Sat in on a free lunchtime lecture at Bath Guildhall given by Sally Helvey who is a trustee of the Cleveland Pools Trust.
They of course are hard at work putting together a formal Heritage Lottery Fund application to get the money to help them restore this remnant of a Georgian lido and turn it once more into a fabulous open-air, freshwater-fed bathing facility beside the River Avon.
Sally told a fairly packed council chamber that the Trust hoped to have a pontoon in place next year in time for the start of the new season of river cruises.
It will mean people will be able to get off and view the lido as part of their River Avon cruise from Pulteney Weir and up to Bathampton Weir.
One way of getting to the Pools by foot is across a footbridge that connects the towpath of the Kennet and Avon Canal into Bath with Hampton Row on the other side of the London line.
Workmen were busy applying weed-killer to the surroundings of this old and rusty footbridge today so the structure can be clearly seen when Network Rail engineers come to inspect it as part of their electrification programme for the London to Bristol line.
Whether it will be replaced or modified l don’t know but l do know the Cleveland Pools Trust see it as a vital link with their riverside facility. The workmen say the weed-killer might work well on the undergrowth but won’t harm wildlife or dogs!
Coming back to the office via the Gloucester Road l am reminded that the old Harvester is still boarded up and awaiting development as a complex of retirement apartments.
In fact, l spotted – on-line – the planning application amongst other development proposals currently being considered by B&NES so it would seem things are moving along at the normal planning application rate. Thought you would like to see a ground-plan of the new development.
The developers – l am told – are not only building a separate structure for bats to roost in but are mindful of avoiding an established badger set.
It’s good to hear that such people can be so sensitive.
