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Restoration of Bath's historic Jolly's store begins
CONTRACTORS have now begun work on the historic Jolly’s store on Milsom Street in Bath, ahead of an opening by retailer Morleys next year.
Bath & North East Somerset Council, which owns the building, has brought in contractor Bray & Slaughter to carry out a programme of restorative works to the building.
This first phase of the project is concerned with overhauling the external fabric of the building to ensure it is weather-tight, and the work will include extensive roofing renewals, window repairs and rainwater and drainage improvements.
This will be followed by internal refurbishment work, carried out by Morleys to create a vibrant new store.
Jolly’s is one of Europe’s oldest department stores and has been a Bath landmark and a cornerstone of the city’s shopping scene for over a century.
During the restoration, vinyl window graphics will display a series of images set in a timeline highlighting the rich history of
Jolly’s in Bath, from the opening of a ‘seasonal’ shop circa 1823, to the planned reopening as part of Morleys in spring 2026.
Councillor Mark Elliott, cabinet member for resources, said:
“Jolly’s store is a very significant council-owned asset and we are investing significantly in restoration of the building so it
can continue to benefit future generations of Bath residents and visitors.
“I’ll be taking a very active interest in progress as work is carried out to preserve the historic fabric of this flagship building at the heart of the Milsom Quarter.
“We’re delighted to have a fantastic partner in Morleys to
take on the running of the store once the restoration work is complete.”
Grant Jefferies, Managing Director of Bray & Slaughter, commented: “Growing up near Bath, Jolly’s has been a constant presence on Milsom Street during my life and to have the opportunity to showcase our technical skills and deliver a project which will secure a future for the site is a challenge my colleagues and I are proud to be entrusted with.”
The history of Morleys also features on the timeline, alongside a promise to restore the store to its former glory and ensure that the Jolly’s legacy lives on for generations of Bath residents.
Allan Winstanley, Chief Executive of Morleys, said: “We’re thrilled that work is under way restoring Jolly’s to its former glory.
“We’re extremely proud to be another step closer to taking stewardship of Jolly’s and creating a world-class shopping experience for the people of Bath and its many visitors.”
Surgery’s third attempt to turn space into HMO
Becky Feather Reporter
A DOCTOR’S surgery in Bath is seeking planning permission for a third time to turn part of the premises into a house in multiple occupation (HMO).
St Michael’s Surgery in Twerton has submitted another application to Bath & North East Somerset Council to change the unused two storey-wing previously used by a dental practice into a four-bed HMO.
The wing contains the main entrance to the practice at Walwyn Close, although that would not be affected by the proposals. The proposed work includes layout changes and partitioning, as well as some minor external alterations.
In March 2024, we reported that the council had refused permission for a HMO mainly because of the risk of “sandwiching” No.14 Walwyn
Close between two HMOs. No.12 had received planning permission in September 2021 to become one.
There were also concerns that two out of the four bedrooms would only have obscure glazed windows. Although that was meant to ensure no harmful overlooking, it would have resulted in an “unsatisfactory” living environment.
The council also said the application failed to secure an EPC (energy performance certificate) level C.
The second application last autumn made some window changes and noted that the council’s HMO map showed no evidence of No.12 having implemented the change of use and permission had expired.
It also said the EPC rating of D could be increased to the required C with small upgrades such as new solar PV panels and loft insulation.
But in again refusing the
application, officers said that the occupier of the first-floor middle bedroom would have an unsatisfactory living environment because of an obscure glazed window, and although a roof light had been added, there would still be no outlook. The scheme also failed to secure the necessary EPC level C.
Building consultants for St Michael’s Surgery say the latest
scheme ensures all bedrooms have front or rear-facing windows.
They say the EPC upgrades could include new windows to meet lower U-values and applying reflective coating to the southfacing windows, new solar PV panels and loft insulation. The plans can be seen at https:// bit.ly/3Ib7D5r and the deadline for comments is 15th July.
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Refurb work for police station to start next month
WORK to refurbish a building in the centre of Bath to create a new police station for the city is set to begin in August, it has been announced.
The refurbishment of Plymouth House on Monmouth Street is expected to take around nine months, which will see the building become the new home of policing in Bath in summer 2026.
Plymouth House will replace the current police stations at the One Stop Shop in Lewis House, Manvers Street, which is colocated with B&NES Council offices and at Redbridge House on Lower Bristol Road.
Until the new station is ready, officers and staff will continue to work from those locations.
Bath’s former police station on Manvers Street was sold in 2015 due to high ongoing maintenance costs and its suitability for modern policing, with teams relocated to Redbridge House and Lewis House, which is opposite.
With the upcoming move to Monmouth Street, Avon & Somerset Police will once again operate from one, dedicated police station in Bath, co-locating all policing teams alongside an
Enquiry Office open to the public.
Area Commander for Bath and North East Somerset, Chief Inspector Scott Hill said: “Our priority is to provide the best service we can for the community, and that means ensuring our officers and staff have the most efficient and suitable facilities.
“This is what the new station at Plymouth House will give us. It
will bring our neighbourhood and response teams under one roof, providing them with a modern, fit-for-purpose and productive place to work together in the heart of the city, enabling us to deliver outstanding policing in Bath.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Clare Moody said: “One of my key priorities is to strengthen
neighbourhood policing. “I have strongly supported the commitment to ensure Bath has a dedicated police site, enabling community-focused policing and welcome this announcement.”
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Chance to explore Roman Baths in the evening
RESIDENTS and visitors to the city are once again being given the chance to explore the Roman Baths as the sun sets during this year’s Summer Lates programme.
The Roman Baths will be open during the evening during a sixweek period from 21st July to 31st August.
Visitors are invited to explore the historic site with a torchlit ambience, a pop-up bar, and a relaxed, atmospheric setting every night of the week.
On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, a new specially curated programme of live music and DJ sets will add to the experience. Two thousand years ago, the Roman Baths were a vibrant social and cultural hub.
Summer Lates revives that spirit, inviting today’s visitors to unwind and connect in the same space where Romans once gathered.
From Monday to Thursday, the site will remain open until 8pm, while on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and the August Bank Holiday Monday, it will stay open
until 10pm.
As dusk falls, the Great Bath will be illuminated by soft torchlight, creating a magical setting for evening exploration. Visitors can enjoy a drink from the bathside bar or explore the site’s rich history with new evening guided tours.
Weekend evening music sessions take place beside the steaming waters of the Great Bath, offering a unique and immersive way to experience one of Britain’s most iconic landmarks.
Rather than formal concerts,
the performances are designed to complement the historic surroundings. The music programme brings local talent into the heart of the ancient site in partnership with Bath Arts Collective. On Fridays and Saturdays, Bath Carnival and POLYMATHIC will bring vinyl DJs to the Baths including Beavs (Void Bristol), Buckley (Bacana Funk) and Monobrow (Sound Records) who will create a laid-back, uplifting vibe with an eclectic mix of Latin jazz, rare grooves, and global sounds.
Sundays offer a relaxed close to the weekend, with acoustic sets programmed by 7 Hills Festival. Performers such as Our Man in the Field, Hayden Thorpe, and Izzie Yardley will bring gentle folk, classical crossover, and singer-songwriter sounds to the space.
Councillor Paul Roper, cabinet member for economic and cultural sustainable development at Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “The Roman Baths has always been a place of gathering, and Summer Lates reimagines that tradition in a modern way. By introducing live music into this extraordinary setting, we’re creating new ways for people to connect with the site and with each other.
“Bath & North East Somerset Council is proud to support cultural experiences that celebrate our heritage while embracing fresh ideas.
“We look forward to welcoming both residents and visitors to experience the Roman Baths in this new and inspiring way.”
in Brief
Two arrests following Iford Manor statue theft
Two people have been arrested after four statues were stolen from Iford Manor, near Bradford on Avon. At the time of the theft, between 10.45pm on Thursday 19th June and 8am the following day, the estate was hosting a fiveday jazz festival.
Wiltshire Police announced on Saturday, 28th June, that the investigation had progressed “significantly” and two men had been arrested.
A vehicle with a police marker was stopped by Avon & Somerset officers in the Bristol area on the evening of Thursday 26th June, and the occupants – a 31-year-old and a 39-year-old –were arrested. They live outside Wiltshire and have been released under conditional bail not to enter the county.
Call to ban ‘large and heavy vehicles’
Saltford Parish Council is calling for restrictions on the weight and size of vehicles entering the old part of the village. It has asked B&NES Council, as the highways authority, to assess Saltford High Street, The Shallows and Mead Lane to determine appropriate vehicle weight and size limits. The parish council has the support of the two councillors who represent Saltford on B&NES Council, Duncan Hounsell (Lib Dem) and Chris Warren (Independents for B&NES). The parish council says the historic nature of the roads makes them unsuitable for large vehicles.
Long range forecast: (11th to 17th July)
Cooler temperatures to start the week, with showers in some areas. It is expected to get warmer again as we head towards the middle of July, staying mostly dry.
Plymouth House will become the new police station next year
Months of gas works to cause disruption in Weston village
Becky Feather Reporter
WALES & West Utilities has announced that a gas pipe upgrade project will get under way in Weston village later this month and continue until the end of October.
The gas emergency and pipeline service will be upgrading more than 600 metres of gas pipes, starting on 21st July.
Wales & West Utilities says it has planned the work in consultation with Bath & North East Somerset Council and traffic management, including temporary lights, will be in operation as the works progress.
Work will centre on the following roads:
• Lansdown Lane from 21st July for five weeks
• High Street from 26th August for eight weeks
• Wellington Buildings / Trafalgar Road from 6th October for approximately three weeks.
Wales & West Utilities is inviting members of the local community to hear about the plans at a dropin session which will be held at All Saints Centre in Weston High Street next Thursday, 10th July,
between 10am and 4.30pm.
The plans will be on show and the project team will be on hand to answer questions.
Simon Lee, from Wales & West Utilities, is managing the work and said: “We’d like to see members of the local community at our drop-in event so that we can share plans of the work.
“We know that working in areas like this is not ideal, but it really is essential to make sure we keep the gas flowing to homes and
businesses in the area, and to make sure the gas network is fit for the future.
“We’ll have a team of gas engineers on site throughout the project to make sure our work is completed as safely and as quickly as possible while keeping disruption to a minimum.”
THOUSANDS of residents are being given the chance to have their say in a satisfaction survey on Bath & North East Somerset Council’s highways and transport services.
People will be able to share their views on the condition of roads and footpaths to the quality of cycling facilities.
B&NES Council is one of 111 local authorities across England & Scotland taking part in the National Highways and Transport Public Satisfaction survey.
In last year’s survey the speed and quality of response from council staff was ranked the best in the country.
Bath’s Park & Ride service, which is currently operating an extended hours evening service, ranked second for the second year in a row.
Highway gritting and Public Rights of Way achieved third place rankings overall. Residents gave low satisfaction scores for traffic levels and congestion. The survey, which is being run for the 18th year, offers an insight into which services residents feel the council should be prioritising and improving. The results of the survey also help the council
to assess how it is performing overall.
Councillor Lucy Hodge, cabinet member for sustainable transport delivery, said: “The feedback we get from residents who complete the survey is so valuable and helps us understand what our residents think of the highways and transport options in their area.
“If you’re one of the randomly selected residents that received a survey in the post, we would very much appreciate you taking the time to complete it.”
The questionnaire was sent to a random sample of at least 3,300 Bath & North East Somerset residents in June, followed by a reminder later in the year. The results of the survey will be published in late-October. The council is urging all residents who receive a survey to take part. Residents who receive the postal survey can complete it online instead.
