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Issue No. 140
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FEARS FOR HISTORIC PUB Concern housing plan could spell end of live music venue - P3
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How to get in touch with us... For news items and press releases: news@bathecho.co.uk 01225 585484 Editor Sebastian Hawker editor@bathecho.co.uk Becky Feather, Reporter becky@bathecho.co.uk Richard Briggs, Sports Reporter richard@bathecho.co.uk Advertising & Marketing: 01225 585484 advertise@bathecho.co.uk For sport and match reports: sport@bathecho.co.uk 01225 585484 Want to have a letter published? letters@bathecho.co.uk Subscriptions/Distribution: production@bathecho.co.uk 01225 585484 Published by Media Bath Limited
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The proposals include extending parking charges through to 10pm
residential off-street car parks could rise, while permits are proposed for reserved spaces at Church Road car park in Weston. Short-stay parking charges could also be introduced at Weymouth Street car park in Walcot. The council said the proposals are intended to improve road safety and air quality, reduce congestion and encourage greater use of walking, wheeling, cycling and other sustainable travel options. They are also intended to help residents park closer to their homes and encourage people travelling into Bath by car to consider alternative ways of reaching the city.
Councillor Joel Hirst, cabinet member for sustainable transport strategy, said: “Residents tell us that they want cleaner, safer and more sustainable transport options. 63% of respondents to our Movement Strategy told us that these are priorities and they also supported safer school travel through projects like School Streets, improved coach travel and safer traffic speeds across the city. “To support more sustainable travel options, we have to make the best use of the limited space we have on our streets, while ensuring that our parking policies and charges remain fair and effective for people who need to
From the Editor... Opinion, insight and the stories shaping Bath this week
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HERE are few things that give a city character quite like a good pub. They are places where friendships are formed, bands get their first chance to perform, communities gather and, in some cases, generations of people build memories. That is why the debate surrounding plans for nine flats next to The Bell Inn on Walcot Street raises a much bigger question than the future of one development. The Bell has hosted live music since the 1960s and, when its future was threatened 13 years ago, the community stepped in and bought it. It is difficult to imagine a clearer demonstration of how much a venue means to
the people around it. Now, more than 1,100 objections have been submitted to plans to redevelop the neighbouring former Bath Aqua Glass site. The concern is straightforward: what happens if new residents move in next door and then complain about the noise? It seems slightly peculiar that we can allow homes to be built immediately beside longestablished pubs and music venues without being absolutely certain that the two can comfortably coexist. Of course, Bath needs more homes. Anyone who has followed the debate around the Local Plan will know just how much pressure there is to find places for people to
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use a car. “We want to know what residents think about the changes we are proposing and all the feedback we get will help inform any decisions we make.” The consultation will remain open until 5pm on Tuesday 3rd November. Feedback will be considered as part of the council’s budgetsetting process and before decisions are made on whether individual proposals should progress. Any measures taken forward would be subject to further development and consultation before being introduced. The council said feedback from previous consultations has resulted in proposals being dropped, including plans to extend Saturday parking charges at Bath Hill East car park in Keynsham and introduce emissions-based charges for motorcycles. Parking policy forms part of the council’s recently adopted Movement Strategy, which aims to increase travel choices, reduce private vehicle traffic and improve public transport, walking, wheeling and cycling while keeping the wider transport network operating.
Sebastian Hawker
live. Brownfield sites and existing buildings within the city are inevitably going to play their part. But new housing cannot simply be considered in isolation from what is already there. If you build beside a pub that has hosted live music several nights a week for decades, surely the starting point should be that any new development is designed around that reality - not that the existing business might one day have to change because somebody subsequently objects to it. And this issue goes far beyond The Bell. Pubs and grassroots music venues have disappeared from towns and cities across the
country for all sorts of reasons. Once they have gone, however, recreating them is extraordinarily difficult. Bath has already lost plenty of venues over the years. We should therefore be particularly careful about creating circumstances that could place those remaining under additional pressure. That does not mean residents should simply have to accept unreasonable noise, nor does it mean development should automatically be refused because there happens to be a pub nearby. It means the planning system needs to make sure everyone knows exactly what they are signing up for.
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RESIDENTS are being invited to comment on a series of proposed parking changes across Bath and North East Somerset, including higher charges, longer operating hours and new areas of paid parking. Bath & North East Somerset Council has opened a consultation on measures which, if taken forward, would come into effect during 2027/28. Among the proposals is an extension of Residents’ Parking Zone and on-street pay and display operating hours in Bath until 10pm. The council is also considering introducing pay and display parking at some currently unrestricted on-street locations close to Bath city centre. Other proposals include changes to emissions-based charges for permits and pay and display parking, as well as increases to on-street pay and display prices phased over three years. Seasonal parking charges could also be introduced in councilowned Bath car parks during weekends when the Christmas Market is running. The council said this would not affect the 2026 market. Charges for reserved spaces in
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Fears over development next to popular city pub John Wimperis
Local Democracy Reporter
Becky Feather Reporter
PLANS to build a block of flats adjoining a legendary live music pub in Bath have sparked more than 1,100 objections and left the venue fearing for its future. The Bell Inn on Walcot Street has been a thriving home for live music since the 1960s. When it faced being sold off 13 years ago, the community bought it in a campaign supported by musicians Peter Gabriel and Robert Plant. Now it is facing another battle to survive. The Music Venue Trust (MVT), the UK charity that acts to protect, secure and improve the UK’s grassroots music venue circuit, has written to Bath & North East Somerset Council to “strongly urge” that Longacre Estates’ application is denied in its current format. The developers want to knock down the old Bath Aqua Glass unit next to The Bell and build nine apartments directly adjoining it, with a commercial unit on the ground floor. The Bell fears it will face noise complaints from anyone who moves into the flats. Bath Aqua Glass moved out in October 2025 and its studio is now at Kingsdown, near Bath. A sign across the front of the vacant Walcot Street site indicates it is a Camden Mews Construction Company project. A report from the developers’ planning consultants says a pre-application response was received from the council in January. “The response confirmed that the site lies within the Housing Development Boundary and built-up area of Bath and that the principle of introducing residential accommodation above retained commercial floorspace was acceptable, subject to the detailed planning considerations identified by the council.” A three-storey building with a Bath stone frontage is being proposed with seven one-bed apartments and two two-bed apartments. The development would be car-free. On the ground floor there would be 18 secure residential cycle spaces within a
Inset: The current site | Above: The Bell Inn on Walcot Street
dedicated store. Four cycle spaces would serve the commercial unit, and refuse and recycling stores would also be on the groundfloor level. There would be private outside space for the apartments with a combination of terraces and balconies. Objectors say the developers appear to be downplaying the noise from the pub and that new residential units would share a wall with a venue which has amplified bass most nights
of the week. There are still no rules to stop people who move into houses next to pubs from making noise complaints against them. Developers are supposed to include adequate soundproofing, but although the noise assessment submitted with the planning application suggests acoustic glazing, it says The Bell only hosts “occasional” live music and that assessing the noise from inside the pub was not necessary. It only accounts for a “reasonable worst-case scenario”
of 70 people in the beer garden speaking with raised voices. The Bell hosts live music three or four nights a week, with DJs at the weekend. On the council’s planning portal Barry Raynes, chair of the board that manages The Bell, says the developers’ acoustic noise assessment is “fundamentally flawed”. Oli Henman, one of the two Liberal Democrat councillors for the Walcot ward, has lodged an objection, citing the threat to the character of Walcot Street, which is Bath’s Artisan Quarter, the risk of loss of the community venue, and the inappropriate scale and “poor quality” of the proposed development. Meanwhile fellow ward councillor John Leach has asked for the proposal to be called in to the planning committee if council officers are inclined to permit it. Bath’s Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse has also voiced concern saying it would be “completely wrong” if the beloved venue was forced to restrict its live music because of potential complaints from residents of a new development built next door. She said more homes are needed but any development must work alongside, and be compatible with, the communities and businesses already there.
‘It would be a travesty if The Bell could not host bands’ Among the hundreds of objections lodged with the council over the proposed apartment block next to The Bell is one from the Walcot-based London Road Residents’ Association. The association says it opposes any residential redevelopment of the former Bath Aqua Glass site, which should be kept fully commercial, adding: “The Bell epitomises the spirit of that community in its membership values, community charity support and the nature of the way it operates. “Any threat to its financial future or its ability to run free music events under its licence conditions must be resisted completely.” Other comments on the planning portal include: “The Bell is part of Bath’s cultural history, as much, if not more than Jane Austen. It is one of the last bastions of independent local inns serving the residents of Bath. A place where people can meet, drink, listen to live music. “Moles was closed recently and now there is hardly anywhere else in Bath where local people can play music and appreciate aspiring artists. It would be a travesty if The Bell could not host bands.” A customer, shareholder and retired employee of the pub says in his objection: “This new-build will, in its construction, cause noise and dust pollution for approximately two years. Once built, it will rob light from the top end of our garden. “There are also concerns about possibly catastrophic damage to adjoining party walls. My main concern, though, is of new tenants kicking up a fuss over noise levels.” Another objector writes: “Of course Bath needs residential accommodation for local people (rather than yet more brutalist Soviet-style student flats), but the location, next door to a long-standing and vibrant live music pub, is wholly inappropriate, and unfair both to The Bell itself, and to future residents.” Yesterday, Thursday 8th October, was the deadline for comments and there had only been a handful of comments in support of the plans. One said: “Anyone indicating that The Bell has a history as a live music venue and that the developing property should be subject to noise insulation is ignoring that The Bell as a property is the location creating potential noise nuisance and thus it’s The Bell that should be sound-proofed if they feel the noise levels fall outside of the Environmental Health Act or might infringe upon local residents’ basic human rights.”
42 missions
have been carried out in the Bath area so far this year.
News in Brief Temporary road closure in Southdown Part of Mount Road in Southdown from its junction with The Hollow is to close for National Grid to carry out works. The temporary closure order runs from Wednesday 14th October for a maximum period of six months, but the low-voltage cable excavation and installation works are anticipated to take four weeks.
Croquet club’s water tank scheme approved Bath Croquet Club’s plans to install a water storage tank and gated fencing at the croquet lawns at Bath Recreation Ground have been give the go-ahead by Bath & North East Somerset Council. In its application, the club said the new tank with a submersible pump is needed as the current irrigation system uses significant manpower, taking more than 12 hours to water one lawn, so is not a sustainable option.
Plans to convert hotel to housing withdrawn Plans to turn a popular Keynsham hotel into housing have been dropped. Haywards at the Grasmere is on the corner of Bath Road and Chandag Road. An application was submitted to demolish the existing rear and side extensions and change the hotel into eight flats, as well as build a separate two-bed mews house to the rear.
Weather Forecast Fri 9th Sat 10th Sun 11th Mon 12th Tue 13th Wed 14th Thu 15th
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(16th to 22nd October) Occasional strong winds and bands of rain for the region, with drier periods later on in the week. Temperatures a little above average for the time of year.
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Police closure order at block of flats Plan for third pond is extended for three months rally before elections POLICE have been granted a three-month extension of the partial closure order that was put in place in July to tackle escalating anti-social behaviour at a block of flats in the city. The order closes the common parts of Berkeley House at Snow Hill – the stairwells, lifts, corridors, communal rooms, laundry rooms and bin rooms – to everyone except those with a valid title deed or valid rental agreement, those visiting with explicit permission, anyone authorised by housing association Curo, and the emergency services. Community protection warnings and notices had previously been given to prohibit offenders from attending but the application for the initial order followed an increase in serious crime and anti-social behaviour at the 10-storey block. At the court hearing in July, evidence was given of drug dealing and use, knives being found, a fire being lit, people being assaulted, faeces, urine and blood in communal areas, and stairwells blocked by rough sleepers. The three-month order had been due to expire on Thursday 1st October. On Tuesday 29th September, the Bath & North East Somerset Neighbourhood Policing team announced: “Today the courts granted a three-month extension to the
A dried-out pond in Royal Victoria Park
Becky Feather Reporter Berkeley House in Snow Hill
partial closure order currently in place at Berkeley House, Snow Hill, Bath. “This is a significant step forward and reflects the hard work and partnership between Avon and Somerset Police, Curo and partner agencies in tackling antisocial behaviour and criminality within the building. “The order remains an important measure to protect residents and help improve safety within Berkeley House. We would like to thank local residents who have supported the process by reporting concerns and providing information. “We will continue working with partners to address issues affecting the community and
Outside seating hours set to be extended
The outside seating area at The King of Wessex pub
JD WETHERSPOON is asking for permission to use its outdoor seating area at The King of Wessex pub in Bath for an extra hour every day. The pub at the Kingsmead Leisure Complex in James Street West has five outdoor tables along with 15 chairs, marked off with troughs and screens. The current permitted hours for customers to use it are 8am to 8pm every day. The planning application submitted to Bath & North East Somerset Council asks for permission to vary the hours of
use for the seating area for food and drink to between 8am and 9pm Monday to Sunday. Any comments should be sent to the council before consultation closes on 5th November. The planning reference is 26/03738/ VAR. The pub chain says discussions have been held with the police licensing officer who is supportive of the later use of the outside area. A variation of the premises licence will be made subject to planning consent being granted.
take action where necessary against those causing nuisance or facilitating criminality. Thank you to everyone who has helped make this positive outcome possible.” A Curo spokesperson said: “Residents shouldn’t have to live in fear of the kind of anti-social and criminal behaviour we’ve seen in Snow Hill. “Curo supports the extension of the closure order and will continue working in close coordination with the police here, using all powers available to protect the safety and wellbeing of this community.” Last month the Echo reported that a woman who twice contravened the order had been fined £80.
