading bay, and the relocation of the existing cycle parking provision and bin store.

Storage King is based at the Weston Lock Retail Park in Bath

There are no changes proposed to the access to the retail park.

The planning application

reference is 24/01791/FUL. The deadline for comments is Monday 8th July.

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Heart-warming meeting between rugby figures Becky Feather Reporter

BATH Rugby star Will Muir helped to make dreams come true for a remarkable mixed ability rugby player when he paid a surprise visit.

It’s not every day you meet your heroes but for Morgan Lidster and his Walcot Warriors teammates, their weekly training session was turned on its head when the England international swapped The Rec to join drills with a difference at the South West’s first mixed ability rugby club. The winger turned out to celebrate the achievements of Morgan, 21, who last season was crowned Premiership Rugby’s Ambassador of the Year.

Morgan has Down’s Syndrome and has been inspiring others to give rugby a try after joining

Walcot Warriors and discovering a new-found confidence in his social and physical abilities.

Morgan’s self-esteem has come a long way and along with his teammates, he is proud to showcase the accessibility and equal opportunities for everyone in the sport.

Speaking after meeting his Bath Rugby hero, Morgan said: “That was the best rugby training session ever. I was happy and excited at the same time. Will is a great guy and one of my favourite players. He showed me how to score a try just like him.

“Mixed ability rugby is for people with different needs which is why I joined Walcot Warriors and now I can play touch and contact.”

Mixed ability rugby has seen huge participation increases in the South West region over the last few years, thanks to the work of Bath Rugby Foundation.

Will and Morgan | Photo © Bath Rugby

Its work as the charitable arm of Bath Rugby to empower vulnerable children and young people has seen it help to support five mixed ability clubs and 239 young people in the region, as well as helping 65 new players to start playing mixed ability rugby last season.

Jack Hill, inclusion officer at Bath Rugby Foundation, said: “Mixed ability rugby creates inclusive, safe spaces where everyone can access and play the sport. We were thrilled to see the excitement of Morgan and the

other Walcot Warriors players when Will Muir made a surprise appearance at training.

“The work that Walcot Warriors and other mixed ability clubs are doing to provide opportunities to players like Morgan is amazing and I’m immensely proud of what Morgan has achieved this year.

He has a new-found confidence in his social and physical abilities and has said on countless times that if it wasn’t for mixed ability rugby, he wouldn’t be able to access the sport he loves.”

Walcot Warriors in Bath launched in 2017. The team now has more than 45 players and provides a competitive and supportive rugby environment where new, returning, underrepresented, and experienced players hold equal value.

You can watch the video of Will meeting Morgan at https://bit.ly/3XFP92G

Celebrating Team Bath’s netball contribution THERE was a celebratory atmosphere at the Team Bath Arena as past and present Team Bath Netball players donned the famous Blue & Gold once again to celebrate the club's trailblazing Super League era.

A host of iconic players from the club's two decades – including five members of the inaugural Super League title-winning squad in 2005-06 – took to the court on Friday 21st June alongside the 2024 Super League squad for an evening enjoyed by an 800-strong crowd and a watching audience on live stream.

The match was split into two parts – the first four quarters featuring a mix of players across two teams, Blue v Gold, and the next two quarters pitching the legends

against the current squad, who won 17-16 thanks to a buzzer beater from Future Roses player Sophie Kelly.

Current Team Bath Netball head coach Asha Francis was among the returning members of the first Super League squad, along with Rachel Dunn, Clare Elsley, Jo Vann and title-winning captain Billy Pritchard.

She played in the last two quarters having earlier been on the Blue coaching bench alongside another member of the 2005-06 squad, current England head coach Jess Thirlby.

Commonwealth gold-medallist Eboni Usoro-Brown, Summer Artman, Anya Le Monnier, Mia Ritchie, Amanda Varey and Chani Wopara also returned to

the Team Bath Arena show court, while coaching the Gold team was Anna Stembridge, who then resumed her celebrated coaching partnership with Thirlby for the last two quarters.

Legendary shooter Dunn, who made more than 200 Super League appearances and won nearly 100 England caps during a storied career that began at Team Bath at the age of 18, said: “It was amazing to be back on court again, nearly 20 years on from our first Super League game here.

“I actually played my first game for Team Bath back in 2001, in the Super Cup years, so it was great to come back, play with so many historic players from the franchise and the current squad, and celebrate everything that is

Team Bath.

“I was in the crowd for the last Super League home match against Strathclyde Sirens and the emotions were clearly still raw. Tonight has had a more celebratory feel.

“This club has created so many great players and coaches, and it will always have a legacy.”

At the end of May the University of Bath-based team were devastated after being informed by England Netball that they had not been granted a licence to continue in the Netball Super League past the end of this season.

Their tenure in the Super League came to an end on Saturday 15th June. Victory on the night went to the Cardiff Dragons with the score 58-41.

Crossword answers - Issue 080 (14/06/2024) Across: 8 Figurine, 9 Volume, 10 Wee, 11 Swastika, 12 Beau, 16 Eases, 19 Petrified, 21 Pro shop, 23 Centaur, 24 Kim Jong-il, 26 Ether, 29 None, 33 Crevices, 35 A k a, 36 Prying, 37 Saunters.

Down: 1 View, 2 Pursue, 3 Pixie, 4 New Age, 5 Aver, 6 Flab, 7 Emma, 11 Sheepskin, 13 Epitaph, 14 Under arms, 15 Winnie, 17 Storm in, 18 School, 20 T L C, 22 Pug, 25 In cash, 27 Twists, 28 Serum, 30 Ogre, 31 Emit, 32 Saga, 34 Earn.

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Bath City FC Tuesday 9th July – 7.45pm Bath City v Cheltenham Town (Home - Twerton Park) Pre-Season

Bath Cricket Club (1ST XI)

Saturday 29th June – 12pm Bath vs Bedminster (Home - North Parade) WEPL Saturday 6th July – 12pm Bath vs Lansdown (Home - North Parade) WEPL

Lansdown Cricket Club (1ST XI) Saturday 29th June – 12pm Lansdown vs Bristol (Away) P1 Saturday 6th July – 12pm Lansdown vs Bath (Away) WEPL Sunday 7th July – 2pm Lansdown (W) vs Midsomer Norton (Home - Combe Park) Somerset Women's T20 Blitz

Get Involved Whether you'd like us to include your upcoming fixtures in the newspaper, or submit a match report for publishing, we'd love to hear from you.

Please send fixtures lists for your team to sport@bathecho.co.uk and we'll add your next event to our sports calendar.

If you have photographs that we can use, we'd also like to include them here, on our website and social media. We're happy to host match reports from across Bath and the surrounding area. Send them to sport@bathecho.co.uk with the subject Match Report.

To ensure we can include your report in our next issue, please limit the length to around 400 words - a photo from the event would also be useful.

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