Council approves plans to tackle damp and mould at flats
Becky Feather Reporter
PLANS to carry out major repairs to a block of social housing flats in Bath have been approved.
LiveWest runs Clarkson House in Great Stanhope Street, where there are 54 flats over five levels. Built in the early 1980s, it is split into sub-blocks 5, 6 and 7. Damp and mould cases have accounted for a high volume of repairs, with more than 100 raised since November 2021.
Clarkson House has problems with ventilation and a lack of insulation. Single-glazed windows are said to be contributing to the reduction in thermal performance and damp and mould troubles.
In No. 5, water has been running down the walls of the stairwell and inner party wall across three levels.
Bath & North East Somerset Council has now granted planning permission for a full roof replacement, including new lead flashings and lead guttering, a thermal upgrade of existing external walls, and mechanical and electrical services works to
flats and circulation spaces. The work is expected to cost around £700,000.
There had been calls for solar PV panels to be added along with seagull deterrent measures, but council planning officers said they were unable to insist the applicant undertakes such works.
Firefighters closed a road in central Bath on Thursday 26th June, to rescue a gull that had become trapped on a balcony.
Crews from Avon Fire & Rescue Service were called at 12.16pm to reports of the incident involving the bird on Great Stanhope Street. Two fire engines, including the turntable ladder, attended the scene, with firefighters working to rescue the gull. The road was closed for around half an hour.
In a statement, Avon Fire & Rescue Service said: “Crews used the turntable ladder to relocate and rescue the seagull.”
Fire crews rescue gull trapped on balcony
Fire crews on Great Stanhope Street
Clarkson House in Great Stanhope Street
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Work will begin later this month and continue through to October
Row between council and developer over new social housing
Becky Feather Reporter
A DEVELOPER accused of trying to “renege” on its commitment to provide social housing in a village near Bath is planning to appeal to the Secretary of State.
Many social housing providers have turned down the chance to provide affordable homes at Flower & Hayes’ development at the former Wheelers Yard Concrete Works site at North Road in Timsbury.
But Bath & North East Somerset Council says the housebuilder hasn’t done enough to engage with registered providers (RPs), a view shared by the ward councillor and the parish council. This is the third time the developer has tried to modify the Section 106 agreement to provide an off-site financial contribution in lieu of 30% on-site affordable homes. The first application was refused by B&NES Council in August 2022 and the second in January 2024.
Flower & Hayes secured permission in 2020 to build 26 homes along with 270sq ft of office accommodation. But the Paulton-based developer says it has struggled to transfer the affordable units to a RP and there is a “general resistance” from
them to accept sites of fewer than 20 affordable units.
Information submitted to B&NES Council in March 2025 in support of the most recent application said that 19 RPs had been approached.
Providers including Aster Group, Places for People, and Sanctuary Housing all said the scheme didn’t meet their minimum size requirements. Sovereign said the number of homes was too low for them to consider at the time.
Brighter Places, Elim Housing, Home Group and Willow Tree Housing Partnership all said Timsbury falls outside their operational areas.
Providers including Curo Group and White Horse Housing indicated that their development budgets were already fully committed for the 2024/25 financial year. Selwood Housing declined due to timing constraints. Other providers, such as Stonewater and Bromford, decided it was not viable for them. Hastoe said it was too soon for it to commit due to its current workload.
Legal & General explained that in order to utilise grant funding, the units would need to be converted from private to affordable housing. Habinteg reportedly did not offer a clear response, despite multiple contact attempts from representatives.
But Timsbury Parish Council said Flower & Hayes should not be allowed to “renege” on its obligations and needs to provide the much-needed 30% social housing required in the village.
Councillor Shaun StephensonMcGall (Timsbury, Liberal Democrat) also objected, calling it “just another attempt by the developer to renege on their obligation to provide 30% of the units on this site to be affordable”.
Transition Bath branded it “a lame attempt by the developer to bypass these requirements and increase its profit margins”.
The previous two attempts to change the S106 were refused by B&NES Council on the grounds that the applicant had not shown it had made enough effort to engage in discussions with RPs and that the applications were made before the expiry of the relevant period.
A council report said there had also been two further permitted planning applications which had changed the on-site affordable housing contribution. The first in October 2023 was for four homes in lieu of the office block.
Through that application, plot 27, a one-bed coach house, was secured as an additional social rent affordable housing unit. Another application was permitted in January 2024 to replace plots 5 and 6 (two one-
Some of the unfinished properties
bed coach houses) for two threebed houses. Both plots are social rented affordable housing units.
The council report said that for the first two S106 modifications, the housing services team was able to evidence that Flower & Hayes and their agent had “framed” the opportunity to acquire the affordable homes in a way that was clearly intended not to get a positive outcome, and when registered providers showed an interest in February 2022 and July 2023, they were informed that the affordable housing units were being withdrawn.
Regarding the third application, the report said: “The applicant has not demonstrated that they have made sufficient efforts to engage in discussions with RPs. “They have actively discouraged any RP interest by presenting the opportunity in a negative way, withdrawing the affordable housing units, supplying
inaccurate information including the completion timeline, allowing the occupation of the two shared ownership units by way of market rent and not resolving the outstanding CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) or financial and other S106 obligations.”
B&NES Council added that Flower & Hayes had therefore made “insufficient effort” to fulfil its obligations under the S106 agreement and there is “no justification for accepting a commuted sum in lieu of on-site delivery”.
The council maintains there is “high demand” for affordable housing in Timsbury.
But Roderick Thorner, director of Flower & Hayes, told the Bath Echo that the company feels the S106 is “unworkable” because every registered provider they have approached to try negotiating a way forward has not been interested in any fewer than 20 units.
He said that to date Flower & Hayes has approached approximately 25 providers. “I confirm that the council gave us many housing companies to approach, however none of them were interested. I also confirm that we are preparing an appeal.”
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Crime & Court
Man arrested after four police vehicles damaged in central Bath
A MAN was arrested after a number of police vehicles were damaged in the centre of Bath on Sunday 22nd June.
Avon & Somerset Police are appealing for witnesses and anybody with dashcam footage of the incident, which took place outside Lewis House, the building used as a police station and enquiry office, in Manvers Street.
The wing mirrors of three police cars and a marked van were damaged at around 8.15pm. The vehicles all had to be taken off the road to be repaired.
Chief Inspector Scott Hill, district commander for Bath and North East Somerset, said: “CCTV enquiries are being carried out as part of our investigation, but we are keen to hear from anyone with information or has dashcam footage showing the incident.
Woman
“The damage caused is hugely frustrating. It meant those vehicles had to be off the road until repaired, and that of course costs money that could be put to much better use for the public.”
admits
A 43-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. Anybody who can help with the investigation is asked to call 101, quoting reference number 5225174494.
jointly stealing supermarket manager’s £19k car
Selway then got into the car as a passenger. There was subsequently a collision, and the vehicle was extensively damaged.
A 35-YEAR-OLD woman has admitted jointly stealing a £19,000 car belonging to the manager of a Bath supermarket.
Samantha Selway, of Loxton Drive in Twerton, appeared in custody on Wednesday 18th June, when she also pleaded guilty to four shoplifting offences. City magistrates heard that on 11th June, the manager of the Lidl store on Lower Bristol Road had his keys taken and his car was stolen from the car park.
Selway had no recollection of the incident but accepted she was carried in the stolen vehicle.
The four other thefts she admitted were from the One Stop shop at The Hollow at Southdown on 9th, 15th, 16th and 17th June.
Selway stole items including food, wine and cleaning products worth more than £200 in total.
She has several previous convictions and problems with alcohol. The magistrates ordered pre-sentence reports and told
Selway to return to court on 30th July. She was released on bail on condition that she keeps away from the One Stop shop at Southdown and has no contact with her co-accused, who was not appearing in court that day.
We are now covering more cases from Bath Magistrates' Court. We will be regularly attending court days as part of efforts to continue improving our news coverage across Bath. You can find the latest stories on our website at www.bathecho.co.uk
Shoplifter stole from Tesco days after sentencing for Co-op thefts
A TWERTON man was back before magistrates to admit shoplifting just five days after being sentenced for stealing from a Bath supermarket.
Paul Holcombe from Stuart Place, appeared in custody at Bath Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 18th June, charged with stealing alcohol and food worth £39.65 on 16th June from the Tesco Express on Upper Bristol Road. On 11th June the court had issued a 12-month community order with an alcohol treatment requirement under the
direction of Turning Point, and rehabilitation activity up to a maximum of 20 days.
That was after Holcombe, 41, had admitted shoplifting from the Co-op in Shaftesbury Road, Oldfield Park.
He had stolen wine on 14th March, groceries on 30th March,
Solicitor criticises ongoing court delays
Becky
A DEFENDANT awaiting trial has received an apology from Bath magistrates after his hearing was delayed late in the day for a second time.
Solicitor John Stokes, representing Femi Bamidele, indicated he would be seeking a judicial review at the High Court if his client’s trial is delayed again. Bamidele, from High Street in Upper Weston, has denied the three charges against him. It is alleged that on 2nd July 2024 in Bath, he used threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, causing harassment, alarm or distress.
The 47-year-old is also accused of an assault on 17th August last year and on the same day of resisting a policeman in the execution of his duty. Bamidele pleaded not guilty to all the charges on 18th September, and had been due to stand trial in
January.
However, it did not go ahead then due to time constraints and was adjourned until Wednesday 18th June. Yet again the trial was unable to proceed as there was not enough time.
Mr Stokes told the court this was “unacceptable” and “unfair” on his client who had built himself up a second time for his trial. He asked for the situation to be taken “seriously” by the court administration.
The court’s legal adviser said it was “unfortunate”, but custodial cases must take priority.
The chair of the bench apologised to the defendant and explained that custody cases could not be controlled and that the system “is not perfect by any means”. Remanding Bamidele on conditional bail until his new trial date of 15th December, she told him she hoped it could go ahead then. Other trials due to be heard on Wednesday, 18th June, were also delayed. Only one of the three courts was operating.
Woman sentenced for kicking policeman
and wine and groceries on 1st April, all of an unknown value, and on 15th May he stole groceries worth £82.86. For the theft from Tesco Express, Holcombe was fined £40 with a £16 surcharge but as he could not pay, he was told he would serve one day in custody. As he had already been in police custody for two days, he was freed and will continue with his community order.
No order was made for prosecution costs.
Magistrates told Holcombe, who has 38 previous convictions for 82 offences, to work hard on his community order and “don’t come back” to court.
A WOMAN who kicked a policeman in the groin at the Royal United Hospital in Bath while she was drunk was sentenced last week after admitting assaulting an emergency worker.
Prosecutor Paul Kelly told Bath magistrates that on 14th February of this year, Lucy O’Sullivan had been taken to the RUH as she was so intoxicated.
She was being “very unsocial” including yelling in a doctor’s face. She assaulted a police constable, stepping towards him and kicking him in the groin.
He tried to shield himself but suffered some “testicular ache” as a result of the assault. The court heard that O’Sullivan has had previous trauma, which is why she struck out.
She has a brain injury which can affect her mood, temper and memory, is an alcoholic and likely bipolar. The 28-year-old from Kingswood, who has no memory of what happened at the RUH, was ordered to pay £50 compensation to the police officer and was sentenced to a 12-month community order involving treatment for her alcohol addiction and mental health problems.
