A new tarmac strip has appeared beside part of the London Road into the city centre where workmen are busy installing new kerbs and paving on this ‘gateway’ into Bath.

It’s a temporary coating to provide a safe and less muddy walkway for pedestrians while the resurfacing work continues.

This earth surface has now got a temporary coating of tarmac

Exterior painting under way at the Gainsborough.

The lights are on in the hotel’s new 5 star bedrooms!

It’s an operation that has been plagued with problems and one wonders whether it wouldn’t have been easier and cheaper to have gone for a proper tarmac surface in the first place!

In answer to those who have wondered why the whole pathway has been ripped up at once – rather than doing a piece at a time – l am told B&NES had told contractors that the London Road had to be clear of barriers by today (Friday) as the real Christmas rush gets underway.

Installing the kerb means the workmen can now get on with the job of laying new paving.

The work will be halted over the Christmas holidays and will not be finished until into the new year.

Elsewhere in the city l notice they’ve started painting exterior windows at the new 5 star Gainsborough Spa Hotel and there is also real evidence of hotel rooms being fitted out.

No opening date for 2015 has yet been given.

Solar panels to ease the lighting bill and a rooftop café are just two of the possibilities opening up for Bath’s Victoria Art Gallery as it takes a long hard look at its future prospects.

Jon Benington – Manager of the Victoria Art Gallery

These were just two ideas put forward by Manager Jon Bennington at a consultation event held in the gallery at which members of the public  heard about  ‘Forward Plans’ being developed for two of the city’s most important museums – the Roman Baths and Victoria Art Gallery.

It’s a shame more Bath people didn’t show up at the Gallery last night (Wednesday, November 26th)  to hear about exciting new proposals  to promote and expand two of the city’s major cultural attractions.

Jon told the two-dozen gathered in the upper gallery that the Victoria Art Gallery was there to serve local people but ‘as the Council is under pressure to save money the Gallery has to play its part in being a bit more imaginative about creating income.’

His was a small building but Council plans for opening up the empty spaces alongside – leading through to the Colonnades beside the Pulteney Bridge Weir – could provide space for a roof-top café and allow the museum shop to be extended.

The gathering at the Victoria Art Gallery. Click on images to enlarge.

‘If someone can find the money we need to expand. The gallery is severely limited on its current footprint in terms of generating more income.’

Amongst other ideas put forward was reviewing and expanding the range of gallery events including tours of the collection.

They would look at their opening hours – including whether they should be open during Bank Holidays – and explore the possibilities of promoting events on banner sites around Bath. It was hoped banners might be possible outside the gallery too!

Said Jon: ‘ Our entrance often comes across as cold and clinical and – in promoting an all singing and dancing ground floor we must not let upstairs become a fossil.’

They were also working on a feasibility scheme to enable the Gallery to become a centre for studying Georgian England and developing the website and their use of social media.

Said Jon: ‘We have one thousand items on the website but we have ten thousand in our collection. There is a lot more work to do.’

Stephen Clews – Manager of the Roman Baths and Pump Room.

Our intimate audience also heard from Stephen Clews who is the Manager of the Roman Baths and Pump Room. He was able to announce that the fabulous Beau Street Hoard of Roman coins will be going on show at the Roman Baths in February next year.

He also explained the idea behind the proposed Archway Centre. Heritage Lottery funding is in place for detailed plans to begin now but basically the Roman Baths are hoping to turn an old city laundry – 19th century industrial buildings – into  a World Heritage Interpretation Centre with a Learning Centre above.

The illustration shows the proposed Archway Centre.

The Archway Centre refers to the ornamental arch that was put above York Street to hide the pipes carrying hot water back from the laundry to the baths.

Hot off the press. News that from April next year the combined ticket offered for the Roman Baths and Fashion Museum will be going three-way to include the Victoria Art Gallery.

Jon explained: ‘It may cost a bit more but we are absolutely delighted because it will hopefully introduce the Gallery to a million visitors to the Roman Baths who may not necessarily know we are here.’

A former stonemasonry apprentice from City of Bath College has shown he is among the best in the business by securing a top spot in a national skills competition.

Steve Lebourn

Steve Lebourn picked up a silver medal when he went head-to-head with the most skilled stonemasons in the country at the Skillbuild national competition.

Winning a medal in one of the industry’s most respected contests is a huge achievement for Steve who returned to college to learn a new trade as an adult learner.

Steve took the plunge and “followed his heart” to study a Level 2 NVQ in Stonemasonry after running his own successful bricklaying business for several years.

Two years ago 27-year-old Steve enrolled on a full-time Level 2 Stonemasonry Diploma at City of Bath College, commuting from his home in Southampton. He then impressed Wells Cathedral Stonemasons during a week’s work experience and the company took him on as an apprentice last year.

Steve triumphed in a series of competitions to make it through to the Skillbuild national final. He earned top honours in a competition at the college’s Construction Skills Centre, then placed second out of 30 masons from across the region in the UK Masonry Skills competition at Moulton College in Northamptonshire.

Stonemasonry lecturer Ray Sumner said: “Steve has followed on his from his successes at the City of Bath College competition and the UK Skills competition to win a silver medal at the National Skillbuild final.

“This was a great success because of the extremely high standards of work of all of the other competitors. It’s a really tough competition and he has only just finished his Level 2 NVQ.

“It shows the high standards of training that the college sets. We are all very proud of Steve.”

City of Bath College also had the opportunity to showcase its innovation and creativity with a stonemasonry ‘have a go’ stand at Skillbuild at the Birmingham NEC from November 13 to 15.

Staff and students were selected to showcase stonemasonry by an education and training sector panel looking for the ‘very best in vocational training.’

The stonemasonry department is no stranger to success as apprentice Chris Berridge beat off competition from around the globe to win a gold medal at the WorldSkills competition in 2011.

Earlier this year, City of Bath College was awarded the prestigious Association of Colleges (AoC) Beacon Award for Practical Teaching and Practical Learning in Stonemasonry.

College Principal Matt Atkinson said: “Once again our stonemasonry team have achieved success, this time with a silver medal being achieved by student Steve Lebourn.

“This is a huge achievement for Steve and the stonemasonry teaching team.”

For more information about apprenticeships or full or part-time courses in stonemasonry at City of Bath College, call 01225 312191 or visit http://www.citybathcoll.ac.uk