THE organisers of a second rally held in Royal Victoria Park in Bath to highlight the state of the duck pond say they are planning another one before next year’s local elections. An “apolitical” rally was held in September 2025 and another took place last month over concerns that the pond is still a mess - empty, overgrown, with no proper water and the wildlife gone. Following the rally on 20th September the campaigners posted on Facebook: “We don’t want another year of promises, feasibility studies and ‘reimagining’. We want water back in the pond, a proper liner, and a working habitat for ducks and kids, not more delay. This park
belongs to the people of Bath.” They added: “We will be holding another rally before the May 2027 local elections. If the pond still isn’t fixed, we’ll make sure every candidate hears it.” On its website Bath & North East Somerset Council says the pond dried out for several reasons the Georgian springs that used to supply the water stopped working, the old pond lining leaked, and increasingly hot and dry summers have led to greater evaporation and reduced water quality. The council says the silt and damaged liner were removed last month and it will be consulting the public this autumn on the long-term future of the pond. It has put up new information boards about its long-term vision to restore a reliable water supply and create a better environment for wildlife.
Bath Christmas Market set to return with new attractions this winter BATH Christmas Market will return to the city centre in less than eight weeks, with new entertainment, an indoor space and an expanded footprint among the additions planned for 2026. The market will run from Thursday 26th November until Sunday 13th December, with a special residents’ evening taking place on Wednesday 25th November. Around 440,000 people visit the event each year, and organisers have announced a new programme of live music and street performances for this year’s market. A new indoor area on Stall Street will give visitors somewhere to sit, have a drink from the bar and take a break from shopping. For the first time, Christmas Market chalets will also extend onto New Bond Street, spreading the event further across the city centre. A total of 245 traders are due to take part, with 80% coming from the South West. Sixty-one businesses will be appearing at the market for the first time.
Visitors will be able to browse a range of handcrafted gifts, festive food and seasonal products throughout the event. Bath & North East Somerset Council said measures will again be in place to reduce the market’s environmental impact, including lower-carbon energy sources, recycling facilities and efforts to limit single-use plastics. Reusable cups will also be encouraged where possible. Accessible routes and toilets will be provided, alongside quiet shopping periods and information to help disabled visitors plan their trip. Councillor Manda Rigby, cabinet member for communications and community, said: “Bath Christmas Market is the local highlight of the festive season and we’re delighted to welcome residents and visitors back for another fantastic year. “With new entertainment, more chalets and the return of an indoor space, there’s even more to enjoy while supporting talented traders and local businesses. “Last year the market generated an estimated £50.7m of
Photo © B&NES Council
associated visitor spending for the city and increased business turnover by £64m. It showcases the very best of Bath at Christmas and it’s not long until you can join in the magic!” People travelling to the market are being encouraged to use public transport, walk or cycle where possible. Bath’s Park & Ride services will also provide access to the city centre during the busy festive period.
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Council reveals city bus gate camera House converted into flats without permission system is ‘faulty and unreliable’ Becky Feather Reporter
THE bus gate monitoring system in Northgate Street in the centre of Bath is faulty and unreliable, it has emerged. Bath & North East Somerset Council has submitted a planning application to modify the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera system on the front of 12 Northgate Street, next to Waitrose. The application says the council owns the freehold of the listed Georgian building, which is currently subject to a 150-year lease held by Basildon Borough Council. The retail unit is occupied by The Cotswold Company. A report with the application says: “The existing network infrastructure supporting the ANPR camera installation is unreliable and subject to persistent and recurring technical issues. These faults regularly prevent the equipment from operating effectively, undermining its ability to enforce the bus gates it monitors. “The proposed upgrade, through
Northgate Street in Bath
the installation of a wireless point-to-multipoint terminal unit, will provide a more stable and resilient connection. “This will ensure the continued reliable operation of the ANPR system and support effective enforcement of the bus gates. “Maintaining effective enforcement is necessary to support wider council objectives, including traffic management, road safety, and the promotion of sustainable transport measures.” The report adds: “Due to operational requirements, including the need to achieve direct line-of-sight connectivity towards High Street, the placement of the terminal unit cannot be fully integrated within the existing camera housing and
must be positioned externally. “However, the proposal seeks to utilise the existing installation, limiting additional intervention.” The report says the additional equipment has been selected to be “as small as practicable” and overall, there will be a low level of visual impact and the works will not materially harm the character or appearance of the listed building. The planning authority is due to make a decision by 25th November. The reference is 26/03558/REG03. Buses, taxis and emergency vehicles can use bus gates / bus lanes but not cars, vans or lorries. The penalty charge notice (PCN) for a breach is £70 or £35 if paid within 21 days.
The property conversion was done without permission
A RETROSPECTIVE planning application has been submitted to Bath & North East Somerset Council after a three-bed semi in Whiteway was turned into flats without permission. The application gives details of the work that has taken place to convert 176 Haycombe Drive into two self-contained one-bed flats, each suitable for one person. The house had a potential maximum occupancy of five people. Work on the conversion started in April 2024 and was completed
in January 2025. The application says the work that has been carried out is internal only, with the outside of the property entirely unchanged. The layouts of the flats are said to be functional and meet space standards. The kitchen for the first-floor flat is on the ground floor next to the stairwell. The application says no additional pressure is placed on parking locally. The planning reference is 26/03737/FUL. Consultation closes on 27th October.
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Friday 9th October - Thursday 22nd October 2026
New council housing inaccessible to Roman Baths wedding wheelchair users due to step venue recognised for sustainability efforts John Wimperis
Local Democracy Reporter
NEW council homes have sparked questions as the ramp up to the front door ends in a step, rendering it inaccessible to wheelchair users. Located opposite the town’s large Tesco store, the ten homes at Great Barn Court are Bath & North East Somerset Council’s newest council homes. But they have sparked some concern on social media, as Keynshamites were quick to notice that the ramp leading to the entrance of block two ends suddenly in a step down to the pavement. One person wrote: “Is this what is classed as accessible housing these days? A step onto a ramp!” Local councillor Alex Beaumont (Keynsham North, Liberal Democrat) said he had raised the issue with the council’s building company Aequus. He said: “I haven’t seen anything like it!” The council’s cabinet member for housing Councillor Matt McCabe (Bathavon South, Liberal Democrat) said: “While the development fully complies with planning and building regulations and all the accessible properties are in Block One, site constraints mean the current entrance to Block Two doesn’t provide the level access we
Matt McCabe (right) at the homes earlier this month | Photo © B&NES Council
originally sought and this is being addressed.” He added: “However, this shouldn’t take away from this achievement and the council’s commitment to meeting housing needs in our area.” He said: “We are really proud of this scheme — taking a small plot of land and investing in building affordable homes, which have made a real difference to people’s lives.” The homes were built as part of Bath & North East Somerset Council’s project to turn land it owns but does not use into new council houses. The first homes in the scheme were seven flats built in what had once been council offices in Bath. The ten homes in Keynsham were built on a council-owned patch of land behind the High Street which had previously been used for informal parking.
The ramp at Great Barn Court ends in a step | Photo © Tracie-Jane Bath
The original plans stated that Block Two was not intended as wheelchair accessible accommodation. The planning application said that, because the site was so small and constrained, it was decided not to include wheelchair accessible homes which would require more space and lifts. It stated: “The proposed designs ensure that the site maximises the density / number of new affordable dwellings.” Announcing that the homes were ready for people to move in earlier this month, Councillor McCabe said: “Every new affordable home we deliver makes a real difference to people and families who need somewhere secure, high-quality and affordable to live. “These are modern, energyefficient homes that will be cheaper to heat, helping residents with the cost of living while reducing carbon emissions.” Other developments in the project are planned at Bath Western Riverside on the city’s former gasworks, Bath Quays North, Bath Quays South and a number of smaller sites across the district. The new homes in Keynsham will be owned directly by Bath & North East Somerset Council and let through Homesearch. Three of the apartments were set aside for young people who have been in care.
THE Roman Baths & Pump Room has received sustainability accreditation recognising work to reduce the environmental impact of weddings and events at the historic Bath venue. The site, which is managed by Bath & North East Somerset Council, has been accredited by the Sustainable Wedding Alliance following an assessment of its environmental practices. The independent organisation recognises wedding businesses which can demonstrate action on areas including ethical sourcing, waste reduction and lowering their environmental impact. The Roman Baths & Pump Room hosts weddings for couples from the UK and overseas, with ceremonies and celebrations taking place around the Great Bath and in the Georgian Pump Room. Measures introduced at the venue include a heat pump system which captures energy from the natural thermal spring water to help heat the Roman Baths and nearby Bath World Heritage Centre, reducing reliance on gas. Other changes include motionsensitive lighting, automatic switch-off systems for equipment and a building management system which is scheduled around booked events. The venue also maintains zero waste to landfill, with nonrecyclable material sent to a local energy recovery facility. Its catering partner, Searcys, supports the wider sustainability programme through responsible sourcing, using local and British suppliers and reducing waste. Michelle Miles, founder and chief executive of the Sustainable Wedding Alliance, said: “We are incredibly proud that the Roman Baths & Pump Room has achieved the Sustainable
Wedding Alliance Accreditation. “Their dedication to sustainable practices throughout their entire operation is truly inspiring. “By prioritising people and planet, the Roman Baths & Pump Room is setting a wonderful example for other businesses in the industry and empowering couples to plan weddings that are both beautiful and environmentally conscious.” Councillor Paul Roper, cabinet member for economic and cultural sustainable development at Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “The Roman Baths & Pump Room offers couples the opportunity to celebrate in one of the most remarkable wedding venues in the country, so we are delighted to receive this recognition from the Sustainable Wedding Alliance. “This accreditation reflects the dedication of our teams and partners, who work hard to care for this special place every day. We want future generations to be able to enjoy the Roman Baths just as people do today, whether they are visiting, learning about its history or celebrating one of life’s most memorable occasions.” The Roman Baths has a history stretching back more than 2,000 years, while the Pump Room adds a Georgian setting to the site. Alongside the venue, Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Registration Service works with more than 40 approved locations across the area for weddings and civil partnerships, including historic buildings, museums, gardens and countryside venues.
services across Avon and Somerset that focus on prevention, early intervention and reducing reoffending – including Resolve West, which supports victims of ASB while helping offenders understand the impact of their actions and make positive changes. My office is also looking at how we can create a more joinedup approach to ensure the police and partners are tackling business crime and supporting safer, thriving high streets and retail centres. We will work closely with businesses and other partners to shape these plans,
with the ambition of bringing together neighbourhood policing teams, local businesses, Business Crime Reduction Partnerships, Business Improvement Districts, local authorities and other partners to share insights, address common challenges and drive collective action where it is needed most. Everyone deserves to feel safe where they live, work and shop. But lasting change will only come from combining effective enforcement with prevention, support and partnership working to tackle the root causes of ASB and retail crime.
Photo © Roman Baths / Visit Bath
COLUMN | Clare Moody, Labour Police and Crime Commissioner
A
NTI-SOCIAL behaviour (ASB) remains one of the issues that businesses, retailers and residents across Avon and Somerset raise with me most often. It can be far more than just a ‘lowlevel’ crime. ASB is often linked to shoplifting, intimidation, violence and other offences. It can have a significant impact on people’s sense of safety when visiting or working in our town centres and high streets and, in turn, affect quality of life and local economies. That is one of the reasons reducing ASB is a priority in my Police and Crime Plan, and why I welcome the government’s new
Respect Orders, which come into effect on 26th October. Respect Orders will give police, councils and courts stronger powers to tackle repeat adult offenders of ASB. They will better enable police to ban individuals from town centres and to seize vehicles involved ASB, including e-bikes and e-scooters. Respect Orders carry a wider range of penalties for those who breach them compared to existing powers, including the possibility of imprisonment. This addresses an important gap in the current system and will help better protect our communities. But enforcement alone is not enough.