She must also complete eight rehabilitation days. Magistrates did not make an order for prosecution costs or a surcharge. O’Sullivan, who is currently completing a Master’s degree and works part-time, wept in the dock during her appearance on Wednesday 18th June.
Man avoids jail for having knife in nightclub and assaulting marshal
Becky Feather Reporter
A DRUNK man who had a knife in his pocket when he punched a Bath street marshal, splitting open his eye, has been given a two-month suspended jail sentence.
Bath Magistrates’ Court heard that efforts were made by security to restrain Alex Miller, who was trying to take a bottle out of Labyrinth Nightclub at North Parade.
During the incident, which happened on 8th March, the 32-year-old punched a street marshal, giving him a bruised and bloody eye which needed glueing.
At the time, Miller had a folded pocket-knife with him, which he used legally for foraging wild garlic.
At a hearing in April, Miller pleaded guilty to assault by beating, and to having a bladed article at the nightclub without good reason or lawful authority. He was back in court last Wednesday, 25th June, for sentencing.
His solicitor Daniel Woodman said that Miller, who had no previous convictions, had
himself been the victim of a previous “very serious assault” and had been self-medicating for his mental health problems by increasing his alcohol intake.
Mr Woodman said he was “not victim blaming” but Miller is “not an over-robust fellow” and there may have been a “degree of overreaction” with five men taking him to the floor.
He said that at no stage had Miller reached for the knife, which he had forgotten was still in his pocket.
Magistrates, who read a presentence report, told Miller they understood he had been the victim of an assault himself, but that did not give him reason to retaliate when someone was
stopping him from taking a bottle out of a club.
They said his possession of a knife could have had “more serious consequences” and the offences were so serious that only custody could be justified. However, they suspended the concurrent two-month sentences for 12 months, saying there was a “real chance of rehabilitation”. Miller, of Otago Terrace in Larkhall, must undergo mental health treatment for nine months and take part in up to five rehabilitation activity days. He was ordered to pay his victim £150 compensation and must also pay £85 prosecution costs and a surcharge of £154. The knife will be forfeited and destroyed.
Your Latest Market Report
What’s in store for the local property market for the rest of this year? ….. Crystal ball anyone?
NO matter how experienced you are working in the property market, it’s often very hard to predict buyer and seller mood.
So often the sentiment is driven by national media headlines, and attention will be captured by the publication of the June House Price Index from Nationwide Building Society.
It reports that Average prices fell 0.8% on a monthly basis, the largest decline since November 2022, which buyers are likely to point to when making offers.
softening in price growth may reflect weaker demand following the increase in Stamp Duty at the start of April.
“Nevertheless, we still expect activity to pick up as the summer progresses, despite ongoing economic uncertainties in the global economy, since underlying conditions for potential homebuyers in the UK remain supportive”.
We must remember that market behaviour fluctuates across the UK and even across local postcodes. In the Bath region I would advise buyers to be careful not to assume that competing buyers are few and have weak appetites; I have seen several houses in the last few weeks sold as a result of competing bids. Buyers are watchful and will pounce on the right house or flat when it hits the market.
Nationwide Chief Economist Robert Gardner remarks: “The
The only thing we can predict with certainty with the Summer Solstice celebration behind us, is that the remaining days of 2025 will become shorter, but the local property market certainly remains robust in these uncertain times.
If you are planning to buy or sell, I would be delighted to offer market and valuation advice free of charge and without obligation.
AS Bath Carnival returns this Saturday, this week’s archive photograph takes us back to Carnival Week in July 1911, when Bath Cricket Club entered into the spirit of the occasion by staging a gala at its ground on North Parade.
A variety of stalls and rides were set up, including the large ‘motor switchback’ seen in the background.
The highlight of the event was the Fancy and Funny Cricket Match, taking place in
the foreground.
One team appeared as ‘a nondescript side of all sorts of characters’, with those seen here including a territorial soldier in tartan trews and jacket, a sailor, someone wearing half cricket gear and half football gear, a transvestite and a monk.
The other team, who were dressed as police officers, can be seen batting with hollow bats designed so that balls could disappear into them.
One onlooker recorded that ‘ordinary bats were not used, and the mysterious manner in which the leather disappeared in the box bat perplexed the fielding side. Who
won, we don't know, nor does anybody else.’
Other events during Carnival Week –which despite its name ran for ten days –included a rose show, a children’s fête, a military tattoo and a parade of ‘decorated motor cars in Royal Victoria Park’.
The closing event, in Sydney Gardens on Saturday evening, attracted over 4,000 visitors, and attractions included morris dancing, pierrots and ‘a display of fountains’ by the Bath Fire Brigade, using water drawn from the canal.
‘A most popular feature of the evening’s enjoyment’, according to one report, ‘was
COLUMN | Clare Moody, Labour Police and Crime Commissioner
Part of my role is to make sure Avon and Somerset Police provide the best possible service to you. That means accountability when they get it wrong, supporting their good practice and sometimes asking tough questions.
Police Question Time - your chance to watch and ask Every month, I host your Police Question Time (PQT) where I put questions directly to the Chief Constable about how the police are performing. These questions are sent in by you, people who live in the Avon and Somerset area, as well as those questions I need to ask. The sessions are broadcast live on Facebook and LinkedIn, so you can watch what's being said in real time or catch up on my website. Previous sessions have focused on missing persons, shoplifting, and young
people - all issues that you've told me, matter to you.
Volunteers - getting involved in police accountability I'm supported by 66 dedicated volunteers, panel members and Independent Custody Visitors, who work with me throughout the year to hold improve accountability for the police. These volunteers are your neighbours who give their time to make sure policing works for everyone.
My Independent Custody Visitors make weekly unannounced visits to our three custody suites in Patchway, Bridgwater and Keynsham. Last year, they met with 646 people in custody, checking their treatment and ensuring their rights were upheld. It's hands-on accountability that makes a real difference to people at their most
vulnerable.
We run several independent scrutiny panels where community members help review important police practices. In 2024 alone, these panels achieved remarkable results:
• 96 complaint files were reviewed in full by my Independent Scrutiny of Police Complaints Panel, with suggested improvements prompting real changes in how complaints are handled
• 191 cases where force was used were scrutinised by my Independent Scrutiny Panel, reviewing over 240 hours of body-worn video footage to identify areas for improvement or concern
• 87 Community Resolution cases were reviewed, including serious matters like sexual offences, domestic abuse,
a good dance upon the lawn’, with music provided by the Bath Military Band. ‘Many people who did not themselves indulge in the “poetry of motion” enjoyed watching the gay couples merrily dancing under hundreds of coloured lights which illuminated the scene, and indeed the sight was a pretty one’.
Charming as these descriptions are, few people are likely to regret that entertainment isn’t what it used to be, and that this Saturday’s all-day carnival party in Sydney Gardens will bear little if any resemblance to the festivities of 114 years ago.
and youth knife possession, with feedback shared directly with magistrates and the Local Criminal Justice Board. These panels bring your voice into policing decisions and help ensure fairness and accountability every step of the way.
Holding the Chief Constable to account
Beyond the public sessions, I hold monthly scrutiny meetings with Chief Constable Sarah Crew at Avon and Somerset Police Headquarters. At these formal meetings, the Chief Constable reports on how the police are performing across everything from crime rates to efficiency and service quality. Here I review policing performance and check
progress against the priorities set out in my Police and Crime Plan.
You can find notes and actions from these meetings in the governance and scrutiny section of my website.
Hearing from you
If you feel your local policing issues aren't being addressed, you can get in touch.
Your feedback and insights help to ensure I have the full picture of policing in Avon and Somerset. Please do get in touch if you have any ideas, feedback or suggestions by visiting my website www.avonandsomersetpcc.gov.uk/ To find out more about the opportunities available, please visit the volunteering pages on my website.
A Carnival gala event in July 1911, held on North Parade
1 Engage afresh (2-6)
2 Champion (7)
4 Former manager of The Beatles (7)
5 Tissue injuries (7)
6 They think they own the road (4)
7 Quintessential example (7)
8 Up till now (2,4)
9 Repentant (9)
14 Timidity (9)
17 In a stringent way (8)
19 Flower Show venue (7)
20 Found between sea and shining sea (7)
21 How maps are usually drawn (2,5) 23 Tinseltown trade (7)
24 Formulated (4,2)
27 Arthur ___, tennis star (4)
Food & Drink
Tasty Dates For Your Diary
Legendary MasterChef winner
Ping Coombes will be popping up at the super-elegant Green at Wingfield (Trowbridge, around 8 miles/ 12 km south east of Bath) on Thursday 10th/Friday 11th
July to present a unique 4-course Malaysian dining experience in uniquely beautiful surroundings (£65pp; booking essential). https://bit.ly/46kavqE
The newly curated Terrace Menu at Chequers (River Street) begs to be explored: “a seasonal showcase of refined flavours” includes locally sourced cheese and charcuterie alongside foodie flourishes (hot honey, pistachio pesto, smoked sea salt et al) galore. Choose 3 dishes to share plus a 400ml carafe of house wine for just £40. www.chequersbath.net
Sponsor this section!
Get in touch with Rob Last via rob@mediabath.co.uk
Party on at Redan Rocks at The Redan Inn (Chilcompton) on Friday 11th and Saturday 12th
July: hog roasts, woodfired pizzas, live bands, face painting, live DJ sets and more from 5pm-11pm on the Friday and from 1pm on the Saturday (free admission). www.theredaninn.co.uk
Enjoy a fabulous flatbread thoughtfully paired with a small glass of perfect wine for £15 at Beckford Bottle Shop (Saville Row) every Tuesday-Friday 12-4pm.
www.beckfordbottleshop.com
Go back to school at the Upton Inn (Upton Cheyney) on Saturday 19th July when the pub’s nostalgia-fuelled School Dinners Night showcases inspired retakes on classic school dinner memories including grown up
spins on ‘Breaktime Milk’, Deep Fried Spam and the iconic Jam and Coconut Sponge with Pink Custard. Play nicely, and you can attend the classic School Disco after the bell rings (£19.75pp).
https://bit.ly/3Ilv6Rn
£95 for a steak? When it’s a massive, 1kg Tomahawk to share served with the sides of your dreams (bacon buttered cabbage; loaded Koffman fries; chimichurri and peppercorn sauces; etc) in super-chic, quirky surroundings, it’s a bargain! Live the dream every Friday night at The Bird (Pulteney Road). Has the sun come out to play? The terrace here is the ultimate urban chill-out zone.
https://bit.ly/40tMw4B
Order two main dishes from the stunning array at Charm
Thai (George Street) and enjoy a complimentary side dish to share.
www.charmthaiuk.com
Celebrate summer and indulge your taste of adventure at the Adventure Cafe Bar (George Street) Summer Garden Party on Saturday 19th July: Caribbean flavours, reggae beats and lashings of rum punch (and more!) from 12pm-3am (yup, 3am!).
www.adventurecafebar.co.uk
Yuzu by Dan Moon will be popping up at Bath Soft Cheese HQ (Park Farm, Kelston) on the evening of Friday 8th August to showcase a sumptuous, seasonal 5-course Tasting Menu using spectacular locally sourced ingredients and, of course, plenty of Bath Soft Cheese - now that’s
When Bandook Kitchen - the highly-acclaimed Mint Room’s playful little sister - opened its doors at the epicentre of Bath’s utterly gorgeous Milsom Place, it filled a big gap in the Bath eating out scene by blending uppercrust modern Indian dining with a casual, welcoming, affordable ethos that’s effortlessly uplifting, and unselfconsciously soulsoothing.
