The Virtual Museum was pleased to witness some ‘preliminary repairs’ underway on a section of the stone balustrade which overlooks Parade Gardens and the River Avon.
Your Director has been critical of the erosion that has taken hold along this decorative Bath stone wall which was put there as part of improvements introduced by C E Davis – the man who also designed the Empire Hotel alongside – in 1889 – 1901.
Many of the stone balusters – the ornamental uprights along this wall – are badly worn and have been boarded over to perhaps prevent young children falling through or someone inadvertently kicking and dislodging one of these stone supports that could fall and hurt an unsuspecting passer-by in the gardens below.
The hoardings look horrible along the length of one of the city’s most iconic spots and where thousands of tourists top to take pictures.
Seems up to seventy of the stone pillars have to be re-set to stop them being dislodged and a major conservation programme is due to get underway in the autumn.
Sorry to see the Bladud decorative pig has disappeared from his plinth outside the east end of Bath Abbey. A notice informs those interested enough to read it that the pig was vandalised and taken away for repairs.
Good to see evidence of the local authority taking legal steps to adopt new sections of footpath around the area. I know you have to post official notices of your intentions and to be legal it has to be done in a certain way – but these things cry out for another posting in plain simple English just telling people what the intention is and how they might benefit.
Very few bother to stop and read these notices and often it is something people might like to get involved in and maybe voice an opinion. Can local government be made more simple please.