The causes of ASB and retail crime are often complex and deeply rooted, frequently linked to wider vulnerability. Issues such as addiction, poor mental health, homelessness, and access to basic needs can all play a role. If we want to reduce reoffending, we must also address these underlying causes. That is why it is so important that Respect Orders, alongside existing powers, also enable courts to require offenders to engage with interventions such as drug or alcohol treatment. I hope to see these new powers used not only for enforcement, but also for positive intervention. I continue to commission
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Crime & Court
Friday 9th October - Thursday 22nd October 2026
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Appeal after masked trio try to rob disabled man on Railway Path
28-year-old sentenced for road rage incidents
AVON & Somerset Police are appealing for witnesses and information after a man on a mobility scooter was targeted by a masked trio who attempted to rob him on the Bristol & Bath Railway Path. The incident is being treated as a hate crime. The victim, who is in his 50s, suffered minor injuries in the incident which happened at Warmley between 2.45pm and 3pm on Friday 18th September. The offenders fled into the wooded area near Warmley Waiting Room café. Police say the first offender was white, aged 14 and 18, and of medium build. He was around 5ft 9-10ins in height and was wearing a black long-sleeved jacket with the hood up, plain black tracksuit bottoms, black trainers, black gloves, and a face covering pulled up to the bridge of his nose. He spoke with a Bristol accent. The second is said to be of mixed heritage and of a similar age. He was slim and around 6ft tall, wearing a black long-sleeved rain jacket with the hood up, a black face covering, black tracksuit, and grey trainers. The third was around 5ft 4-6ins and stocky, wearing a black tracksuit with a zip-up hoodie which had a golden eagle emblazoned on the front left of the chest, and black trainers. He had a blond fringe and wore a face covering.
A 28-YEAR-OLD woman has been given a 10-month suspended prison sentence following her third road rage offence. Bath magistrates also ordered Robyn Jackson to pay £500 compensation to the victim who she struck over the head with a hockey stick. The wound needed stapling. The incident had begun near the Broadmead roundabout in Keynsham and ended near Newbridge Park & Ride in Bath. It happened on 13th December 2024, but the case only reached court in July this year when Jackson admitted unlawfully and maliciously wounding the other driver and that it was racially aggravated. She had uttered a racial slur. Jackson also admitted being in possession of an offensive weapon – the hockey stick – without lawful authority or reasonable excuse. The attack put her in breach of a nine-month conditional discharge which had been imposed in September 2024. At the hearing in July, magistrates ordered an all-options presentence report to be prepared by the Probation Service. Jackson, of Marmaduke Street in Bristol, returned to court to be sentenced on Wednesday 23rd September. The magistrates heard that the two offences for which she was given a conditional discharge
The victim, who is in his 50s, suffered minor injuries
This week, Neighbourhood Inspector Barny Mabbett said: “This is a concerning incident involving a vulnerable victim who feels he was targeted due to his physical disabilities; therefore, we are treating this as a hate crime. “There is absolutely no place for hate, intimidation or violence in Avon and Somerset. Where crimes are committed, we will act robustly and pursue those responsible. “This was an attempted robbery where, fortunately, nothing was stolen and neither did the victim suffer serious injury. “The incident, nonetheless, will be fully investigated and we understand there was a cyclist in the area who may have disturbed
the offenders and we would appeal to them to come forward with any information which could assist our enquiries, no matter how trivial it may seem. “We have conducted a number of additional patrols along the Railway Path to provide reassurance and to deter criminality recently, and we would encourage members of the public to continue to report incidents so we’re able to target our resources where they are needed most.” If you can help, complete the online appeals form or call 101 and give the call handler the reference number 5226268405. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
involved road rage incidents in Bristol. One charge was a racially aggravated public order offence and the other an offence of causing harassment, alarm or distress. The magistrates read four character references for Jackson and heard that at the time of the offences, she was not in a good place but is remorseful. There has been no offending since, and she is in good employment and seeking assistance for undiagnosed mental health issues. Magistrates gave Jackson a 10-month jail sentence for GBH, suspended for two years. For possession of an offensive weapon, she was given a fourweek suspended sentence, to run concurrently. She must also carry out 100 hours of unpaid work in the community under a 12-month community order and complete up to 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days. She was also ordered to pay a court surcharge of £187 and costs to the Crown Prosecution Service of £85. The conditional discharge was revoked, and Jackson was resentenced; for the racially aggravated charge she was fined £465 but there was no separate penalty for the other offence.
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Man was drunk and aggressive on train
31-year-old broke police constable’s finger and spat at her colleagues
A MAN who was drunk and became aggressive towards passengers on a train travelling from Bath Spa to Chippenham has been fined £100. Mckenzie Stammers, 20, appeared before Bath magistrates on Wednesday 30th September to admit a charge that his behaviour on board the train on 28th March had been likely to cause people harassment, alarm or distress. Prosecutor Emily Packer told the court that some people had tried to calm him down and restrained him when the train got to Chippenham where he was arrested. She said Stammers has a conviction for causing criminal damage to a police cell in Wiltshire on the same day. Solicitor Ruth Tily, representing Stammers, said that not keeping the two charges together had led to “some confusion and distress” for him and his family; police had turned up at his home in Chippenham asking him to sign
A MAN who broke a police officer’s finger and spat at three of her colleagues has been spared immediate custody by Bath magistrates. Samuel Young also caused criminal damage to another constable’s watch in the incident which unfolded after his mother called the police as she was concerned about his behaviour. Prosecutor Michael Collins told the court that when officers turned up at Raglan Close in Chilcompton, Young was extremely non-compliant and violently resisted them. Young, who caused a hairline fracture to the policewoman’s finger, admitted causing her grievous bodily harm (GBH) without intent. He also pleaded guilty to three common assaults by spitting, and causing criminal damage. The incident on 30th January was captured on police body-worn cameras. Young had been due to appear
paperwork for the matter to go to court and he had then received a postal requisition. Ms Tily said Stammers had been drinking in Bath with two friends and believed he was being “antagonised” on the train and started shouting at people. He could not clearly remember what had happened. She said his father and friends had got him off the train safely. Stammers’ behaviour had been out of character, and he was “appalled” by what he had done. He doesn’t go out drinking any more, Ms Tily added. The chair of the bench told Stammers it had been a “silly enterprise” and added: “Don’t do this again. Learn the lesson.” As well as the fine, Stammers, of Heathfield, was ordered to pay a court surcharge of £40 but magistrates made no order for him to pay the prosecution costs as the matter was linked to the criminal damage charge and they should have been heard together.
in court on 16th September for sentencing. He had failed to attend an appointment with the Probation Service, and when he failed to turn up in court, a warrant was issued for his arrest. The 31-year-old handed himself in to police on Monday, 28th September, and was brought to court in custody. Representing Young, solicitor Micia Rigby told the court that the afternoon before the incident, Young had attended the funeral of a close friend and had been emotional and “in drink”. He did not remember much of what happened but was “remorseful” and wished to apologise to the officers. The magistrates noted Young’s “extensive” list of previous convictions and that a 12-month community order was imposed last November for a previous conviction for criminal damage. That order included a ninemonth mental health treatment
requirement (MHTR) and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) days. They jailed Young for a total of 13 weeks, suspended for 12 months. He received eight weeks for GBH and five weeks for each of the three common assaults, to run concurrently but consecutively to the GBH sentence. He was also given another community order which includes a nine-month MHTR and 10 RAR days. The current community order will stay in place until it expires in November. Young must pay £200 compensation to the officer whose finger was fractured and £100 to each of the three officers he spat at. There was no separate penalty for the criminal damage, but Young must pay £50 compensation to that police officer. The magistrates made no order for prosecution costs or court surcharge as they said they were prioritising compensation.
Issue 140
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200 hours of unpaid work after GBH attack
Man gets two-week jail sentence for £300 theft
Bath Magistrates’ Court
A 23-YEAR-OLD man has been ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work after punching a man in the face in Bath city centre. At the hearing at Bath Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 5th October, Sebastian Hunter admitted that jointly with another on 2nd November 2025, he unlawfully and maliciously inflicted grievous bodily harm (GBH) on Haydar Mencoglu. The court heard that Hunter, of Rush Hill, had punched Mr Mencoglu once, and the main injury to the victim – a fractured left eye socket – was carried out by someone else. Solicitor Jo Hooper, representing Hunter, said the other attacker had not been prosecuted as his identity is not known “so it falls to Mr Hunter to take responsibility”.
Mr Mencoglu had reportedly made a derogatory comment which the other man had initially reacted to, and Hunter then threw a punch. Magistrates were shown CCTV of the incident which took place next to a kebab van at Orange Grove. Ms Hooper said Hunter could be seen punching the victim on the right side of his face. Hunter, who works as a delivery driver and had no previous convictions, was given a 12-month community order under which he will carry out unpaid work in the community. He was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to Mr Mencoglu. Hunter was also ordered to pay costs of £85 to the Crown Prosecution Service and a £114 court surcharge.
Nabil has also been recalled to prison for other unrelated matters
A 50-YEAR-OLD Bath man has been sentenced to two weeks in prison after admitting stealing items worth £300 from Tesco in Keynsham. Joseph Nabil, of Belvedere at Lansdown, was brought before Bath magistrates in custody on Monday 5th October, having been arrested the day before. Prosecutor Alistair Verheijen said Nabil had been seen on CCTV stealing alcohol and cleaning products from the store at Bristol Road on 31st July. The image had been circulated and Nabil was recognised by a local PCSO and arrested on Sunday afternoon. Nabil has also been recalled to prison for other unrelated matters. The court heard he
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has a history of offending, with 28 convictions and has an outstanding debt to the courts of £4,600 which he is paying off from benefits. He has been seeking help from the charity DHI (Developing Health & Independence) to address his heroin addiction. The magistrates said they were jailing Nabil as he has a flagrant disregard for people and their property. The two-week sentence will run alongside the 56-day recall. The bench also ordered him to pay £300 compensation to Tesco. They made no order for prosecution costs or court surcharge, saying they were prioritising compensation.
Why do we ‘name and shame’ in our stories? Since the introduction of our Crime & Court section, we've been contacted by concerned members of the public, defendants and guilty parties regarding the inclusion of their names, ages, and partial addresses. We are proud to be able to provide court coverage of cases at Bath Magistrates' Court, something that many local newspapers are unable to do due to restricted time for their reporters. Reporting court cases acts as a deterrent against crime. Printing a defendant’s age and address stops anyone with the same name from being defamed. We do not have access to police or CPS files regarding cases, so everything reported is based on what the prosecution and defence say during a court hearing. HM Courts & Tribunals Service encourages and facilitates media access to courts and tribunals. We have the right to attend and report on proceedings held in open court, unless a statutory restriction applies, or a court order prevents this. Our stories are governed by the regulator IMPRESS, the Independent Monitor for the Press. We follow their dedicated Standards Code, which can be found at https://bit.ly/4n0d9qN
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The modern wellness trend with ancient roots The Echo’s Becky Feather takes the plunge and tries contrast therapy at a luxury Somerset retreat NO two days are the same in my job – that’s why I love it. But the news never stops and it’s not easy to switch off, to truly relax. So when an email dropped into in my inbox inviting me to experience the benefits of contrast therapy at a Somerset wellness retreat, I was keen to find out more. My daughter needed no persuading to join me, and we enjoyed the mid-week drive down to Middlezoy (about an hour and quarter from Bath) and the Windmill Retreat Estate. About a mile from our destination, we got held up for 10 minutes by hundreds of cows being herded towards us in a country lane – a timely adjustment to a slower pace of life! We were warmly welcomed at the retreat and were soon sitting down to enjoy a light lunch courtesy of The Levels Country Kitchen on site while getting to know the other guests. We then had a peek into the spa, where a wide range of
treatments are on offer, and a look around one of the five luxurious Elements Suites (there are also self-catering lodges on the estate) before changing into swimwear for our guided Elements Contrast Ritual. The weather was glorious that late September day and we initially lay on the sun loungers, taking in the panoramic views across the Somerset Levels. Contrast therapy is a growing wellness trend, but its roots are ancient. The experience combines heat, cold and mindful rest to help reset both body and mind. At Elements Contrast, there’s both a traditional and infrared sauna, cold plunge pools, Nordic bucket showers and a magnesium hot tub. Next to the decking is a ‘grounding area’ where you walk on pebbles. We were fortunate to have sauna master Nick T guiding our session. Nick uses Baltic and Finnish sauna traditions dating back centuries and was awarded Best Sauna Practitioner of the Year by the British Sauna
Society in 2025. There were special hats available to regulate our temperature in the traditional sauna. As Nick moved around the space waving a fan of oak leaves, the smell was intoxicating and helped melt away any tension. Nick said we must listen to our bodies and move between hot and cold as required. After about 15 minutes in the sauna, I was ready to cool down and headed out to rehydrate and try the plunge pools. One was five degrees, the other 15. I found the warmer of the two invigorating and stayed in for about three minutes but the five-degree one obviously takes some practice. I managed about half a minute and that was only up to my knees! I had no trouble sinking into the magnesium hot tub – it was blissful - before going back into the sauna for the deeply relaxing experience of being ‘whisked’ with the oak leaves. There were also salt infusions and handmade body scrubs on offer.
What we both really liked about the whole experience was there was no need to follow a rigid routine, you just move between heat, cold and rest at your own pace. It’s a very elegant, tranquil venue and we left feeling truly refreshed and re-energised. We definitely plan to return and
will perhaps combine our next visit with some sightseeing in Wells or Glastonbury and some retail therapy at Clarks Village in Street. • Elements Contrast has public and private contrast therapy sessions available to book throughout the week and memberships are also available.