I revisit BK on a regular basis: on date nights (yes, we still have date nights, over two decades on from our very first date night), or with friends, or simply on those evenings when I just can’t be bothered to cook.
As of fairly recently, I can even go there for breakfast; why have a bacon buttie when you can have a Kolkata Breakfast Roll?
palettes; plush banquette seating or cosy booths; striking statement lighting) create a seductively inviting environment, supplemented in the summer months with alfresco seating a-plenty on one of the prettiest alfresco courtyards in Bath.
On Thursdays, a live jazz band happily installed in the reception/ bar area of this super-stylish modern Indian merrymaking zone adds further reasons to be cheerful, and regular seasonal changes revitalise jaded British palates in a way that only BK can. Case in point! Bandook’s recentlyunveiled Summer Menu brings a glorious array of imaginative salads, vibrant chaats and grill feasts to share to supplement the regular menu that waltzes from street food and small plates to full-on big dishes with a big history taking in all kinds of tantalising gotta-try-thats along the way.
There’s something for everybody from the timid to the temerarious here, including super-chic cocktails on the drinks menu
alongside some very fine wines indeed.
We stuck solely to the Summer Menu for our Bandook banquet this time around, sharing two salads (a lively, vibrant, mango muddle-up and a superb superfood combination that included tandoori broccoli, chickpeas, almonds and beetroot relish), the Samosa Chaat (a ‘deconstructed Punjabi vegetable samosa’, if you will) and the kitchen’s Signature Chaat, served
in a delicate grated potato basket. Both Chaats came smothered in thick yoghurt drizzled and dotted hither and thither with all manner of chutneys, jewel-coloured dots and drizzles; colour, colour everywhere, the exhilarating taste explosions living up to the enchanting promises of the presentation.
We shared a Meat Feast Platter for Two, too: a generous combination of soft, smooth Gilafi Seekh Kebabs, meltingly tender Lasooni
what we call the ultimate cheese dream! (£80pp).
https://bit.ly/4kdnoX3
Bath Foodies Festival returns to Royal Victoria Park from Friday 29th - Sunday 31st August, featuring the a La Española Chefs Theatre, Silent Disco and a BBQ Stage alongside headline acts including Symphonic Ibiza, Blue and Scouting For Girls (ticket prices vary; use code OFFER20 to save 20% on early booking). www.foodiesfestival.com
Melissa regularly reviews eateries and restaurants across Bath. Find out more by visiting: www.theprandialplayground.uk
Follow Melissa on X Find her @ThePigGuide
Lamb Chops, super-herbaceous Basil Chicken Tikka and juicy Butter Chicken Wings - a feast indeed, thoughtful, harmonious and amazing value for £30. Dessert? Not for me (unless you count a Chocolate Espresso Martini as dessert). But for him, three dinky little rectangles of kulfi ice creams sandwiched between India’s iconic Parle-G biscuits: similar to our Malted Milk but somehow not as drab, and nowhere near as sweet as the ubiquitous Biscoff that dominates dessert menus in less imaginative kitchens.
We enjoyed post-feast digestifs under the stars on the courtyard terrace, chatting to BK’s Executive Chef Sunil Duklan as the live jazz wafted around us and fellow merrymakers came and went, while the lovely people serving us never once dropped a beat despite the fact that business was nicely booming.
Bandook had, once again, worked its distinctive, unique magic, leaving us in a summer daze indeed.
Melissa Blease Food Writer
Salads and Chaat at Bandook
Panzanella
Ripe tomato and stale bread salad? No thank you! But Panzanella - one of Tuscany’s most famous recipe exports - is way, way more than the sum of its parts. Refreshing, understatedly elegant and tantalisingly tasty, Panzanella is the perfect party buffet salad or barbecue side dish. But to enjoy it authentically Tuscan-style, serve it as a light summer lunch accompanied by a decent bottle of Rosé Toscana. Saluti to stale bread!
Ingredients (serves 4)
• 200g ciabatta, at least one day old
• 600g ripe, room temperature tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 generous tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
• 1 small red onion, peeled and very finely sliced
• 280g jarred red peppers, drained and roughly chopped
• 8 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and finely sliced (optional)
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 bunch of fresh basil
Method
• Tear the ciabatta into bite-sized chunks, tumble onto a tray and leave in a warm place to dry out for around 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Tip the tomatoes into a large bowl and season well. Add the capers, onion, peppers, anchovies (if using) and bread and toss together.
• Whisk the red wine vinegar with the extra-virgin oil and add to the salad, tossing as you go. Check for seasoning then tear the fresh basil into the bowl. Serve at room temperature.
What's On
Bath City Farm Fest
Bath City Farm
5th July, 12-6pm
A day of celebration with live bands, a bar, food, family-friendly activities, talks and workshops . Look back over the last 30 years of the farm as a charity and help raise funds to keep it growing.
Wimbledon Weekend Festival
Bath Tennis Club
6th July, 12-7.30pm
Head along to the Wimbledon Weekend Strawberries and Cream Festival. Explore the club, meet members, enjoy fun tennis activities, and watch the live Wimbledon broadcast.
Bath Carnival
Sydney Gardens
12th July
This free family festival will bring together an eclectic mix of entertainment, featuring two stages of live music, a Super Pirates children's play area, food and drink, and more.
The Mother
The Mission Theatre
16th – 19th July
A psychological drama that revolves around the complex and intense emotions of a mother, whose life has been upended by the perceived behaviour of her husband and son.
Keynsham Music Festival
Memorial Park
5th & 6th July
This volunteer-run festival is now one of the country’s largest community events celebrating music and arts. Including rock and folk to classical, from comedy and theatre to children’s activities.
Love You, Bye
Ustinov Studio
7th – 10th July
This piece explores the ripple effects of violence on those left behind. It delves into the anger, grief, and relentless injustice of a society that blames women for their own victimisation.
Summertopia
Avon Valley Adventure Park
12th July – 31st August
Join Avon Valley Adventure Park this summer. The season is going to be a splash with their sand and water play area, giant slip'n'slide, huge paddling pools and beach zone.
Wild Folk
Bath Elim Church
16th July, 7pm
Mr B's is delighted to welcome both Jackie Morris and Tamsin Abbott to Bath for a truly special event at the Bath Elim Church to discuss their highly anticipated book, Wild Folk
Midnight Walk
Bath Pavilion
5th July, 9pm
Friday 4th July - Thursday 17th July 2025
The annual Midnight Walk returns to Bath, promising an evening filled with walking, talking, and dancing to support Dorothy House. In 2025, the event embraces a pyjama theme.
Electric Six
Komedia
9th July, 7pm
Detroit legends Electric Six are heading back to the UK for some intimate shows. Mixing garage rock, disco, punk, new wave, and metal into cleverly dumb, inyour-face songs to celebrate hedonism.
Ralf Webb for Highway Cottage
Topping & Company Booksellers
14th July, 7pm
Join an evening with critically acclaimed poet Ralf Webb to celebrate his second collection, Highway Cottage. A young poet travels to the heart of the English countryside, where he grew up.
Jake Bugg
The Forum, 16th July, 8pm
Jake is heading to Bath as part of his extended Your Town tour. Known for his distinctive voice, poetic songwriting, and genre-blending style, he will treat fans to two unforgettable sets.
Bath Beast
Walcot Rugby Football Club
6th July, 7am-5pm
This epic cycling event challenges the most dedicated of riders with 45-mile and 75-mile distances across the undulating hills around Bath, in aid of local charity Julian House.
Gutenberg! The Musical!
Rondo Theatre
10th – 12th July, 7.30pm
Join a very silly night of metatheatricality, expect some disastrous harmonies, a whirlwind of historical inaccuracies, and enough fourth-wall breaks to build a new stage.
Global Discord - Talk BRLSI
15th July, 7.30pm
Paul Tucker will update the scenarios for international politics and economics set out in his book. They are: lingering status quo, superpower struggle, new Cold War, and new world order.
You Know My Mum - Touch Tour The Egg Theatre 17th July
Led by the Company the You Know My Mum Touch Tour enables blind or visually impaired audience members to explore elements of the set, props, and costumes.
www.howdeninsurance.co.uk/bath
MP finds out more about crisis faced by charity Julian House
BATH MP Wera Hobhouse recently visited Julian House’s hostel on Manvers Street in Bath to find out more about how the charity is facing a homelessness crisis of its own.
Julian House has been delivering an off-the-streets accommodation service for people sleeping rough in Bath for nearly 40 years.
In the last year alone, it has provided 96,816 beds across all its services, supported 371 individuals who were sleeping rough to move on to more stable, secure accommodation, and supported 2,740 vulnerable people to begin their journey of independence and security.
The hostel itself has been at 115% capacity for the past year, with a waiting list for potential users.
All 20 pods are full, with all available space given over to sleeping areas, even resorting to setting up ‘sit-up’ beds in the communal area, in order to meet demand.
However, the lease on the basement of the Manvers Street Baptist Church, which is used for the hostel, is set to end in August 2026, with negotiations under way with Bath & North East Somerset Council to find a suitable replacement to ensure
continuity for the service.
Wera Hobhouse has already written to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner, highlighting the success of Julian House, and urging her to commit to increased funding for councils and ring-fenced funding to combat homelessness.
During her visit on 27th June, the MP heard from Julian House Team Leader, Rory Cozzolino, previously homeless himself, who described the commitment of the staff at Julian House to help transform lives at the hostel.
He said: “It does not bear thinking about what might happen if this is axed.”
Helen Bedser, Chief Executive of Julian House, explained: “At Julian House, we believe that everyone deserves a safe place to call home and the chance to build a better future.
“Each year, we support hundreds of people in Bath and North East Somerset who are facing crisis –whether they are sleeping rough, at risk of homelessness, living insecurely, or escaping domestic abuse.
“Like many organisations, we are feeling the impact of ongoing budget pressures, which are making it increasingly difficult to
sustain the vital services that so many people rely on.
“The Off the Streets hostel on Manvers Street is the cornerstone of our efforts to offer safe, stable accommodation and a pathway to recovery for people sleeping rough in B&NES.
“With the lease on our current premises coming to an end, we are urgently pursuing alternative locations to a tight deadline.
“We strongly urge the council to treat this as a matter of utmost priority and to work with us at
Council planning to fly new inclusive flag above the Guildhall
Becky Feather Reporter
B&NES Council plans to raise a new Pride flag, inclusive of intersex people, from the permanent flagpole on the roof of the Guildhall in Bath.
The planning application says the Guildhall “stands as a symbol of civic pride and represents both the city of Bath and the wider council area”.
It adds: “Like many councils and civic bodies, Bath & North East Somerset Council has a longstanding tradition of flying flags from the Guildhall to mark national unity, local identity, and significant events or visits
“The council has flown the Rainbow flag (commonly known as the Pride flag) for many years to commemorate events such as LGBT+ History Month (February) and Pride Month (June), as a visible demonstration of inclusivity and support for LGBTQ+ communities.”
The application says that in recent years, many civic bodies and organisations have adopted the Progress Pride flag.
Designed in 2018, the updated flag incorporates the original Rainbow flag and adds a chevron of black, brown, light blue, pink,
and white stripes to represent historically more marginalised groups within the LGBTQ+ community, including people from black and minority ethnic communities and transgender people, and a purple circle on a yellow background representing intersex individuals.
The Equality Act 2010 legally protects against the discrimination of protected groups, including sexual orientation and gender reassignment.
By flying this flag in line with many other councils and organisations, the local authority says it will be paying due regard to its Public Sector Equality Duty to:
• Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other unlawful conduct prohibited by the Equality Act
• Advance equality of opportunity between people who share and people who do not share a relevant protected characteristic
• Foster good relations between people who share and people who do not share a relevant protected characteristic. People are invited to comment on the application before the deadline of 31st July.
After this story appeared on our website, some readers pointed out that the council has already been flying the flag.
pace to ensure that there is no gap in provision for those who rely on this essential support.”
Wera Hobhouse said: “Local authorities are being sold short by this government with their budgets woefully inadequate to deliver on all their obligations to their communities.
“I will continue to press the Secretary of State to ensure that B&NES and all councils are properly funded so that vital organisations like Julian House can continue to lift people out
of homelessness and on to the safety and stability of their own roof over their heads. A basic human necessity that the rest of us take for granted.
“But factors like the cost-of-living crisis and family or relationship breakdown could push any one of us into this desperate position, and I sincerely hope that a local solution can be found so that Julian House can continue to look after those who have fallen into this vulnerable and distressing situation.”
20mph set to replace national speed limits
road widths and very few passing places.
FOLLOWING a public consultation, B&NES Council will next month bring in a new 20mph limit on the network of rural lanes from Northend at Batheaston to the border with South Gloucestershire beyond St Catherine.
The national speed limit is being slashed to 20mph following requests from local residents and the parish council.
The local authority says the road network through St Catherine is used by pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists alongside vehicles, with several blind bends, narrow
A council report says the proposed lower speed limit through St Catherine will improve road safety for all road users. There were no objections following the public advertisement of the proposals. One supporter wrote: “As a local resident, myself and my family regularly walk, run and cycle on these roads and lanes.
“Introducing a 20mph speed limit should make these routes safer and encourage others to do the same, allowing people to enjoy our beautiful countryside and promoting active travel.”
The new speed limit comes into effect on 28th July.
The roof of the Guildhall in Bath
Wera Hobhouse and some of the Julian House team during her visit
Becky Feather Reporter
The limits will come into effect later this month
Becky Feather Reporter
PEOPLE are being invited to have their say on plans for the new Bath Fashion Museum which will cost up to £40 million and is due to open in 2030.
The new museum, based in the Old Post Office in the Milsom Quarter, will have double the floorspace of the former museum at the Assembly Rooms. The museum closed in 2022 when the National Trust took back the Assembly Rooms, where it had been located for nearly 60 years. The original collection was formed by writer and dress historian Doris Langley Moore and gifted to the city in 1959. Now numbering 100,000 items spanning 400 years, the collection includes fashion from haute couture to sportswear, alongside accessories, sketches, magazines, photographs and designers' archives.
The collection is currently being held at Dents at Warminster.
In May, Bath & North East Somerset Council was awarded development funding of £768,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to progress its plans for the new museum and apply for a National Lottery grant of £7.2 million next year. The Old Post Office is at the
plans for Bath's new Fashion Museum
junction of Broad Street and New Bond Street. The council owns the freehold of the Grade II listed building and when the opportunity came up to buy back the lease, it did.
Head of heritage services at B&NES, Robert Campbell, said the council’s administration had taken a “big, bold decision” for the city with its plans for the new museum.
The architect is Owen Watson of London-based architecture firm 6a, which specialises in sensitively transforming historic spaces. The firm's previous projects include gallery spaces at the Tate Liverpool and the South London Gallery.
Two floors of galleries will showcase more of the collection than ever before, alongside exhibitions from other major museums. A sweeping staircase and spacious lift will connect all
levels. At street level there will be a café and dedicated museum shop.
There will be hands-on learning space for all ages and abilities to explore fashion and the industry through school sessions, workshops, talks, and skills development
The former yard will become a vibrant courtyard garden, bringing in natural light and fresh air. Free and open to all, it will explore the connections between fashion and nature such as dyeing, biodiversity, and climate change
Spaces will be available for weddings, talks, and private events outside public hours.
The museum aims to welcome 250,000 visitors each year, boosting the local economy and providing a welcoming and accessible space and reducing barriers for those who don’t
usually engage with museums and heritage.
There will be free access for Bath and North East Somerset residents and schools.
The council is inviting people to attend a series of drop-in events to meet the team and look at the early-stage designs for the museum and the space around it. A new public square outside
St Michael’s Church and the Old Post Office will be a space to meet friends, relax, and enjoy activities, events and café culture.
Some sessions have already been held at the Old Post Office itself and at Bath Central Library.
The next one will be at Midsomer Norton Library on Saturday, 5th July from 10am to 4pm.
Keynsham Library will then host a session on 10th July from 10am to 4pm and there will the opportunity to see the plans at Midsomer Norton Summer Fayre on 12th July from noon to 5pm.
The exhibition returns to The Old Post Office from 17th to 20th July from noon to 6pm before popping up at Old Printworks Arts in Radstock on 29th and 30th July (10am – 4pm).
Information is also available online at www.fashionmuseum. co.uk
Subject to planning approval, work on the new museum is set to start in mid to late 2027. Currently retail tenants on the ground floor of the building are on a short lease.
There are also some flats on the top floor of the building, and we asked the council what will become of them.
A spokesperson said: “This detail has not been determined at concept design stage, but it will form part of the detailed design work over the coming year and will form part of the planning application. This will be informed through further consultation.”
Project director Sophie McKinlay with heritage services director Robert Campbell & architect Owen Watson
Work set to start on improvements to play area at Alice Park
WORK is set to begin on improving the play area at Alice Park in Bath ahead of the planting of a Trees of Hope Sycamore Gap tree sapling early next year.
New play equipment and a new entrance are among the first phase of major improvements that will get under way on 7th July after £125,000 funding was secured by Alice Park Trust.
The works, being carried out by Bath & North East Somerset Council, are expected to be completed by the end of the summer holidays and will include a roundabout, pick-up sticks and rope trail swings.
The fence will also be moved to incorporate trees into the play area, providing shade and a suitable space for picnics.
The Sycamore Gap tree sapling will be planted in Alice Park on National Care Day 2026, on 21st February.
The sapling has been named ‘Tree of Care’ by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Children in Care Team, and will celebrate the achievements as well as highlight the challenges children in care and care-experienced young people face.
Alice Park was named as one of the 49 recipients of a Tree of Hope in November 2024 by the National Trust.
The play area improvement
works are expected to run from 7th July to 24th August, and will mean some of the play area will be restricted while the works are carried out.
Alice Park was given to the young people of Bath in 1937 for children to play in and is a wellused destination park. B&NES
Council is the sole trustee of the park, which is managed by the Alice Park Trust SubCommittee under delegation of the Charitable Trust Board.
Councillor Sarah Warren, deputy council leader and cabinet member for sustainable B&NES, said: “It’s fantastic that children in Bath will soon be benefitting from exciting new equipment in Alice Park and better access to the play area.
“With the trees being included in the park’s footprint too, it’s going to be a more inviting place where young people can have fun, explore their creativity and socialise.
“Apologies for any inconvenience while the improvements are carried out.”
Councillor Paul May, cabinet member for children’s services, added: “It’s wonderful news that our children in care are represented by the Sycamore Gap sapling, which has been named the Tree of Care.
“The tree will become a lasting reminder of community,
optimism, and how we continue our commitment to care for our looked-after children.”
Councillor Joanna Wright, Chair of the Alice Park Trust, said:
“Over many years the Alice Park Committee has been working hard to ensure that new play facilities in Alice Park were put in place, as we recognise that the present facilities are very limited.
“On completion of this first phase, the play area still needs additional work to be delivered to improve the whole of the play area. Further funds still need to be raised and any contribution that you can make to help us raise £250,000 will be gratefully received.
“To make a donation for the Alice Park Play Area, please go
to: https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/ donate-alice-park-play-project”
The £125,000 of funding is made up of £75,000 from the Bath Community Infrastructure Levy, £25,000 from the Medlock Trust and £25,000 from Roper Rhodes.
Follow on Bluesky @bathecho.bsky.social
Inflatable pillow developed in Bath begins clinical trials
AN innovative inflatable pillow designed in Bath that makes moving intensive care unit patients safer, faster and less labour-intensive for NHS staff is now being used in clinical trials. Co-developed by researchers at the University of Bath and clinicians at the Royal United Hospital, and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Inflatable Prone Repositioning Device, known as the ‘BathMat’, is a flat balloon-like pillow that can be inflated in sections, and is the first medical device of its kind.
The device was conceived to tackle a major challenge in ICUs: repositioning sedated, ventilated patients in the prone (facedown) position, often among the most critically ill, to avoid pressure injuries and improve oxygenation.
Placed under a sedated patient it can gently lift their chest and hips, helping ward staff safely and quickly reposition their head and arms.
The assistance provided by the BathMat has the added benefit of reducing the number of staff needed to move a patient from five to two.
Dr Alexander Lunt, Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bath and the project’s Principal Investigator, said:
“Moving critically ill patients is a significant challenge on intensive care wards worldwide.
“We are pleased to be using our engineering expertise to work toward a better solution to the issue, and to further build our close partnership with our partners at our local NHS Trust, the RUH.”
Clinical trials to evaluate the BathMat’s effectiveness began at the RUH in Bath in late May. The trials will soon expand to include Southmead Hospital (North Bristol NHS Trust), Wythenshawe Hospital (Manchester University
NHS Foundation Trust), and Derriford Hospital (University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust).
Aiming to recruit 30 patients across four NHS ICU sites, the trials are backed by a 14-month funding award from the NIHR. Several key outcomes will be measured, including reductions in staff time required for repositioning patients treated lying on their front (prone), improvements in patient healthcare outcomes such as pressure sore prevention, device safety and cost-effectiveness. Training sessions across
Patients given new mouth care boxes to support their oral hygiene
PATIENTS at the Royal United Hospital in Bath are now benefitting from new mouth care boxes, which have been rolled out across wards to help support oral hygiene. Hospital staff are often required to support patients with their oral hygiene and need the right equipment to do this. Each ward has now been provided with a mouth care box, which includes items such as toothbrushes and toothpaste. The idea for the mouthcare boxes came from Matron Erin Houlihan, who recognised that a small change could make a big difference for many of the people the hospital cares for.
Funding for the project came from the RUH’s Innovation Panel, which supports staff to develop their own innovative projects and ideas by providing support and funding to improve patient care and experience, and the way staff work across the hospital trust. Erin has been supported by Lorraine Forrester, Senior Dental Nurse, who has been instrumental in introducing the mouth care boxes to RUH wards and providing training for staff.
Lorraine said: “Good oral hygiene
is so important but it is one of the things that many patients can overlook if they are staying at the hospital. Poor oral health has an impact on nutrition, hydration, comfort and communication so it’s important that staff have the training and resources they need to support patients with mouth care.
“Staff on wards have been trained about how to brush patients’ teeth for them when they are unable to do it themselves and how to use
a pen torch to check patients’ mouths for any concerns.
“Each ward also has its own mouth care box which contains things like different types of toothpaste and different toothbrushes, so staff can provide support to those patients who need it.
“The mouthcare boxes and oral hygiene training have proved really successful and have had a really positive impact on our patients’ experience while they are with us.”
on both patient safety and team wellbeing.”
Dr Lunt added: “We’ve already had other trusts reach out asking how they can access the device as they see the value it brings immediately.”