Try the luxury experience for yourself with our exclusive competition! Elements Contrast have teamed up with the Echo to give readers the chance to try the luxury experience. Four pairs of free tickets for a two-hour session of contrast therapy are available to be won. To enter the competition, submit your full name and postal address by email to competitions@bathecho.co.uk or via post to: Elements Contrast Competition, PO Box 5395, Bath, BA1 0YA. All postal/email entries must be received by 11.59pm on Thursday 15th October.
Terms and conditions • Each winner will be chosen at random by the Bath Echo. • Each winner receives one pair of tickets. • Each pair of tickets allows two guests access to the Elements Contrast Therapy Suite for a two-hour session. • Sessions must be booked before 31st March 2027 • There is no cash alternative, and the prize is not transferable to another party. • There is no entry fee. • The winner will be notified by email and/or letter.
• WHAT’S ON • FOOD & DRINK • THEATRE • PUZZLES • GARDENING • MOTORING • FASHION & BEAUTY • TRAVEL • HEALTH & FITNESS
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What’s On
Issue 140 - P12
Friday 9th October - Thursday 22nd October 2026
An Evening of Kate Bush
Mrs Dickens with Emily Howes
Wildscreen Festival
An evening of Kate Bush - performed live by a full band, vocalists and string quartet in the ethereal surroundings of the UK’s most stunning cathedrals and minsters.
Join author Emily Howes in conversation with Bath Preservation Trusts Senior Curator, Dr Amy Frost, to discuss Emily’s new book, Mrs Dickens.
The Wildscreen Festival, the largest global gathering of natural world storytellers, returns this autumn. This unique hybrid event will take place in the heart of Bath.
Odin’s Odyssey Tree Walk
Bath Film Festival
Hayseed Dixie
A tree walk linking the open spaces of Odd Down via its footpaths. The Odd Down area of Bath has numerous paths and green spaces little known to non-residents.
Ten days packed with over 50 films, events and immersive experiences across Bath. From historic venues to unexpected spaces, enjoy world-class cinema.
Having sold over half a million albums and having played more than 1,000 live shows, Hayseed Dixie are acknowledged as the creators of the musical genre Rockgrass.
Bath Abbey | 9th & 10th October, 7.30pm
Odd Down Sports Ground | 11th October, 2pm
No.1 Royal Crescent | 15th October, 6pm
Various Locations | 16th – 25th October
Various Locations | 19th – 22nd October
Komedia Bath | 20th October, 7pm
The Art of Preserving and Pickling
A Night at the Opera by Candlelight
Wildlife On Your Doorstep
From homegrown harvests to allotment gluts, this is a bounteous time of year. Learn the art of preserving, so you avoid waste and enjoy delicious food all year.
Featuring four soloists, each singing solo arias as well as duets, trios and quartets, accompanied by a live orchestra, this programme takes you on a journey.
A talk for Bath RSPB group given by Martin Dohrn, whose career as a cinematographer began in 1987. Since then, he has contributed around 50 hours of television.
Bath City Farm | 11th October, 10am – 1pm
Bath Abbey | 16th October, 7.30pm
St. Andrew’s Community Church | 21st October
A Man For All Seasons
Roving Crows
Luke Wright: Later Life Letter
The greatest, most powerful and dangerous figures who shaped the country we live in today are brought vividly to life in Robert Bolt’s award-winning play.
An Irish folk rock band who deliver the goods with unbounded amounts of riotous energy and banter. They have five albums under their belt and several awards.
The story of Luke Wright’s adoption – the life he leads, and the one he might have done. Wright navigates his audience through a warm and honest hour of poems.
Theatre Royal Bath | 13th – 17th October
Chapel Arts Centre | 17th October, 8pm
The Mission Theatre | 22nd October, 8pm
Beauty and the Beast set to bring festive pantomime magic
The Stage Edit
Photos © Stewart McPherson
Jon Monie as Louis La Plonk and Nick Wilton as Polly La Plonk
CHRISTMAS at the Theatre Royal Bath has become something of a tradition, and this year the curtain will rise on a brand-new production of Beauty and the Beast. Running from Thursday 10th December 2026 until Sunday 10th January 2027, the family pantomime promises all the ingredients audiences have come to expect from a festive trip to the theatre - big laughs, colourful costumes, spectacular scenery, musical numbers and plenty of seasonal magic.
The principal cast recently came together for the first time at The Bird, one of this year’s pantomime sponsors, to mark the official launch of the production. Leading the cast is Coronation Street star Marc Baylis, who takes on the role of the mischievous Hugo Pompidou. He will be joined by familiar Bath pantomime favourite Jon Monie as Louis La Plonk, while popular dame Nick Wilton returns as Polly La Plonk. West End performer Amelia
Amelia Andrews as Belle and Shani Cantor as Fairy Bon Bon
Adams will play Belle, Shani Cantor appears as Fairy Bon Bon, and Andrew Gallo, whose credits include Mamma Mia!, will take on the dual role of The Beast and The Prince. Written by award-winning Bath pantomime regular Jon Monie, the production is being presented by UK Productions in association with Theatre Royal Bath. Dancers from the Dorothy Coleborn School of Dance will also take to the stage. At the heart of Beauty and the Beast is a story that lends
itself perfectly to pantomime. Beneath the comedy and spectacle is a tale of kindness, courage and looking beyond first impressions, giving younger audiences a classic fairy tale while offering something for the grown-ups too. Audiences can expect to be transported from Belle’s village into an enchanted storybook world, with elaborate sets, bright costumes, choreography and lighting helping to bring the tale to life. The production follows a record-
breaking pantomime season at the Theatre Royal, which became the highest-selling in the venue’s history. For many families, a visit to the pantomime is as much a part of Christmas as the decorations, presents and festive food. With familiar faces, a much-loved story and plenty of theatrical spectacle, Beauty and the Beast looks set to continue that tradition in Bath this winter. Tickets are available from the Box Office on 01225 448844 or via theatreroyal.org.uk.
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Food & Drink
Melissa Blease
Food Writer
Tasty Dates For Your Diary New to the Bath pop-up programme: Jaggery, purveyors of authentic, exciting Sri Lankan specialities including flavour-packed Sri Lankan Biryani and the iconic South Asian String Hoppers. Jump to the Jaggery beat at Weston Free Church (High Street, Weston) on Saturday 31st October (pre-order only, available for collection between 3-8pm) • Email info@ jaggery.uk @jaggeryisland Coming soon to Argyle Street: Mantel, celebrating local growers, local roots and seasonal produce cooked over fire, paired with an impeccably curated wine list. @mantel.restaurant Now open on Kingsmead Square (on the site formerly known as Seafoods): the lovely Brume Bakery,
purveyors of fresh artisan sourdough, seasonal pastries, speciality coffee and more. @brumebakery The wonderful Bath Community Kitchen has popped up downstairs at Shires Yard! The Thursday Lunch Club offers seasonal soups and salads to pay-what-youfeel for and take away every Thursday from 12pm2pm and a lively schedule of cookery workshops, open kitchen days, special guest events and more are all on the schedule. https://bathecho.uk/47ctVgu
Yuzu by Dan Moon will be popping up at the breathtakingly beautiful Bath Soft Cheese HQ (Park Farm, Kelston) on Friday 16th October to present a spectacular 11-course Taste of Autumn menu celebrating the very best
local produce of the season (£100pp). https://bathecho.uk/4dt23bD
The mid-week pick-me-up has landed at the Beckford Bottle Shop (Saville Row): pick a glass of wine from a glorious selection for just £5 a pour every Wednesday. beckfordbottleshop.com Two wonderful worlds are set to collide on Wednesday 21st October when The Scallop Shell collaborates with Sydney’s (next door to each other on Monmouth Street) to present a one-nightonly, 5-course seafood feast served on Sydney’s uniquely beautiful Rooftop Restaurant (£75pp; wine/ cocktail flights optional). www.sydneysbath.co.uk The totally groovy authentic Japanese comfort food haven
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Daruma Diner (High Street, Weston) is now open for dinner every Thursday evening from 6pm-10pm. To book, text 07591 235578 or drop Daruma an IG DM. @darumadiner Klaxon! Tasting Menu events have returned to the Marlborough Tavern, starting with an utterly splendid 5-course Game Night on Wednesday 21st October (£65pp). marlborough-tavern.com Roll up to sparkling modern European brasserie The Circus (Brock Street) and juggle their Set Lunch menu selection: 2 courses for £33 (3/£38) plus a glass of wine (or a soft drink) every Monday-Saturday lunchtime. thecircusrestaurant.co.uk Gather at the Upton Inn (Upton Cheyney) at 3pm on Saturday 24th
October, board the bus and take a pub crawl tour of neighbouring taverns in Bath before returning to to base for chilli, cheer and general proper pub bonhomie (£15pp; message 07724 584977 to book). www.theupton.co.uk Dust down the Lederhosen! Bath Oktoberfest returns to Royal Victoria Park from Friday 30th - Saturday 31st October bringing those prerequisite steins of German beer, Oompah bands, gourmet German grub, axe throwing (yes really!) and more to the ultimate Bavarian-themed party in the park. bathoktoberfest.com You can read more on the local food & drink scene from Melissa on her website at www. theprandialplayground.uk or visit bathecho.co.uk for recipes and extra reviews.
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Pictures from the Past
Issue 140 - P14
Kirsten Elliott Akeman Press
Roadworks on Warminster Road
The contrast with the work going on at the same spot today could not be greater
FOLLOWING on from last week’s photo of the 1903 Tramway Siege, this week’s archive photo (which comes courtesy of Steve Lord) features yet more roadworks. It shows the bottom of North Road in Bathwick, at its junction with the Warminster Road, and was taken in the autumn of 1928. The work here was part of a much bigger scheme, billed as ‘the Bath By-Pass Road’. The key to the project was the abolition of tolls on Cleveland Bridge. After the Bath Act of 1925 enabled the corporation to take over Cleveland Bridge from a private company, they resolved to
strengthen it, along with the road through Bathwick, so that heavy vehicles could be routed this way instead of through the city centre. Work at the junction of North Road and Warminster Road started in November 1928. North Road was closed for a short period, before one lane reopened with two flagmen placed on duty to control traffic. The contrast with the work going on at the same spot today could not be greater – no hard hats, no hi-vis jackets, picks and shovels instead of machines and – perhaps most striking – no barriers to protect the workforce and to keep people out.
The work also involved the closure of Beckford Road to through traffic, with a diversion via Sydney Place (something that would not be possible today, as Sydney Place has been closed to through traffic as part of a Low Traffic Neighbourhood Scheme). The ‘by-pass’ opened on 20th June 1929, when Cleveland Bridge was made free of tolls. Initially, it was declared a success, with heavy commercial vehicles no longer having to travel through the city centre. It was not long, however, before complaints started pouring in. Not only were the residents of Bathwick Street unhappy about the constant flow
of traffic, but trade in the city centre was suffering, as motorists who had previously been tempted to stop and spend money in the city were now speeding past without stopping. That old refrain – ‘you can’t please all the people all the time’ – was as true back then as it is today. The view seen here is unrecognisable today, for this junction was remodelled again around 1970, when the house on the left – North Lodge – was demolished and North Road rerouted through the site. The area where work is seen going on here is now a grassy plot, planted with shrubs and mature trees.
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Congratulations to Elizabeth Wilkie for winning £20 in Issue 139! You can find the answers to our last crossword on page 24.
Don’t miss your chance to win £20! Across 1 John Grisham best seller (3,4) 5 Spanish city at the foot of the Sierra Nevada (7) 9 Renaissance master (7) 10 Doubter (7) 11 Alike (2,1,5) 12 Quest (6) 13 Oversize jib (5) 14 Mass-transit option (5,4) 18 Name on an envelope (9) 19 Astringent shrub used for tanning and dyeing (5) 20 Few and far between (6) 23 Post-war Essex new town (8) 26 Well-behaved (7) 27 Three successive lines of verse (7) 28 No longer eruptive (7) 29 Giant sequoia (7)
Down 1 Horsepower booster (5) 2 Spelled out (9) 3 Lifeless (9) 4 Minute particles (9) 5 Spout profusely (4) 6 “Skyfall” singer (5) 7 Communion table (5) 8 Boozy (9) 13 A light portmanteau (9) 15 Targets (4,5) 16 Gave evidence (9) 17 Bony-plated mammal that rolls into a ball (9) 21 Examine the books (5) 22 Seductively beautiful woman (5) 24 Worthy of attention (5) 25 Wen (4)
Entering our competition - via email or post For your chance to win £20, submit your full name, postal address and answers by email to puzzles@bathecho.co.uk or via post to: Crossword Competition 0910 Bath Echo, PO Box 5395, Bath, BA1 0YA The winner will be the first randomly opened entry with the correct answers on 21/10/2026. They will be notified using the details they provide when entering the competition. Winners will be given the option of receiving a High Street shopping voucher or be provided the £20 via a BACS transfer.