With regulatory approvals in place, the University of Bath team is now turning its attention to commercialisation. Interest from investors is growing, and efforts are underway to develop a pressure-sensing version of the device that will automatically detect and adjust for pressure hotspots in real time.
the trial sites were met with overwhelmingly positive feedback. Hundreds of ICU staff have now been trained, with many describing the BathMat as a “no brainer” innovation.
Dr Jerome Condry, Chief Investigator and Research Fellow at the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We’re seeing real enthusiasm from ICU teams who recognise the potential our device has to making repositioning proned patients easier and safer for everyone involved.
“We aim to have a big impact
Once all trial data is collected and analysed by health economics and statistics experts at the university, the team will publish the results and begin scaling up to reach more NHS stakeholders and manufacturers.
The route to market is being actively developed in partnership with the University’s innovation and research commercialisation teams.
The research team is now welcoming expressions of interest from other NHS trusts or international partners who wish to take part in future trials or demonstrations.
Conferences and showcase events are scheduled for 2026, where preliminary results and the next-generation version of the BathMat will be unveiled.
84-bed care home set to help address shortfall
Becky Feather Reporter
MULLER Property Group has
submitted an outline planning application to Bath & North East Somerset Council for a new 84-bed care home on Hallatrow Road at Paulton.
It says the proposed development is designed to meet a growing demand in B&NES for high-quality, en-suite care accommodation, with a particular focus on end-of-life and dementia care.
An assessment submitted with the application notes there is a current outstanding care accommodation need for 1,057 ensuite bedrooms in B&NES.
Muller Property Group is a leading land developer with a significant investment in land across the UK.
Its proposed care home to the north-east side of Hallatrow Road is outside the housing development boundary but the application says that given the location next to a sustainable settlement, with housing on two sides, the harm from the policy conflict would be “limited”.
The application says the scheme has been carefully designed to ensure no adverse impacts on the road, neighbours or drainage. It says the plans will help address NHS bed-blocking by enabling more timely hospital discharges, reducing pressure on existing facilities through the introduction of modern, fit-for-purpose care provision, and supporting the local housing market by helping to free up under-occupied family homes.
The scheme will also generate new long-term employment opportunities, during construction and in ongoing operations.
Planned facilities at the care home, which will be set in secure landscaped gardens, include a café bistro, cinema, library, games room, and hair and nail salon, along with day rooms, quiet lounges, and private family dining areas.
The transport links and accessibility are described as “excellent” and the proposals include a total of 29 parking spaces for staff and visitors along with 16 cycling spaces.
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12 schools take part in first ever city-wide Festival of Cricket
THE Mayor of Bath joined celebrations at Lansdown Cricket Club to mark its 200th anniversary as all 12 secondary schools in the city came together for the very first time in a citywide Festival of Cricket.
Held at the club’s historic Combe Park ground, the all-day event was the brainchild of Oldfield School headteacher Andy Greenhough and brought together close to 100 boys and girls from across Bath. In a landmark collaboration, joint teams were formed by pupils from both state and independent schools, playing a series of round robin fixtures in the sunshine. The festival, which was sponsored by Goughs Solicitors and Mainly Media, and supported by 12 schools in the city, is believed to be a unique moment in Bath’s sporting history.
Players were cheered on by special guest Mollie Robbins, Somerset Women’s County cricketer, who also helped oversee the matches. The event aligned closely with the England and Wales Cricket Board’s Action Plan for Cricket, which highlights the limited access to cricket in many state schools and encourages partnerships with the independent sector.
This initiative also reflects the growing national momentum to level the playing field in school
cricket, echoing the recent announcement by the MCC Foundation of the Knight-Stokes Cup, a new national competition for state school pupils which is set to launch in 2026.
cricket and it all started with a meeting with the exuberant David Dolman at Lansdown Cricket Club last summer.
“After a lot of preparation, it was great to see all the schools competing and working together and breaking down potential barriers between independent and state schools. What better way to do this than playing cricket.
“I hope this will be the start of more collaborative and team cricket events across Bath. We have big plans for next year.
The day concluded with a victory for the joint team from Oldfield School and Kingswood School, who were awarded trophies and medals by the Mayor, Somerset County Cricket Club Foundation’s chair Winston Duguid, and Mollie Robbins.
best of Bath - collaboration, community spirit, and a love of sport.
The Mayor of Bath Councillor Professor Bharat Pankhania, praised the initiative, saying: “This festival represents the very
Good first report for village school taken over by Bath-based trust
Becky Feather Reporter
A VILLAGE school, which became part of Bath-based Palladian Academy Trust three years ago, has received a good first Ofsted report. Westwood-with-Iford Primary School opened in June 2022. Its predecessor had been judged as inadequate for overall effectiveness following an inspection in 2021.
In its first inspection since becoming an academy, the 50-pupil school at Boswell Road at Lower Westwood is rated as good for its quality of education, leadership and management, children’s behaviour and attitudes and their personal development, as well as for early years provision.
The report was published earlier this month following an inspection held over two days in May.
Pupils are said to be happy and safe at the school. They attend very well and parents speak of the “welcoming and nurturing” staff and atmosphere. Staff have high expectations that pupils strive to meet. They achieve well
in reading, writing and maths.
Staff adapt learning well for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
The report says: “Pupils thrive at the school. All pupils learn a musical instrument and enjoy performing to live audiences.
Trips, visits and events fuel pupils’ enthusiasm for learning and provide new experiences.
“The school makes sure that pupils gain a rich set of experiences including sports competitions, adventurous outdoor activities and theatre visits.”
The inspectors highlight that school and trust leaders have identified the right areas to focus
on in order to improve the school.
“Work to improve some areas of the curriculum remains at an early stage.
“Leaders are considerate of staff well-being and workload.
“They have ensured that staff have had the training and support they need to develop their knowledge during a period of significant change.”
Palladian Academy Trust runs several schools in and around Bath, including Combe Down CofE Primary, Oldfield Park and Widcombe Infant and Junior schools, St Philip’s CofE Primary and St Martin’s Garden Primary. Secondary school Ralph Allen is also part of the trust.
“It is a shining example of how our city can come together to create inclusive and inspiring opportunities for young people.”
Mr Greenhough said: “It was a wonderful day to celebrate
“A big thank you to our sponsors, to all the schools who have been enthusiastic in their support, and to Lansdown Cricket Club for being so supportive.’’ Lansdown Cricket Club chairman Scott Longstaff said: “The festival forms part of the club’s strategy for helping four local schools to promote cricket. We send a qualified coach into the schools for regular coaching sessions which we hope will encourage children to continue the game by joining the club. These children are our future.’
Lansdown Cricket Club continues its bicentenary celebrations this summer with a full programme of community events, fixtures, and fundraising activities. Find out more at www. lansdowncricketclub.co.uk
Keynsham pre-school to close after 50 years
QUEENS Road Methodist Church Pre-school in Keynsham has announced it is to close after serving the community for more than half a century.
Keynsham Methodist Church has two centres, Victoria on the High Street and at Queens Road.
The Rev John Carne, retired former minister, said in a statement posted on Keynsham Methodist Church’s website and Facebook page: “It is with deep sorrow that we must share the incredibly difficult news that Queens Road Methodist Preschool will be closing at the end of this academic year.
“Our managing trustees recognised that families’ needs for early years provision have now changed, with many seeking care from breakfast through to early evening and for children from nine months upwards.
“Queens Road is not in a position to offer this, and numbers have been consistently falling, with many children now attending other settings, particularly those at our local schools.
“Members of the church are working with our dedicated staff and families to ensure that the children continue to receive good
provision for the rest of this term and that staff and families are supported when seeking other roles and settings.
“We are grateful that over the last 50-plus years the mission has been accomplished.”
The pre-school was rated good at its last inspection in 2023.
The announcement has met with sadness on social media.
Comments include: “Really sad news, all three of my children went to playschool it was called then. They are aged 50, 48 and 44 now. They all enjoyed going there and was a great start to their fulltime school days. A big loss to the local community.”
Another said: “Such a wonderful pre-school and amazing people that work there. Loved my children going there. So sad to hear this, it will be a great loss to Keynsham families.”
The pupils who took part in the first Festival of Cricket at Lansdown Cricket Club
Library image
The Queens Road Methodist Church
ECHO
NOMINATIONS FOR THIS YEAR’S AWARDS HAVE NOW CLOSED.
We’ve had a fantastic number of entries, and we’re looking forward to meeting our winners at our awards reception!
We’d like to thank everyone who nominated an individual or group. We’ll be revealing the winners in our next issue, out on 18th July 2025.
These awards wouldn’t be possible without our sponsors, who have generously supported our efforts to shine a spotlight on Bath’s community.
CHARITY OF THE YEAR
Recognising the work of one of Bath’s amazing charities - open to charities based in the city
£500 prize
Sponsored by The Sepoy Club
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Marking the dedication given by a member of the Bath community to a local cause/s
£250 prize + Afternoon Tea
Sponsored by Avonvale Carpets
CARER OF THE YEAR
Celebrating the dedication provided by a resident who cares for others in the city
£250 prize + Afternoon Tea
Sponsored by Stone King LLP
PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD
Whether it was saving a life or providing support, we want to celebrate someone who has made a difference
£250 prize
YOUNG PERSON OF THE YEAR
Celebrating a young person in Bath (12-16 years old) who has benefitted the community
£250 prize
Sponsored by Bath College
GRASSROOTS SPORTS GROUP OF THE YEAR
Providing recognition for a community sports group
£500 prize
COMMUNITY GROUP OF THE YEAR
Recognising the efforts made by a single community group £500 prize
Sponsored by Wessex Water
GET SET FOR 2026!
We’ll be introducing a number of new categories next year, so keep an eye out for more information on how to get involved.
Headline Sponsor Carer of the Year Young Person of the Year Community Group of the Year
SouthGate Bath shopping centre unveils latest installation
THE SouthGate Bath shopping centre has unveiled its latest summer installation, this year celebrating the city’s connection with nature and the River Avon.
The centre has partnered with Bath & North East Somerset Council, taking inspiration from the 2025 Bath Festival of Nature theme of Water, to create a “river in the sky” canopy suspended overhead on St Lawrence Street.
Inspired by the Bath River Line running along the River Avon, the installation aims to spotlight the environmental importance of local habitats and promote appreciation for the unique flora and fauna that thrive along the riverbanks.
The river is further brought to life through willow sculptures created by local artist Julie Starks, in collaboration with pupils from three local schools.
The canopy itself is crafted from sustainable fabric and balsam wood, with the centre donating materials to Bath College for repurposing at the end of the summer and using others in future installations.
Visitors can also enjoy an educational river-themed floor
trail, illustrated by local artist Marian Hill.
The trail features facts about local wildlife, ecosystems and water conservation, and includes interactive QR codes linking to more information and ways to get involved.
In addition to the overhead display, an innovative fishshaped recycling point located in SouthGate Place will offer visitors the chance to do their bit for the environment by recycling their used plastic bottles.
The project forms part of SouthGate Bath’s collaboration with the Festival of Nature, the UK’s largest free celebration of the natural world, and Bath River Line Project, a Bath & North East Somerset Council initiative, which works to enhance access, biodiversity, and engagement along the River Avon.
Guy Henderson, Centre Director at SouthGate Bath, said: “This year, we are proud to use our summer installation to shine a light on the River Avon and the vital natural environment that surrounds our beautiful city.
“The ‘river in the sky’ is a striking centrepiece that will offer our visitors a moment of reflection
and inspiration, as well as an opportunity to get involved in protecting our local environment.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Festival of Nature and Bath & North East Somerset Council on such an important initiative.”
Councillor Sarah Warren, cabinet member for sustainable Bath and North East Somerset, added: “I
McDonald’s drops plans to extend its Weston Lock restaurant
MCDONALD’S has dropped plans to extend the Weston Lock Retail Park drive-thru restaurant in Bath.
Earlier this year Bath & North East Somerset Council received a planning application and request for listed building consent for a single-storey extension of the restaurant at Grade II-listed Avon House.
Best Experience Limited and McDonald’s Restaurants Limited said that extra floor space was needed to increase the kitchen area to cater for rising customer demand at the restaurant, which was initially granted consent in 1998.
It would also increase drivethru service speed and couriers would be redirected to the rear of the building to improve the restaurant experience. There
would also be increased internal space to give staff a better working environment.
The applicants acknowledged there would be “some harm” to the listed building from the proposed extension.
However, the proposals would deliver public benefits which would weigh heavily in favour of permission and outweigh the “negligible degree of less than substantial harm to the heritage asset”.
They said the redevelopment
would support 80 construction jobs over the duration of a sixweek construction period and 10 additional full-time equivalent jobs directly on site, as well as supporting employment within the delivery services sector and other suppliers.
B&NES Council officers had queried why the extension could not be located elsewhere and were told that would require a “significantly greater package of refurbishment works that would ultimately create greater harm to Avon House”. Those works would also jeopardise the wider operation of the site, including the flow of vehicles through the drive-thru lane.
The council recently acknowledged that the plans had been withdrawn.
would like to say thank you to SouthGate Bath, the Festival of Nature and everyone involved in the creation of this striking installation, particularly the pupils from St Martin’s Garden Primary School, St Michael’s Junior Church School and Roundhill Primary school who created the willow fish featured
in the overhead canopy.
“The display will encourage visitors to reflect on the city’s waterways, celebrate the work we are doing to enhance the natural habitats along the Bath River Line and highlight the council’s vision of being Nature Positive.”
The installation will remain in place throughout the summer.
Garden centre sold to family-owned company
WHITEHALL Garden Centre at Whitchurch Village has been sold to another family-run company.
The popular centre at Norton Lane reopened on Wednesday, 25th June as Otter Garden Centre.
Founded in 1970, Whitehall retains its garden centres at Lacock and Woodborough in Wiltshire.
In a message to customers, Claire Self, Whitehall’s director said:
“When we made the decision to sell our Whitchurch centre, it was important to us as a family to find the right buyer that will continue the store as a garden centre and keep our existing staff in their roles, some of which have been part of the Whitehall team for nearly 20 years.
“We are very pleased that Otter Garden Centres have bought
the store; like us they are an independent family business with strong heritage and values.
“We have worked closely with them as a family for many years now and their business values align with our own; with a large part of their business being focused on own grown plants and gardening, we feel this will suit the centre well.
“We would like to thank all of our dedicated and hard-working staff that have been part of the Whitehall team for many years, and we wish them all the best.
“We would also like to thank all of our loyal customers who have visited the centre over the years and supported us as a business and family.”
Otter, which was founded in 1964, said it was “thrilled” to acquire its eighth garden centre.
PLANS to change the use of a vacant historic Bath pub have been given the green light.
Saraj Property Limited submitted proposals and an application seeking listed building consent to Bath & North East Somerset Council for the Chapter One brewpub at 1a Piccadilly Place. The Grade II listed building is on London Road at the junction with Hanover Street and is believed to date from around 1796. Historically it was The Hanover Hotel before later becoming The Britannia pub.
Chapter One closed on New Year’s Eve 2022 after trading for more than six years.
The application proposed a “viable new use” for the building, saying it did not have a “credible or economically sustainable future” as a pub due to reasons including its condition and lack of a commercial kitchen or outdoor space.
The scheme includes changing part of the ground floor from a pub to commercial use and converting the three-bed apartment on the first floor into a four-bed house in multiple occupation (HMO) for eight people.
The proposals initially included a one-bed ground-floor flat, but this was dropped due to concerns that there would be limited natural light and little to no outlook. This part of the building has been re-designated as ancillary commercial space.
The council received 15 objections to the change of use, with concerns including that the
HMO would be cramped and lead to a high turnover of renters, cause noise disturbance and littering.
Objectors also said the loss of the pub due to non-viability had not been proven.
A representative of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) wrote to say that the proposal did not show that the pub had been marketed at a realistic price.
Other concerns included the lack of parking and that the proposed commercial unit is unnecessary as the property is so close to both Morrisons and a well-stocked petrol station.
In their analysis, council planners said the HMO proposal is in line with policy as there would be no ‘sandwiching’ of a residential property by two HMOs, and the concentration of HMOs within a 100-metre radius would be brought up to 4% which is within the 10% threshold.
They noted there had been 27 enquiries over the marketing period of the pub from April to November 2024, with only eight viewings, and none had been pub operators or brewers.
They considered that the property had been marketed in a variety of ways and appeared to have been “thorough”.
The council officers agreed that a small-scale commercial unit in this location could meet additional need so is acceptable.
Although there are no car parking facilities, the site is said to be in a highly sustainable location and there will be secure storage for six bikes.
Latest diversification scheme for Glenavon Farm in Saltford
Becky Feather Reporter
THERE are proposals to continue the diversification of Glenavon Farm in Saltford.
The site at Bath Road is already home to the popular Flourish Foodhall and Kitchen, and its associated homeware and gift shop and pottery barn.
There is also a dog walking business based at the farm.
A planning application has now been lodged with Bath & North East Somerset Council by Glenavon Farm Partnership seeking prior approval to change the use of the remaining agricultural buildings that are capable of conversion for leisure and/or commercial purpose.
The farming business will be solely based and run from the applicant’s main farmstead at Burnett.
Flourish opened in Saltford in
2021 as a people and planetfocused destination to eat and shop. Since then, the business has expanded and last year a second site was acquired. What was Farleigh Road Farm Shop at Norton St Philip was transformed into Flourish at Farleigh Road.
In March 2025, Flourish opened its own production kitchen, supplying both sites with homemade Scotch eggs, sausage
rolls, sponge cakes, cookies and more using local ingredients. Flourish was recently named as one of the best places to work by The Sunday Times for the second year, along with its wholesale partner Cotswold Fayre.
The deadline for people to comment on the change of use of more buildings at Glenavon Farm is 17th July.
The planning reference is 25/02347/PACOU.
Bath vets set to relocate after planning is permitted
A CITY veterinary practice has been given the go-ahead to relocate to a new building at Bathford that was originally going to be a car preparation centre.
Bath & North East Somerset Council has approved the application to change the use of the recently completed development on the former commercial parking site at 3 Box Road.
Ashman Jones Vets, an established practice on London Road, plans to relocate to the new building which has not been occupied in line with its approved use. The change of use features external alterations, including new cladding, shopfront glazing and entrance doors.
Council planners said the
How to navigate the summer holidays as separated parents
The school holidays are fast approaching, along with the potential challenges that arise for separated parents when it comes to arranging family trips and childcare. If this sounds familiar, there are some key points to remember that will help with holiday planning and the period itself, making it as easy and enjoyable as possible.
1. Primarily, this is the children’s time to rest and recuperate after a busy year at school; remember they will want to see you both. Wherever possible,
Legal Expert
factor in some time for them to relax – holiday periods are not just about fun days out and time away, and often children just want to rest at home.
2. Try not to ask the children to make the decision. Whilst their voice is important, they will not want to upset either of you and would prefer you to make decisions for them.
3. Remember the children love you both and want to spend time with you both.
4. Ensure the children can speak with the other parent at any time, as they may well miss them when they are with you. Let them know that is a perfectly normal feeling.
5. Stay in touch. If you are taking
retrospective minor changes cause no harm to the character and appearance of the surrounding area and the change of use will result in no greater disturbance to people living opposite than the consented small car preparation centre. The main access will remain as
approved, as will the parking layout, with a secure cycle store. A small dog walking area will be created to the rear of the disabled parking spaces.
An application seeking advertisement consent for an internally illuminated sign for the vets has also been approved.
the children on holiday, let the other parent know in advance where you will be, how you will be travelling there (with flight details if applicable), and emergency contact details. Let them know when you have arrived safely, and ensure the children can speak to their other parent as often as they wish during the holiday. Try to put yourself in the other parent’s position, how would you feel?
6. If required, please ensure that arrangements for handing over of passports are completed in plenty of time for the holiday and on return. Again, try not to involve the children.
7. Respect the other parent’s time
with the children, it’s important to the children that they have quality time with both of you.
8. Try not to make the holidays a competition between you and the other parent. The children will hugely benefit from being with you both, it’s not about who can plan the best break or day out, the children will just want to spend time with you both.
9. Most importantly, take this time to enjoy spending quality time with the children during the holidays!
If you want to find out more about how Stone King’s Family & Mediation Team could support your family, please contact Rebecca Eels or Chloe Taylor.
More controversy over legal move to make Sydney Road LTN permanent Bath Press developer seeks consent for TV near busy crossroads
Becky Feather Reporter
A CONSULTATION got under way this week with Bath & North East Somerset Council aiming to make one of its controversial liveable neighbourhood schemes permanent.
But objectors to the throughtraffic restriction at New Sydney Place and Sydney Road say their fight continues.
Neil McCabe, from the United Sydney Unliveable Neighbourhoods Group (UNSUNG) said the 700-strong group needs to prepare for court action and raise at least £50,000.
He said the council had “made a sham” of any consultation to date, adding: “You may indeed wonder why they are consulting at all, having made the decision to proceed earlier in the year.
“This is because they messed up the implementation of the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) by publishing an inadequate ‘Statement of Reasons’ justifying the scheme.
“They therefore need to implement a permanent Traffic Regulation Order as if the ETRO never happened, and this requires another round of ‘consultation’, with B&NES going through the motions.”
In April 2024 the council launched the trial under its Liveable Neighbourhood (LN) programme. LNs are also called low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs).
Bollards prevent drivers from cutting through to avoid the A36/ Bathwick Street junction. Whilst most respondents were against the ETRO becoming permanent, for reasons including the increase in congestion and
pollution elsewhere, the council said data did not support that.
In February cabinet member for resources Councillor Mark Elliott decided the scheme should become permanent, A scrutiny panel upheld his decision.
In May UNSUNG said it was poised to take legal action after a High Court decision saw a group of residents defeat Lambeth Council over a controversial traffic restriction. But B&NES Council rejected a letter from UNSUNG’s solicitor and said it would continue with making the scheme permanent.
Last month the council asked for comments on a proposed raised continuous crossing across New Sydney Place at its junction with the A36 Sydney Place/Darlington Street. The deadline is 10th July and the outcomes and final design will be published this autumn/winter.
Now B&NES says the measures at New Sydney Place and Sydney Road will become permanent subject to a formal Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) consultation, the outcome of which will be published in the autumn.
If it is successful, the council will install permanent kerbing around the bollards and build the continuous crossing next spring. The council will also redesign the North Road junction to ensure cyclists’ safety and review it with “key stakeholders”.
The timeline says permanent kerbing will be installed in 2027 at the northern junctions of Sydney Road and North Road with the A36 Warminster Road, coinciding with the final Bath Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Links measures for the A36.
The Bath Echo invited the council to respond to UNSUNG’s claim that it “messed up”. Councillor Joel Hirst, cabinet member for sustainable transport strategy, said the through-traffic trial followed consultation and co-design workshops with the community. He said: “It was installed under an ETRO which allowed the council to monitor the impact of the trial on traffic and air quality as well as giving people an opportunity to comment on the scheme. All the evidence collected during the ETRO consultation informed the decision to make the trial permanent under a formal TRO.