P16
Friday 9th October - Thursday 22nd October 2026
www.bathecho.co.uk
Community New lease of life proposed for historic Weston Village building
Wellsway HMO refused over ‘sandwiching’
Becky Feather
Becky Feather
THERE are plans to turn a crumbling historic building in Weston Village into a place of welcome for the whole community. The Old School, also known as the Scout Hut, is on a narrow site between High Street and Church Street. The use of the building pre-dates current planning legislation so the application from Our Club House CIC [Community Interest Company] is asking Bath & North East Somerset Council to confirm that its historical use as a hall or meeting place is lawful. A report with the application says the site started as a village school, with the first building dating from around 1817. The forecourt/ playground was added in 1894 and the second building in 1895 as the school expanded. In March 1965 the building was sold for £1,000 to the Bath & Wells Diocesan Board of Finance and the Parochial Church Council (PCC) of All Saints Weston. It was used by the Scout Association as a Scout Hall under a lease from December 1966. The 66th Bath (Weston Village) Scout Group met there until disbanding. They last used the building in 2020 and the lease was surrendered in 2024. A preschool also ran there for a number of years whilst the building was a
PLANS to convert a three-bed property at Odd Down into a four-bed house in multiple occupation (HMO) for up to seven people have been refused. Bath & North East Somerset Council said the change of use would result in a neighbouring home being ‘sandwiched’ between two HMOs, resulting in unacceptable harm to the occupiers. The application for 519 Wellsway, which is a semi-detached house, included adding a loft extension. The proposal passed the density test as the change of use would result in a 6.25% concentration of HMOs within a 100-metre radius, which falls within the 10% limit. Council officers also said evidence indicates there isn’t typically a significant increase in parking demand from HMOs, and this site is in a sustainable location, with good public transport links. But they rejected the proposed conversion as 523 Wellsway is also shared accommodation so No. 521 would end up sandwiched. The applicant’s agent had argued that 519 and 521 are joined only at their boundary, have different elevations, and No. 521 is at a higher level. They suggested conditions or management measures could be imposed, including restrictions
Reporter
Reporter
The Old School in Weston village
Scout Hall. The report says the building has been unoccupied since it was last used by the Scouts and that during the group’s time there they “failed to undertake major repairs or contribute to the upkeep of the building and the condition of the building is therefore poor”. The building remains under the management of All Saints Weston PCC whilst investigation of essential renovation work and fundraising is considered. The plan is to provide an “openhouse welcome” for everyone, to stage events and activities there and to host a permanent presentation on the history of Weston Village. But the building will need to be repaired to make it structurally sound and watertight. Structural repairs needed include permanent propping to the vaults
under Church Street which are cracking. The decayed floor in the 1817 building will need to be repaired and repairs are also needed to the floor of the 1895 building. Some roof repairs are required as well as repairs to walls, doors and windows and internal spaces, along with thermal improvements, and new electrical and heating installations. The existing WCs will also need to be upgraded, including the addition of an accessible toilet. There are also plans to create a café and seating space in the 1817 building with a kitchen and café counter, and to use the open space in the 1895 building as a multi-function space. Consultation on the application for a certificate of lawfulness runs until 5th November. The planning reference is 26/03715/CLEU.
An HMO bedroom | Library image
on unreasonable external social activity, particularly at night. In their report council planners said that whilst the sandwiching does not relate to a terrace, where the impacts might be more significant, harmful impacts are a particular issue where properties have driveways and back gardens which adjoin or are in close proximity to each other. “The two properties also share a common boundary. Officers have also taken into consideration that the other HMO is attached to the residential property, and will therefore share a party wall, boundary, driveway and garden spaces.” The report added: “The application site’s rear garden is angled towards No. 521, increasing the potential for noise, disturbance and activity associated with HMO occupation to be focused towards and experienced by the neighbouring property.”
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Nominations open for Bath and North East Somerset awards RESIDENTS are being encouraged to nominate the people, organisations and animals making a difference across Bath and North East Somerset as the area’s annual Community Awards return. Nominations opened on 24th September for the 2026/27 awards, which celebrate volunteers, charities and community organisations supporting people across the district. Now in their 17th year, the awards recognise those who promote equality, encourage others to get involved and provide exceptional support within their communities. Two new categories have been introduced this year, including Support Animal of the Year for animals working through community organisations and a Chair’s Special Lifetime Achievement Award recognising long-term contributions. The full list of categories is:
• The Beryl Dixon Community Leader of the Year Award, recognising leadership which advances equality • The Jenny Willson Volunteer of the Year Award, for volunteers who also inspire others • The Sara Banks Young Volunteer of the Year Award, for an exceptional person aged up to 25 • The Peter Duppa-Miller Parish Award, recognising the contribution of parishes • Charity of the Year Award, for outstanding services supporting residents • Support Animal of the Year Award, for an animal providing exceptional support through a community organisation • Chair’s Special Lifetime Achievement Award, for an individual or group which has spent many years improving people’s lives The Charity of the Year and Support Animal of the Year categories will both be decided
through a public vote. Councillor Shaun StephensonMcGall, chair of Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “Every community has people who quietly make an extraordinary difference to the people around them and make Bath and North East Somerset a better place to live. We need you to tell us about them. “This year the new Special Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates people whose dedication has made a lasting difference. “We’re also delighted to launch the Support Animal of the Year category to recognise incredible animals that improve lives. I can’t wait to see your nominations come in for all the categories.” The awards are supported by the B&NES Third Sector Group (3SG), B&NES Avon Local Council Association, Black and Ethnic Minority Senior Citizens Association, Everyone Health and the Student Community
Launching the awards | Photo © B&NES Council
Partnership. Becky Somerset, chief executive officer at 3SG, said: “The strength of our communities is built on the commitment, compassion and energy of local people and organisations who go above and beyond to make a difference. “The Community Awards are an opportunity to celebrate those achievements, recognise unsung heroes, and inspire others to get involved. “As a champion of the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector, 3SG is delighted
to support these awards and help showcase the incredible impact happening across our area every day.” Nominations can be submitted until midnight on 29th November through the council website. Paper forms can also be requested from the council’s Community Engagement Team by emailing connecting_communities@ bathnes.gov.uk or calling 01225 396975. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on 22nd February 2027.
Issue 140
P17
Your City, Your News - Bath Echo
Latest plans submitted for Bath Overnight closures for Western Riverside development site ground investigations John Wimperis
Local Democracy Reporter
PLANS for one of Bath’s most significant council-led brownfield developments have been overhauled to see more homes delivered – although affordable housing will now depend on “external funding”. Last month, Bath & North East Somerset Council withdrew its planning application to build 351 homes as part of the Bath Western Riverside development on the city’s former gasworks. Now a new planning application has been submitted jointly by the council and St William Homes, part of the Berkeley Group which owns most of the site. The new plan will increase the number of homes to be delivered to 402, but no longer includes affordable housing due to the cost of the project. The application said: “B&NES will be seeking external funding to seek to deliver up to 30% affordable housing.” Council cabinet member for housing Councillor Matt McCabe said: “The revised delivery approach allows the council to
Final dates for the work are still to be agreed
How the development could look | Image © B&NES Council / The Berkeley Group
work more closely with Berkeley, which owns the majority of the Bath Western Riverside Phase 2 site, to bring forward development more efficiently and deliver a higher proportion of affordable housing than would have been achieved under the previous proposals. “The council remains focused on its long-standing ambition to secure around 30% affordable housing across the wider site, helping more local people access homes they can afford.” The Bath Western Riverside is one of the city’s largest brownfield sites. It is located across the Lower Bristol Road from the Bath Press and just across the river from the long-vacant site next
to Windsor Bridge on the Upper Bristol Road. It is an area of Bath that is seeing a huge amount of development and is expected to deliver a large proportion of the homes to be built in Bath over the next 18 years. The original height of the previously planned eight-storey block in the original application had sparked concerns. It will now be replaced by two back-to-back terraces of apartments which will be six storeys high, nine metres lower than the initial plan. Affordable housing is expected to be located in three smaller blocks just south of it, if the funding is secured.
Becky Feather Reporter
BATH and North East Somerset Council has announced temporary road closures in Bath for drainage and ground investigation surveys to be carried out. There are anticipated timescales, but final dates are still be agreed under the order, which will see overnight closures of the B3110 Midford Road and A367 Wellsway to vehicles, cyclists and horse riders, and parking suspended between 8pm and 6am. Midford Road is due to be closed from the junction with the A367 Wellsway eastwards for 60 metres
for two nights between 2nd and 5th November. For two nights between 11th and 13th November, Wellsway northbound will be closed from 80 metres south of Hatfield Road up to that junction. Between 16th and 18th November, the southbound carriageway of Wellsway will be closed for two nights from the Hatfield Road junction, extending south for 80 metres. The roads will only be restricted when traffic signs are in place. Diversions will be signposted.
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P18
Friday 9th October - Thursday 22nd October 2026
www.bathecho.co.uk
Health RUH urges people to record organ donation wishes amid new figures PEOPLE are being urged to formally record their organ donation wishes after new figures showed hundreds of potential donations did not go ahead because families were unsure what their loved one wanted. The Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust supported the call during Organ Donation Week, which took place at the end of September. Figures released by NHS Blood and Transplant show that between April 2021 and March 2026, more than 700 potential organ donations did not proceed because families did not know for certain what decision their relative had made. The missed donations are estimated to have resulted in around 2,127 lost opportunities for transplant. The UK transplant waiting list has meanwhile reached a record level, with more than 8,700 people waiting for a lifesaving transplant. Nine people die each week while waiting. Alison Ryan, chair of the RUH Organ & Tissue Donation Committee, said: “Confirming your decision to donate on the NHS Organ Donor Register makes it clear to your family that you want to be an organ donor, leaving them certain of your decision at what is a difficult and emotional time. “My late husband was given an additional 18 years of life because of the generosity of an organ donation so I know first-
Free event to help families find SEND support and advice
The main entrance of the Royal United Hospital in Bath | Photo © RUH
hand the real difference it makes and the deep feelings of gratitude and respect for the donor which remains with the recipients’ families forever. “So please, if you’ve yet to register your decision, do it today. It takes just two minutes on the NHS Organ Donation website and by doing so you could potentially save up to nine lives.” The RUH also works with NHS Blood and Transplant, Tissue and Eye Services to make discussions about tissue donation part of end-of-life care. This gives families the opportunity to consider tissue donation, with one donor potentially able to help up to 50 people through healing, restoring sight or relieving pain. Anthony Clarkson, director of organ donation and transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “There is a simple action the public can take
to help save lives. Please sign the NHS Organ Donor Register. “Most of us would accept an organ if we needed one but opportunities to save lives are being lost because families didn’t know what their loved ones wanted. Leave them certain.” The NHS Organ Donor Register was created in 1994 and has since helped enable thousands of organ donations. Current law means people who have not opted out can be considered for organ donation after their death. However, families are still asked for their consent and NHSBT says they are more likely to agree when their loved one has formally recorded a decision to donate. People can register, check or change their decision through the NHS Organ Donor Register, by calling 0300 123 23 23 or through the NHS App.
PARENTS and carers will be able to meet organisations offering support to children and young people at a free event in Bath later this month. The Family Support and Inclusion Day will take place at the Apex City of Bath Hotel on Wednesday 14th October, bringing together more than 30 organisations from education, health, social care and the voluntary and community sectors. Families do not need to have a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities diagnosis, an Education, Health and Care Plan or a referral to attend. The event is open both to families already receiving support and those who are beginning to consider whether their child may need additional help. It has been organised by Bath & North East Somerset Council in partnership with the Parent Carer Forum, LiveWell and SENDIAS Bathnes. Organisations attending will include Bath Rugby, the RUH, Twerton & Whiteway Organisation, Specialist Autism Support Service, Off the Record and educational psychologists. There will also be free workshops, presentations and listening sessions throughout the day, offering families practical information and opportunities to discuss their experiences. Councillor Paul May, cabinet member for children’s services,
said: “We know it is not always easy for families to find the right information or know who to ask for help. “This free event brings many local services together in one place, so parents and carers can ask questions, meet the people who may be able to support them and find out what help is available. “You do not need a diagnosis or a referral to come along. “Whether you need advice now or simply want to learn more, you will receive a warm welcome. “We also want to listen. Families know what works well and what needs to change. What they tell us will help shape clearer communication and future SEND support across Bath and North East Somerset.” Feedback gathered during the event will be used to help improve SEND support and communication across the area. The Family Support and Inclusion Day will run from 9.30am until 7pm at the Apex City of Bath Hotel in James Street. Bath & North East Somerset Council’s chief executive Sophie Broadfield and Councillor May will formally open the event with a short speech at 10.30am. Free tea, coffee and cakes will be available throughout the day, and families can either book in advance through the B&NES Parent Carer Forum (https:// bathecho.uk/4AUqLvh) or simply turn up.
Mayor visits group supporting secondary breast cancer patients THE Mayor of Bath has visited a local support group for people living with incurable secondary breast cancer ahead of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Councillor Ruth Malloy, the 799th Mayor of Bath, attended a monthly Tea & Chat session run by the UK-wide charity Make 2nds Count at The Bear Inn. The charity supports patients and families affected by secondary, or metastatic, breast cancer, including through peer support groups which give people an opportunity to meet others with shared experiences. Councillor Malloy said: “I felt both honoured and humbled to spend time with the group, to hear all the personal stories of living with secondary breast cancer, and to experience the support the members of the group offer one another. Thank you for making me feel so welcome.” The visit comes ahead of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which
runs throughout October. Make 2nds Count’s Bath Tea & Chat group is hosted by community ambassadors Carol and Sue and provides a relaxed environment for people living with secondary breast cancer to share experiences, advice and friendship. Sam Dixon, chief executive of Make 2nds Count, said: “We were delighted The Right Worshipful The Mayor of Bath (Councillor Ruth Malloy) chose to visit our Tea & Chat group in Bath. Our groups bring people living with secondary (metastatic) breast cancer together to share experiences, knowledge and friendship. They offer a safe, welcoming space where people can feel understood, supported and less alone - an integral part of our support programme. “This Breast Cancer Awareness Month our My Life, My Way campaign gives our community the opportunity to define what
The Mayor of Bath with co-hosts Sue and Carol
living well means to them. We want to challenge assumptions, increase understanding and show that there is no single way to navigate life with this disease. “We’re incredibly grateful to our Community Ambassadors, Carol and Sue, who host our Bath Tea
& Chat group and provide this vital lifeline of support for people living with secondary breast cancer in the area, and to The Bear Inn, who very generously sponsored refreshments on the day of the Mayoral visit.” The Bear Inn hosts the group
each month and provided refreshments during the mayoral visit. Joe from The Bear Inn said: “As a community-driven pub, we’re extremely proud to be the venue for this vital support group every month. We were delighted to provide the refreshments on this occasion for the Madam Mayor (Ruth Malloy)’s visit, as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. “It’s a wonderful thing to host M2C in our pub, and we plan to continue supporting the charity however we can.” People living with secondary breast cancer in the Bath area can register their interest in joining the Tea & Chat group by contacting support@make2ndscount.co.uk. Make 2nds Count is also running its My Life, My Way campaign during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, giving people affected by the disease an opportunity to share what living well means to them.
Issue 140
P19
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Plans submitted to turn three Bath office buildings into student halls Becky Feather Reporter
THERE are plans to convert three office buildings on Lower Bristol Road in Bath into student halls of residence. Some office accommodation would also be retained on the ground floor of two of the Bath and West Buildings. The two 20th-century buildings at the front – one three-storey and one two-storey – are brick, stone and glass. The three-storey block at the rear of the site is brick, aluminium and glass and built earlier this century. Somer Homes Ltd, a provider of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), is behind the plans to convert the upper floors of all three buildings to create a total of 29 student flats. Limited external alterations, including some replacement windows, are planned. The buildings at the front of the site would keep office space on the ground floor, with student amenity areas on that level too. Sixteen flats are proposed over the first and second floors of the three-storey block and three on the first floor of the two-storey
The former Bath and West buildings
building. In the building at the rear,10 flats are proposed over the first and second floors. At ground-floor level there would be a 40-space cycle store for the PBSA, along with plant and laundry areas. Car parking would be retained on the site but for office use only. No changes are proposed to the access. A statement from planning consultants says the development is in a highly sustainable location and in keeping with the character and appearance of the area. It says the change of use would not cause harm to people living nearby. It adds that planning permission
£4.5m price tag on former Royal High site
was recently granted at Berkeley House to the west of the site for the conversion and change of use of existing building from offices to student accommodation including a mix of cluster flats, studio units and communal amenity space. This establishes the principle of the change of use of offices to PBSA in the immediate vicinity. In addition, planning permission has been granted at Beazer House to the east of the site for a 152-bedroom Premier Inn following the demolition of the old Stothert & Pitt office block. The planning reference is 26/03567/FUL. Consultation ends on 16th October.
Reporter
THE Royal High School Bath has put its former nursery and prep school site in Weston on the market with a price tag of £4.5 million. The Royal High, part of the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST), announced in January that provision for pupils from nursery age to Year 4 would cease at the end of the summer term in July. The Royal High said rising costs imposed by the government, including the VAT now levied on independent school fees, were a contributory factor in its decision to close the nursery and preschool, and that its cost base had risen faster than pupil numbers. As of this academic year, pupils
starting from Year 5 are based at the Royal High’s Lansdown campus where there is a middle school, senior school and sixth form. The Grade II listed former nursery and preparatory school at Weston, which includes Cranwell House and purposebuilt classroom accommodation, extends to approximately 21,524 sq ft, set in 11 acres of grounds. Agents Knight Frank say it is wellsuited to continued educational or institutional use, adding: “The scale and configuration of the site also provide potential for alternative uses, subject to planning and listed building consent.”
A BATH College engineering apprentice has won a bronze medal after representing the UK at the WorldSkills Shanghai Final 2026. Oliver Coombs was one of 28 young professionals selected for the UK team and competed in Additive Manufacturing on the international stage. The competition involved skills including 3D printing, scanning and rapid prototyping, with competitors demonstrating their abilities in front of thousands of people. WorldSkills brings together young professionals from different countries and is recognised internationally as a benchmark for skills excellence. Oliver said: “Competing at WorldSkills Shanghai was a great challenge and a real test of working under pressure. Designing 3D parts within a set timeframe forced me to streamline my workflow and troubleshoot on the fly. “Winning bronze made all the hard work and preparation worth it. And the experience has given me a lot of confidence in my technical skills and career prospects.” His success follows more than two years of involvement with the
WorldSkills competition. Eric Masuku, a mechanical engineering lecturer at Bath College, said: “Oliver has been on an amazing journey with the WorldSkills competition since March 2024. “He has competed online and in Manchester, where he won the gold medal in the UK competition. “Throughout his journey, he has embraced the challenge and worked hard to master new techniques while building valuable contacts in the industry. Above all, he has shown resilience, commitment and enthusiasm for additive manufacturing. “He thoroughly deserves the bronze medal. I congratulate him on embracing the challenge and running with it. “The college is proud of his achievement. “I thank him for his dedication throughout this journey.” Oliver’s employer, BIMTek, has also supported his practical training and workplace development during his apprenticeship. Bath College said the company’s investment in local apprenticeships is helping to develop the next generation of engineers in the South West.
‘Magical’ nursery wins praise from inspector after Ofsted inspection Becky Feather
The former Royal High Prep School at Weston Park East
College apprentice wins bronze medal
A BATH nursery has received a positive Ofsted report following a recent inspection. The report on Snapdragons at Grosvenor Place has been published this week. Snapdragons, which has 70 places, is said to be of a strong standard for leadership and governance; children’s welfare; and inclusion. It is of the expected standard for achievement; behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines; and curriculum and teaching. The safeguarding standards are met. The inspector who visited on 3rd September says children arrive at the “warm and welcoming nursery”, eager to learn and engage in the wide range of opportunities available to them. “They develop secure relationships with caring staff who know them exceptionally well and understand their individual personalities, interests and needs. Children feel safe,
valued and included, and staff listen and respond with kindness and celebrate their achievements.” The report says that children form positive relationships and engage confidently with others. They behave well, show positive attitudes to learning and demonstrate increasing levels of independence. They make progress from their individual starting points and achieve well across all areas of learning. Children also benefit from regular forest school experiences where they explore nature, take risks and develop their confidence and curiosity outdoors. Parents speak highly of the nursery and describe it as a “magical” place where children are clearly at the centre of everything that staff do. The inspector says leaders have a clear vision for providing high-quality care and education that benefits all children. “They are ambitious for children and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where every child can thrive.”
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They place a high focus on staff wellbeing and recognise the important role this plays in achieving positive outcomes for children. Looking ahead, the inspector says leaders should ensure that staff consistently build on children’s learning, providing meaningful opportunities that help them make the progress they are capable of. They should also ensure that staff adapt activities effectively to maintain children’s interest and engagement, supporting them all to participate in learning. The nursery is part of a chain with another in Bath, one in Keynsham and several in Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.
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Friday 9th October - Thursday 22nd October 2026
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Business
Legal Expert
Travel firm Groupia rescued from administration BATH-BASED tour operator Groupia, which fell into administration in June after trading for 24 years, has been revived following an acquisition by Funktion Leisure. All of Groupia’s brands – including leading stag and hen specialists StagWeb and GoHen – are back online and taking bookings under the new ownership by the Cheshire-based firm. Groupia Ltd, which also included Groupia Golf, Groupia School Trips and Company Away Days, entered administration on 16th June. It ceased taking new bookings and arrangements were put in place with the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust to support customers with existing bookings. Funktion Leisure, the company behind Funktion Events, has retained a third of Groupia’s staff. Managing director Jay Broughton said: “We acquired GoHen and
Photo © Funktion Leisure
StagWeb out of administration because they’re two of the strongest names in UK hen and stag travel, with more than 750,000 customers between them since 2002. “Both are back open and taking bookings, and early demand
Dental practice set to create extra surgeries Becky Feather Reporter
A DENTAL practice is planning to expand to help tackle the shortage of NHS dentists in the Bath area. Bath & North East Somerset Council has received a planning application from Chelsea Road Dental Practice in Newbridge. The proposal seeks the permanent change of use of the two-bed flat on the first and second floors above the established dental practice on the ground floor. The proposal would see two additional dental surgeries on the first floor, increasing the number from three to five. It would also provide dedicated supporting accommodation on the second floor, relieving pressure on the ground-floor accommodation. The practice currently has around 8,506 registered patients
and receives daily enquiries from prospective patients seeking to register for NHS dental treatment, which it is presently has to refuse due to the shortage of available surgery space. The practice currently employs one full-time manager, two full-time and two part-time dentists, a full-time dental therapist/hygienist, two full-time receptionists, three full-time dental nurses and a part-time dental nurse. If the expansion is approved, a further full-time dentist would be recruited along with a fulltime dental nurse and part-time receptionist. The application acknowledges the loss of a two-bed flat from the local housing stock but says that against that harm are substantial social and economic benefits. Consultation on the plans closes on 5th November. The planning reference is 26/03587/FUL.
since the relaunch has been really encouraging, which tells us the appetite for these brands never went away. “Our focus now is stability: looking after customers, delivering the experience people expect from GoHen and StagWeb,
and building on it under an established, ABTA-bonded events group.” ABTA is the operating name of the Association of British Travel Agents and is the UK’s largest travel association. Funktion Events has been running group events since 2007, arranging more than 55,000 hen parties and 12,000 stag weekends, alongside thousands of corporate and team-building events. A statement on the company’s website says: “Good news: Groupia and its brands are now part of Funktion Leisure Ltd, and bookings are open again right across the group. “For now, it is business as usual, with every brand live and taking bookings. Over the coming months we will be investing in the sites and the service, keeping what customers already value and improving the rest. We will share more as those plans take shape.”
Plans to convert offices into eight-bed HMO THERE are plans to convert an office building in the city centre into an eight-bed house in multiple occupation (HMO). The proposals are for 18 Monmouth Place which is 18th century and Grade II listed. Three bathrooms are proposed along with a communal living room and a separate kitchen/ diner, as well as a separate utility room. There is no car parking at the property but the plans include storage for eight bikes. There will also be a separate bin store. The application says the property has been marketed since January 2024 as an office with no interest. As part of the proposed conversion, both the ground floor and first floor will be utilised as well as the mezzanine level. New partition walls and doors will be required to enable the building to be suitably reconfigured. No external alterations are proposed to the façade, but
The property is Grade II listed
the development does seek the removal and replacement of two rear windows. The application says the proposals will not result in any property being ‘sandwiched’ by HMOs. Records show that within a 100-metre radius, a total of eight properties are licensed HMOs which is a density of 4.5%, under the 10% threshold. The site is said to be a “very sustainable location” with the nearest bus stop 55 metres away. The planning reference is 26/03385/FUL and consultation ends on 22nd October.
Family mediators ready for autumn surge in separating parents Family mediation expert, Sarah Jackson, Solicitor at Battens Solicitors in Bath, is preparing for a rise in enquiries from separating parents with children now back to school following the summer holidays. The reality behind holiday snapshots is often very different. Six weeks of disrupted routines, extra childcare, and constant togetherness can bring long-standing tensions to a head. By September, one or both partners have often quietly made up their mind. A daunting list of decisions Separating parents can feel overwhelmed by how much needs deciding at once, suddenly you’re asking who keeps the house, how you’ll manage money day-to-day, and what happens to joint debts or pensions - all while trying to keep things stable for the kids. Common questions parents bring to mediation include: • How do we divide time with the children fairly? • How do we separate our finances? • Who stays in the family home? • What happens to shared debts and pensions? Why mediation, not court Family mediation can give separating parents a calmer, faster route through these decisions. A trained, independent mediator helps both parents work out arrangements for children, property and finances: together, rather than having a judge decide for them. It puts you back in control at a time that can otherwise feel completely out of your hands. It’s also usually far quicker and less costly than going through the courts, without the added stress and delay. Next steps Anyone wanting to know more about family mediation services at Battens Solicitor can visit battens.co.uk or call 01225 562581.