“The trial prevented more than 3,500 vehicles a day from using a residential street as a cut-through to avoid traffic lights on the A36 – including HGVs – and trial data tells us that this did not make a significant difference to traffic flows, journey times or air quality on the surrounding roads.
“We are now undertaking a full TRO consultation which is compliant with all the statutory requirements and will make the road changes permanent if approved. It gives people further opportunity to raise any objections or representations of support, and we will consider these alongside the results from the ETRO consultation when reaching a final decision in the autumn.”
The consultation deadline is 24th July. Visit https://www.bathnes. gov.uk/sydneyroadETRO
AN application seeking advertisement consent has now been submitted for the TV and marketing signs that were installed outside the Bath Press redevelopment site on Lower Bristol Road without council permission. Last month, we reported on concerns raised about the illuminated screen being a hazard for drivers at the junction where Windsor Bridge Road and Brook Road meet Lower Bristol Road.
At the time Bath & North East Somerset’s cabinet member for built environment, housing and sustainable development Councillor Matt McCabe revealed that the council had not received a planning application and would be talking to the developer.
In response City & Country told us the majority of the temporary signage at Bath Press would not require planning consent as it is permitted development, although some elements may require a separate consent, which would be addressed in a planning application.
City & Country has now submitted an application for an intermittent internally illuminated television
COLUMN | Councillor Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council
We have many reasons to be proud of Bath. First, on an incredible weekend in mid-June, our city’s vibrancy and international appeal was showcased by the Robbie Williams concerts and a great turnout for the University of Bath open days.
To top things off, Bath RFC’s dramatic victory over Leicester Tigers saw our home team crowned the 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership champions. The club’s trophy parade through Bath drew thousands of people, including many families with children.
On behalf of the council and the city, warm congratulations to the players, the club and their loyal fans. Big thanks to our council
teams, the police and the club for making the parade happen, and to our residents and businesses for their patience during big events such as these.
The new Fashion Museum Bath will be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a worldleading museum in the heart of our UNESCO World Heritage city. Bath & North East Somerset Council is inviting residents and visitors to help shape the new museum at drop-in events offering a look at early-stage designs for the museum and the public space around it. Events will take place at The Old Post Office, 26 New Bond Street from 17th – 20th July from midday – 6pm. Visit www. fashionmuseum.co.uk from 19th
July to explore the plans and to have your say.
Meanwhile artwork has gone up on Jolly’s. We are investing significantly in the building’s restoration so it can continue to benefit future generations of residents and visitors.
Once restoration is complete, Morleys will take over running this iconic store.
We can also be proud of our inclusivity. The recent Refugee Week celebrated the contributions refugees make to communities.
Thanks to joint efforts by our council and communities, many refugees now live safely and contribute to the local economy, including almost 400 Ukrainians under the Homes for Ukraine
scheme. Some 130 refugees from Afghanistan and Syria have been welcomed as part of government resettlement schemes.
on top of the new marketing suite, the display of two freestanding board signs on metal posts, one totem sign outside the marketing suite, and a flag.
The developer says the TV displays a repeating video clip providing viewers with information and visuals of the forthcoming housing development, but it is not a “prominent feature”.
“In addition, the brightness of the TV is not such that it would impact upon the visual amenity of neighbouring residents, or indeed road users.
“The positioning of the TV is such that it looks diagonally across the existing junction. This not only ensures that the TV is never directly facing the path of a driver, but also it is not facing any residential dwellings either.
“During darker hours, the TV would become more prominent, but not to the extent that it would cause an undue adverse impact to neighbouring properties, or a hazard to drivers.”
The application is seeking temporary permission until 12th August 2030.
The planning reference is 25/02359/AR. The deadline for comments is 8th July.
It has been encouraging to see signs that new Mayor Helen Godwin is starting to deliver a ‘reset’ for the West of England, working closely with the Leaders of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and myself. It is key that we ensure that this reset is mirrored in how we govern the combined authority.
The government spending review confirmed that the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority has secured a record £752 million to invest in better transport. This is a huge
opportunity to deliver a cleaner, greener and more connected future, making it easier for people to choose public transport, walking and cycling.
During this summer’s school holidays, all children under the age of 16 can travel for free on buses in the West of England Combined Authority and North Somerset. This will help with the cost of living, encouraging families to visit our region’s amazing attractions, like the Roman Baths - free for B&NES residents who are Discovery Card holders - as well as our historic cities, market towns, parks, and countryside. I hope local families hop on the bus to explore!
The Sydney Road LTN in place
The screen installed at the Bath Press site
Construction completed at social housing site
BATH & North East Somerset Council’s latest social homes have been completed, with the site on the Lower Bristol Road soon to be occupied.
The Argyle Works site, formerly the council’s Highways Maintenance Depot, has been developed to provide eight affordable, energyefficient apartments to help meet increasing demand for low-cost social housing.
Social housing, which is good quality affordable housing for residents who are unable to compete on the open market, represents 14% of the housing stock in Bath and North East Somerset, lower than the national average of 17%.
The Argyle Works development is part of the local authority’s affordable housing programme, which directly delivers housing by developing existing council properties and surplus land.
The £12 million B&NES Homes programme will provide 58 general needs council houses.
Three of the new homes will be prioritised for use by the council’s Children Young People and Families team, and are likely to house care experienced young people aged 16 to 25, a group that can face challenges in finding suitable accommodation.
Councillor Matt McCabe, cabinet member for built environment and sustainable development, said: “I am so impressed with these new properties, and my thanks go out to all the contractors who’ve contributed to such an excellent finish.
“These will soon be new homes
for our residents, allowing us to boost the supply of muchneeded, good-quality affordable housing in Bath and North East Somerset.
“The apartments will be owned directly by the council and secured in perpetuity as 100% affordable housing for social rent.
“Our recently adopted housing plan outlines our commitment to ensuring that residents have access to affordable, safe and high-quality homes and adding these eight apartments to our stock of housing for social rent enables us to directly improve those people’s lives – supporting the council’s overarching goal.”
The properties were delivered in partnership with Aequus Construction Ltd (ACL), the council’s wholly owned development company, and include three one-bedroom
Business Directory
apartments and five twobedroom duplexes. They will be owned and managed by Bath & North East Somerset Council, and three of the units will be set aside for the young people.
Sally Higham, Chair of Aequus Group of Companies, said:
“These properties represent the first newly constructed affordable homes delivered for the council.
“Built to meet high sustainability levels and in line with national space standards, we are pleased to have completed this project as we continue to support the council to meet its aspirations for more affordable housing in B&NES” The land was unlocked with financial support from the Brownfield Land Release Fund as well as Affordable Homes Programme funding from Homes
England.
Paul Britton, SW Lead for the Brownfield Land Release Fund, said: “Our funding is all about unlocking small council-owned sites across the country. It is truly great to see new affordable homes coming forward in the city.”
The completed development will be called Great Hayes Court and the finished apartments will be available through Homesearch, the council’s housing allocation scheme for social rent homes and low-cost home ownership in B&NES.
The council and ACL are also developing a social rented scheme on council-owned land at Danes Lane in Keynsham.
A planning application for ten social rent flats was approved by the planning committee and completion is due in autumn 2026.
Planning Round-up
Dog training centre planned near Bath
Plans to change the use of land near Bath from agricultural to dog training, including a walkway and parking area, have been submitted to Bath & North East Somerset Council.
The plans have been lodged by Nigel Coles for land to the east of Mill Hill at Wellow known as Parcel 2520.
Prospective users will book a period of time between 9am and dusk and be issued with a pass code. Users will be allowed to have up to four dogs per session
The planning reference is 24/03255/FUL. The deadline for comments is 24th July.
School’s hockey safety plans approved
B&NES Council has approved plans by the Royal High School at Lansdown Road to install a threemetre-high net above the already three-metre-high fence at its hockey pitch.
The fence along the northwestern boundary is 30 metres long and the school says the proposal is due to an increase in safety requirements. The pitch is used on a regular basis by the school as well by local clubs which hire it out.
Solar scheme proposal
B&NES Council is being asked to grant a Certificate of Lawfulness for solar panels to be added to one side of the roof of St Barnabas Church Hall at Mount View, Southdown.
BATH City Football Club have teamed up with structural waterproofing firm Cannon Clarke Ltd to give their iconic stadium a new name.
The Romans’ Twerton Park is one of the most famous grounds in non-league football. And as part of a new sponsorship deal, it will be known as Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park for the 2025-26 campaign.
David Clarke, Cannon Clarke Ltd founder and chief executive, said of his company becoming stadium sponsor: “As a lifelong supporter of Bath City Football Club – it all began in the early 1960s when my dad took me to watch as a young boy in the Charlie Fleming era and I was hooked – it gives me the greatest pleasure to have this opportunity to, firstly, help the club with some meaningful financial
sponsorship and, secondly, to have my Bath-based company, Cannon Clarke Ltd, closely associated with Bath City and the historic and increasingly iconic ‘old school’ Twerton Park football stadium as stadium sponsors.
“It is very important at this level of football, especially with it being a community-owned club where every penny counts, for local people, businesses and supporters to help as much as possible and whenever possible to keep the club going in the right
direction.
“With [City manager] Darren Way working very hard to get a competitive playing squad together for the coming season, in a league which is getting tougher to compete in each year, I felt that this was the right time to try to do something extra to help that process along.
“A big thank you to [City football chairman] Paul Williams for the time and effort he has put in to getting this deal agreed and completed and I look forward
very much to the new season starting, for some success and entertainment on the pitch – and, dare I say it, maybe a decent FA Cup run as well.”
Williams said: “It was a pleasure to work with David on this partnership with Cannon Clarke Ltd as receiving support from local businesses is a vital part of bringing success to the club moving forward. The club is appreciative of all who support it currently and look forward to welcoming others who may wish to be involved in the future.”
In advance of their 2025-26 season in Enterprise National League South, the Romans commence their programme of pre-season friendlies on Tuesday 8th July when they visit Pitching in Southern League Premier Division South outfit Taunton Town.
Bath play their first home friendly on Saturday 12th July when they entertain EFL League One newcomers Port Vale.
Bath Rugby learn their Champions Cup rivals
Richard Briggs Reporter
BATH Rugby will meet Munster Rugby, Castres Olympique, RC Toulon, Edinburgh Rugby and Gloucester Rugby in the pool stages of the 2025-26 Investec Champions Cup.
The teams will do battle in Pool 2 as they begin their journey in a competition whose final will be played at the San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, Spain, in May. Bath found out their opponents on Tuesday 1st July when the draw was made in Dublin.
The Investec Champions Cup will feature the leading sides from last season’s Gallagher Premiership, United Rugby Championship and Top 14.
• Pool 4 – Union Bordeaux Bègles, Scarlets, Bristol Bears, Section Paloise, Northampton Saints, Vodacom Bulls.
Match weekends are:
• Round 1 - 5th to 7th December.
• Round 2 – 12th to 14th December.
• Round 3 – 9th to 11th January.
• Round 4 – 16th to 18th January.
• Final – Saturday 23rd May. The Blue, Black & White went out of last term’s Investec Champions Cup in the pool stages. French club Union Bordeaux Bègles lifted the trophy. However, Bath went on to win the European Professional Club Rugby Challenge Cup as they made their way to a treble of trophies during 2024-25.
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