01225 562581 www.battens.co.uk hello@battens.co.uk 7 Gay Street, Bath, BA1 2PH
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Issue 140
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Your City, Your News - Bath Echo
Politics
Planning Round-up New four-bed home at Lansdown is approved
Confidence motion in Wessex Water thrown out John Wimperis
Local Democracy Reporter
A PROPOSED “no confidence motion” in Wessex Water has been thrown out before councillors could vote on it. Green councillors in Bath and North East Somerset had tabled a motion to declare there was “no confidence” in the water company due to its spilling of untreated sewage. Councillors were due to vote on it at a full council meeting on 17th September but were instead told that it had been ruled out by chair of the council Councillor Shaun Stephenson-McGall (Timsbury, Liberal Democrat) for breaching the council’s “six-month rule”. The night before the meeting, Councillor Stephenson-McGall had attended a 20th anniversary event at Bath’s Thermae Spa as chair of the council. It was hosted by Colin Skellett, the former CEO of Wessex Water and the group chief executive of YTL UK, which owns the water company. The Liberal Democrats said the decision to exclude the motion had been made days before on the advice of the council’s monitoring officer. Asked if it was connected to the event, a Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: “That is absolutely not the case.” The council’s “six-month rule” prevents the council from voting on the same issue twice within six months. The Green motion was judged to be too similar to a Liberal Democrat motion in July which saw the council adopt a charter to recognise the “rights” of the River Avon. That motion focused more on the council’s own actions around the River Avon, while the Green motion focused more on calling on the government to nationalise water companies. Both motions
Plans to build a four-bed property in the grounds of an existing house at Lansdown have been approved. A new vehicle entrance is proposed onto Lansdown Park for the new house at No. 28. The plot is on the corner with Lansdown Road. The scheme will see the loss of two trees and a hedge, but six replacement trees are planned. Bath & North East Somerset Council received seven letters of objection to the plans, with concerns which included the size of the proposed property, overlooking, parking and visibility. But council planners said they were satisfied with the proposals and granted permission last week.
Plans for eight houses in Midsomer Norton The Guildhall in Bath
called for Wessex Water bosses to be made to meet with the council. Green group leader Joanna Wright (Lambridge) said: “We went through due process. We were told it was fine. It was put on the agenda. “Then suddenly we got an email … that it had broken the sixmonth rule.” She said that the late decision meant that they were unable to propose another motion for the council to vote on, and that she had not been offered an apology. Councillor Wright raised complaints about the monitoring officer’s decision at several points in the meeting but was told not to raise concerns about individual officers. A small protest in support of the Green motion took place outside the meeting. Addressing the council as a public speaker, supporter Benazir Jatoi said she was disappointed the no confidence vote was not going ahead and called it “a failure of the senior executive team to manage the agenda process”. She said: “Despite this, I am keen on addressing the issue of water,
particularly after hearing that Wessex Water recently approved an £80k pay rise for their CEO. “This has taken place all the while the Environment Agency’s 2025 figures show over 190,000 hours of sewage discharge in local waterways where Wessex is responsible.” Storm overflows discharge rainwater and untreated sewage directly into rivers and seas, nominally to prevent pipes backing up during extreme demand. Wessex Water is responsible for treating sewage across Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset, and the Bristol area, and for supplying water to most of that area too. The motion which was pulled would have stated: “The sewage crisis continues to be a national scandal. Successive governments have failed to take any meaningful action to stop it and have allowed it to get worse.” Cornwall Council passed a no confidence motion in South West Water in July over its “grave failure” to manage the county’s sewers. About 60 of Cornwall’s town and parish councils
supported the cross-party Dowr Glan campaign, Cornish for “clean water”. Sewage was discharged directly at some of the most popular Cornish beaches by South West Water. A statement on Wessex Water’s website about storm overflows states: “Storm overflows have always been part of the sewerage network in the UK and while they have little impact on water quality, they are clearly not appropriate for the 21st century. “To eliminate all overflows immediately would bring huge disruption to our communities as well as a significant increase in water bills, forcing us to dig up huge numbers of roads at once and costing hundreds of millions of pounds. “That’s why we’ve committed to eliminating harm from the discharge of untreated sewage, targeting storm overflows that discharge most frequently and those that have any environmental impact. “Over the next five years, we’re spending £8.5 million a month on overflow improvement schemes.”
There are plans to demolish a pair of 1960s bungalows in Midsomer Norton and build eight houses on the site. The planning application relates to 5 and 7 Charton Road. The properties are said to be “structurally un-sound”. Seven new homes would be built for the open market and there would be one self-build. The houses would all have four bedrooms. The site is said to be very sustainable. The access and parking area is proposed as a privately maintained road.
Work to repair damaged Georgian columns Thermae Development Company Ltd has been granted permission to carry out work on seven historic columns at the Grade II* listed Old Royal Baths complex in the city centre. In May 2025 B&NES Council approved detailed repair work to a Georgian column at the Thermae Bath Spa after it was severely damaged by a lorry. Now there are proposals to repair and restore the seven other exterior columns where damage over the years is said to have been “unsympathetically repaired”.
COLUMN | Councillor Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council
I
N September, the government announced that regional mayors will be given powers to introduce overnight visitor levies. B&NES has been at the forefront of making the case for a tourism tax, and we welcome this news. It’s our view that income raised from visitors must be invested in the places where it is generated. We all recognise that tourism brings enormous benefits to our economy. It also brings huge pressures on our local infrastructure and services. It’s only fair that any funds raised
should be used to help maintain and improve the public realm and to provide services that benefit tourists and residents alike. For example, a tourist tax could help fund more public toilets, which is a clear need for our city. I’m also clear that any scheme must be designed in partnership with the hospitality and tourism industry. It must be straightforward to administer and set at a level that raises meaningful funds for local investment without discouraging visitors. Millions of people already pay similar levies in destinations
around the world, and if done properly this can help us maintain Bath and North East Somerset as a world-class destination while supporting the communities that make it such a special place to visit. I now turn to a less welcome change introduced by government. October sees a new set of planning rules coming into force, which will mean councillors no longer have the power to “call in” applications to be heard in public at the planning committee and most planning decisions will be delegated to officers.
This is going to be a huge change to councillors’ role. Residents and councillors will still be able to comment on planning applications (for or against) via the council planning portal. However, this is a disgraceful curtailment of local democracy and transparency. Also on planning, I would like to remind readers of the council’s Draft Local Plan consultation. This is a crucial policy document to help designate land across our district for housing, employment,
infrastructure and other key uses. The government has imposed high housing targets, but we’ve also included helpful policy proposals such as new controls on HMOs in Bath. The consultation is live at https:// haveyoursay.bathnes.gov.uk/ until Friday 30th October. As a final thought: the government talks a lot about devolution. In my view, true devolution should include giving local communities meaningful control over their future and over funding for vital services.
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Friday 9th October - Thursday 22nd October 2026
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Bath exact revenge for play-off loss after unwanted déjà vu Richard Briggs Reporter
THERE was a sense of déjà vu at The Rec when Bath Rugby led Exeter Chiefs 26-10 at half-time in their Gallagher PREM match on Friday 2nd October and then found themselves behind. Would there be a repeat of events from Saturday 13th June, when the Devonians faced the same deficit at the interval on the same ground but hit back for victory? Fortunately for the hosts, no. Although Exeter opened up a 31-26 advantage in last week’s fixture, Bath recovered to record a deserved 40-34 success – their second win of the league campaign and revenge for that 27-26 reverse in last term’s playoffs three-and-a-half months earlier. The Round 2 game was a cracker – as seems to be the norm for recent Bath versus Chiefs tussles in Somerset. The hosts took a 12th-minute lead. Fifteen metres inside the hosts’ half, Cameron Redpath intercepted a pass from Exeter’s Harvey Skinner, charged up the right wing and cut in for a try. Finn Russell converted. Bath added their second try in the 19th minute, Bernard van der Linde picking up the ball in
a central position 25 metres out, dummying beautifully and going over just beyond the left post. Russell booted the extras. The Chiefs got on to the scoreboard in the 25th minute. Olly Woodburn offloaded to Immanuel Feyi-Waboso 20 metres out on the left. Great work by Feyi-Waboso saw him evade two tackles before he was brought down by Redpath and Tom Dunn three metres short of the try-line. But Stephen Varney grabbed the ball and bulldozed over. Henry Slade sent his conversion kick wide of the right post. Bath struck again in the 31st minute, Dan du Preez going over from close range on the left following a superb break by Ewan Richards and van der Linde. Russell failed from the tee. Exeter’s Jack Yeandle scored off a rolling maul on the right in the 34th minute, Slade missing the conversion. But with the clock in the red before the interval, Russell ran in from 15 metres to the left of the posts, dummying in the process. His conversion, the last act of the first half, handed the Blue, Black & White a 16-point lead. However, just as in June, the Chiefs turned the match on its head. This time they scored three unanswered tries in the first 15
Bath Rugby and Exeter Chiefs served up a fabulous Gallagher PREM match here at The Rec on Friday 2nd October, the home side emerging 40-34 winners | Photo © Richard Briggs
minutes of the second period. Josh Iosefa-Scott crossed from short range to the left of the posts in the 46th minute, Slade landing the extra points. Then in the 49th minute, FeyiWaboso surged away on the right, cut in and dived to the turf behind the posts. Slade majored and the guests were only two points adrift. In the 55th minute, centre Will Butt – who joined Exeter from Bath this summer – made 25 metres and released Feyi-Waboso on the home 22 for a try under
the posts to see the lead change hands. Slade converted. Unlike in June, Bath found a way back from the precipice. They were awarded a penalty try in the 62nd minute for a deliberate knock-on by Varney, who was sent to the sin bin by referee Luke Pearce. And in the 69th minute, the Blue, Black & White opened up a ninepoint lead when Ted Hill forced his way over beneath the posts following a rolling maul and Russell obliged from the tee. A 28-metre penalty by Slade from
just to the right of the posts hit the left stick in the 71st minute. But the Chiefs secured a second point that their efforts deserved when, eight minutes later, Skinner slotted over a 40-metre penalty from in front of the posts. Rather than risk their losing bonus point in a chase for victory, with the clock in the red Exeter opted to kick the ball into touch and bring a tremendous game to its end. Bath will visit Northampton Saints in Round 3 on Saturday 10th October.
City Women bounce back for league Team Bath getting win, Devs hit 11, Down get walkover ready to open season Richard Briggs Reporter
BATH City Women bounced back from their humbling by Whitchurch Ladies to beat hosts Wells City Ladies on Sunday 4th October. The Romans chalked up a 2-1 success over the Mendip team at the Athletic Ground, Rowdens Road, in South West Regional Women’s League Division One Central a week after their 4-0 home reverse against Whitchurch. Adella Clarke scored twice in the first half to put Bath in command – and Wells pulled one back right at the end of the game. Bath starting XI: Lucy Clay, Amy Key, Abby Gray, Lara Allan, Tara Taylor, Nell Bloomfield, Adella Clarke, Beth Edwards, Maddy Brown, Rosie Burridge, Brooke Steventon-Smith. The Romans will travel to Portishead Town Ladies Reserves in the league on Sunday 11th October (2pm). Bath City Women Development romped to an 11-0 home win over Weston Mendip Ladies in
the Somerset County Women’s League Cup first round on 4th October. Former Bosnia international Hari Sabic struck four times for the hosts, the Division One side leading 5-0 at the break against visitors from Division Three North. Sabic netted once in the first half, when Esme Fensome, Tanea Wright, Liv Nordfalt and an unfortunate opponent also scored. In the second period, Sabic struck three more goals and there was a second for Fensome plus a single apiece from Georgia Dawson and Oliwia Kozlowska. City will receive fellow Division One team Pen Mill Ladies in the second round on Sunday 1st November. The Yeovil outfit – who were beaten by Bath’s seniors in the Women’s FA Cup in August – will also provide the opposition for the Devs in the league on Sunday 11th October, the match taking place at Peasedown St John Recreation Ground (2pm). Odd Down Women received a walkover into the second round of the Somerset County Women’s
Richard Briggs Reporter
Hari Sabic scored a fantastic four goals for Bath City Women Development as they swamped Weston Mendip Ladies 11-0 on Sunday 4th October | Photo © Simon Howe
League Cup when Wembdon Ladies – their scheduled opponents in the first stage – conceded the 4th October tie. The Bridgwater outfit, from Division Three South, were unable to raise a side to face the Division One members. In the second round, the Down will visit Division Two’s Street Ladies on 1st November. Odd Down are due to travel to Saltford Women, from Gloucestershire County Women’s League Division One, on Sunday 11th October (2pm).
TEAM Bath will begin their 2027 NXT Gen League season at home against AO Thunder on Saturday 13th February. The campaign opener against the North West side will start at 3pm at Team Bath Arena. The game is the first of eight home NXT Gen fixtures for the Blue & Gold during 2027. It will headline a Super Saturday that also sees Team Bath’s U17 and U19 teams face Thunder in the Netball Performance League. Team Bath netball manager Emily Siddy says fan backing will be crucial in 2027 following the launch of Project Phoenix, which is seeking to restore Super League netball to the South West. Siddy, who also serves as Project Phoenix’s franchise operations manager, said: “We’re immensely thankful to everyone who’s supported Team Bath and the NXT Gen programme throughout the past two seasons. “That passion, together with the ongoing support of the University of Bath and our NXT
Gen partners, provides a firm foundation for what comes next. “It’s vital that this backing continues. We need supporters to attend matches, get behind the programme and demonstrate the strength of demand for elite netball across the region.” The first Friday home game will see Team Bath host NIC Leeds Rhinos on 5th March. Welsh side LexisNexis Dragons will visit for the final home fixture, on Saturday 19th June. Season tickets for all eight home fixtures will be available from Friday 9th October. Prices are unchanged from 2026, at £119 or £140 for adults and £84 or £98 for concessions. Anyone purchasing a season ticket before the end of October will receive a complimentary Team Bath gift. Single-match tickets, starting at £17.50 for adults and £12.50 for concessions, will go on sale on Wednesday 14th October. For full ticket information, visit netball.teambath.com/tickets The Blue & Gold will begin their away programme against London Pulse at Score Leisure Centre in Leyton on Saturday 20th February.
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Bath prop Stuart has achieved the incredible, says van Graan Richard Briggs Reporter
JOHANN van Graan says that prop Will Stuart achieved the incredible in terms of his comeback from injury. The British & Irish Lions and England tighthead, 30, suffered a ruptured Achilles during the Investec Champions Cup game against Munster Rugby in December 2025. Stuart made his competitive comeback in Bath’s Gallagher PREM Round 1 success at Harlequins on Friday 25th September. And he followed up by making his Rec return in the Round 2 victory over Exeter Chiefs on Friday 2nd October, turning in a superb display that earned him the Champagne Pol Roger Performance of the Match award. At the Blue, Black & White’s press conference following the 40-34 win over the Devon team, head of rugby van Graan paid tribute to Stuart. “Real credit to him, and our medical, nutrition and physical performance staff,” said van Graan. “I think the biggest thing when this [injury] happened, he said he wants to come back better than he’s ever been. “And if you just look at him, he’s in amazing shape. If you look at his weight and his skin folds, and he’s fit. “For a prop to come back like that, in his position, is actually incredible, and we just spoke in the changing room about that for him. “It’s so satisfying when somebody’s got such a big injury
and to come back in that form. It’s brilliant. “We’ve spoken a lot about Thomas [du Toit], and the player that he was [for Bath during a three-year stint that ended this summer]. “But Stuey [Stuart] played in all three Lions Test matches at the back end of the previous season before he got injured. “It’s great to have him at our club, and he’s obviously a very important player. “That’s why I’m so big on a train journey. You stop at the back end of a season, people get off and other people get on. “Archie Griffin had his struggles with his toe last season. People forget that he got operated on after the [2025-26 PREM] semifinal. “So we kind of have two tightheads now that weren’t at their best because of injuries at the back end of last season, and both are back, and both are in good form. “It’s great to have the class of Stuey back on the field. “Props, once they get close to their 30s and into their 30s, they kind of get to maturity as a prop, and he’s certainly a very important player for us.” Van Graan said that he did not give much thought to Bath’s 2025-26 play-off against Exeter, which the Chiefs won 27-26 after being 26-10 down at half-time – the same interval score as on 2nd October. He said: “I didn’t think about that too much, to be honest. “The only time I gave attention to it was just before half-time when it was 26-10 and I was like ‘Oh, that’s the same as the semi-final’. “I think we started this game
really well, couldn’t convert in the corner off the cross kick from Finn [Russell] to Joe [Cokanasiga]. “They counter-punched but we defended our line really well. “I thought we had a lot of control in the first half. “Very satisfying two weeks in a row to score just before half-time, or on the stroke of half-time, for the bonus point. “Credit to them, minutes 40 to 50. They came out fighting. “I think our impacts, 16 to 23, made a really, really big impact together. “Jaco Coetzee’s not played for the bulk of two seasons now, and great to have him back in that number 23 jersey. He together with all the other impacts make a big difference. “Ultimately, Ted Hill’s try put daylight in, and they came back a few times. “But we kept it to nine points, and then six points with the final play of the game. “But we would’ve signed for 10 points after two rounds. “Finn is one of the best players in the world and one of the best 10s in the world. “I thought he had a very good game. And that’s why we like him at our club. “I think his decision making is above most players in the world of rugby. I thought that came through tonight.” Regarding his team’s efforts during Exeter’s recovery, van Graan said: “I thought a few offside penalties, overeagerness, I can think of one or two where we kind of jumped the gun. “But we kept our cool and we stayed in control of the game. “A few work-ons for us. I think after scoring points, how we exit
Bath Rugby prop Will Stuart played here at The Rec for the first time since 2025 when he made a superb performance in the Gallagher PREM clash with Exeter Chiefs on Friday 2nd October | Photo © Richard Briggs
from kick-offs. They got three entries from that. “They’re a good side, well coached, and they played in the final last year. So very satisfying to come away with the five points.” However, Bath suffered a few knocks. “Cam [Cameron Redpath] took that shot to the jaw, next to the post,” said van Graan. “Tom de Glanville struggled through that first half. Obviously we took him off and he came back on, and he soldiered on. “Got worried about Joe coming back on for the second half, but he played the full 80. “Bernie [Bernard van der Linde] got a cut on his leg. “But we pulled through and managed to get through the game with 15 players on the pitch.” Van Graan said that Bath learned from their play-off loss to the Chiefs. He said: “If you look at the previous three years, we’re in first or second in the log for three years in a row, we have three home semi-finals.
“I think what we did well is we kind of put that game [the playoff defeat] in a box and took our learnings from that game. “And I think the major moment is we had an opportunity off the last blow of the game off the 40 phases to win it. “If you look at some of our tries tonight, Exeter became very, very tight, and we actually used that. So you’ve got to learn out of every single game. “I think the biggest thing I’ve learned through my time as a coach is you’ve got to make sure that you’re in a semi-final first. “There are 16 rounds to go for us. We’ve got 10 out of 10 points, and hopefully we’re good enough through the next 16 rounds – but that’s only at the back end of May that we’ll know. So get into a semi first, and then you’ve got to perform on the day – and we lost the game by one point. “We’ve got loads of hard work ahead of us, and there’ll be loads of ebbs and flows for all 10 teams in this PREM. Let’s see where we are at the back end of May.”
Pepper: 10 points gained but Bath are nowhere near their best Richard Briggs Reporter
GUY Pepper says that Bath Rugby are nowhere near the finished article, despite recording two impressive victories from two outings in the Gallagher PREM this season. The Blue, Black & White opened their campaign by winning 33-17 at Harlequins. And they followed up by beating Exeter Chiefs – who reached the final last term by beating Johann van Graan’s team in the play-offs – 40-34 at The Rec in Round 2 on Friday 2nd October. At Bath’s post-match press conference, back row Pepper said: “It’d be naive of us not to look back at Exeter coming to our place last year and putting our dream to an end. “So it was definitely that in the
Bath Rugby made it two bonus-point wins from two Gallagher PREM matches this season by beating Exeter Chiefs on Friday 2nd October | Photo © Richard Briggs
back of our heads. “I think we’re a team that always looks at ourselves and we stick to
our process. “Going into this year, we’re trying to fix what we needed to fix, and
we’ve addressed what potentially went wrong for us last year, and we’ve had a great pre-season. “First two games, we’ve got 10 points. But it’s a long season. “We’re probably still trying to find our feet, and we’ve got loads to work on. “But to come out with two fivepoint wins, we’re in a good spot. “We’re nowhere near the finished article, and we’re looking forward to the next couple of weeks [away to Northampton Saints in the PREM on Saturday 10th October and home to Montpellier in the Investec Champions Cup on Saturday 17th October]. “We’ve got a big game next week, Saints away, so we look forward to that. “There was some great battles [with Saints] last year, and obviously they’re they’re the hunted [as reigning champions] this year as we were last year [as
2024-25 champions], so we’ll be definitely going up there to put up a battle.” Pepper is relishing the challenge of facing Northampton’s Henry Pollock in Round 3. “He’s playing great rugby, and I enjoy playing against him,” said the Harrogate-born 23-year-old. “A few of their boys I enjoy playing against. They’ve got great players across the board – Fin Smith, Freemo [Tommy Freeman]. It’ll be a good game.” Asked what he learned about Northampton’s England contingent while involved with the national set-up, Pepper said: “They’re great rugby players, very skilful, they love attacking. “They just love playing with each other, so pretty similar to here, I think. “We had some great battles with them last year, so we look forward to it next week.”
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Upcoming Fixtures Bath Rugby
Bartlett goes full-time as Romans strengthen bid Richard Briggs Reporter
SCOTT Bartlett has become Bath City’s full-time manager. The former Weston-super-Mare gaffer took charge of the Romans in March, joining on a part-time basis following his departure from Eastleigh. Despite some excellent results, Bartlett could not save the Romans from relegation from Enterprise National League South. But with City looking to make an immediate return to Step 2 from Pitching In Southern League Premier South this season, and then continue their way up the divisions, the club’s new owners have upgraded Bartlett to fulltime status. With Bath on a five-match winning run across all competitions, Andrew Stalbow, their executive chairman, said: “We’ve signed Scott up on a fulltime contract. “He’s moving from being parttime to be fully focused on his responsibilities. “He’s obviously responsible for the team, the training, and now he’s going to have more time to do opposition analysis, scouting, work within the community and really work alongside me and other people at the club as we really build up a strong football foundation as we look to make progress for the club over the next few years. “Congratulations, Scott. We’re excited that you’re part of that journey in an even deeper way now.” City are also improving the player experience at the Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park. Stalbow said: “One of the other
things that we’re really focused on is improving the player experience here. “In the home changing room we’re improving the floor, we’re improving some of the showers, improving the tiling. “There’s some paintwork going in and we’ve also put a screen in so Scott and the coaching staff can share video analysis with the players during the match. “We’re trying to improve player nutrition and be super-helpful for the players in terms of the drinks that they get before the game, protein shakes, as well as food, travelling to away games but also after training. “So that’s just a really important part, and we want the players to know that we really care about their nutrition to give them the best chance to be the very best versions of themselves. “Lots more coming, including work on the Twerton Park pitch. We’ve got a proposal in to invest more into it so that it’s an even better pitch. “It’s obviously looking really good now but it kind of speaks to our attempts to make sure the players can be the very best they can be – and having a great surface, the best surface that we can do right now, at Twerton is a big part of that.” Stalbow hailed the club’s fans, volunteers and the former board. He said: “The club wouldn’t be here without the volunteers and the former board keeping the club going. We’re so grateful to them. “The success of this club is going to be predicated on our ability to all work together brilliantly on the commercial side, on the marketing teams, on the pitch, on the coaching staff, alongside the incredible volunteers at the club
Saturday 10th October – 3.05pm
Bath Rugby v Northampton Saints (Away) Gallagher Prem – R3
Saturday 17th October – 8pm
Bath Rugby v Montpellier (Home) Investec Champions Cup – R1
Bath City FC Saturday 10th October – 3pm Bath City v Gosport Borough (Home) League
Scott Bartlett is now the full-time manager of Bath City as the club look to climb the leagues under their new owners. Bartlett joined the Romans on part-time terms in March | Photo © Simon Howe
– and we don’t see any of that changing. “We’re really excited about working closely with everybody going forward, and we’re thankful for your support, energy and enthusiasm. “It’s brilliant to see all the positivity that we get from everybody about where the club’s going. “It’s great that we’re on a nice winning run with the men’s team. But hopefully this is just the beginning – and keep the positive energy going.” Bath were due to visit Hanwell Town in Premier South on Tuesday 6th October, the match having been rearranged from Saturday 3rd October due to the West Londoners’ Emirates FA Cup commitments. However, due to groundworks taking place at Hanwell’s Oliver Connell & Son Community Stadium, the fixture has been called off for a second time. The Romans, who have not played since they beat Malvern Town on Tuesday 29th September, will be
in action at the Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park on Saturday 10th October, when they face Hampshire side Gosport Borough in the league (3pm). Bath will be on the road on Tuesday 13th October, when they go to Worcestershire club Evesham United in Premier South. The game at The Spiers & Hartwell Stadium will get under way at 7.45pm. The Romans’ scheduled league fixture at Gloucester City on Saturday 17th October has been postponed due to the Tigers’ involvement in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round the same afternoon. New dates for the Hanwell and Gloucester games have yet to be arranged. Bath have been drawn at home to Jewson Western League Premier Division title-hopefuls Bridgwater United in the second round of the Francis Hillier Premier Cup, formerly the Somerset Premier Cup, on a date to be fixed
Tuesday 13th October – 7.45pm Bath City v Evesham United (Away) League Tuesday 20th October – 7.45pm Bath City v Havant & Waterlooville (Home) League
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Crossword answers - Issue 139 (25/09/2026) Across: 1 Grimaced, 6 Inward, 9 Merger, 10 Sprinkle, 11 Leftovers, 12 Stays, 14 Strong, 16 Decibels, 18 Oddities, 20 Indict, 21 Await, 23 Turned off, 26 Tomahawk, 27 Booked, 28 Speech, 29 Preclude. Down: 2 Re-elected, 3 Might, 4 Caravaggio, 5 Desired, 6 I N R I, 7 Went to bed, 8 Relay, 13 Actionable, 15 Originate, 17 Lichfield, 19 Stuck-up, 22 Whoop, 24 Droll, 25 Dash.
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