There’s a rumour circulating that the historic Mineral Water Hospital Building in Upper Borough Walls has been ‘sold-on’ by its original purchaser.
It was initially bought – in September 2017 – by Winchester-based property developer Frank Mountain – for an undisclosed sum, which is reckoned to be anywhere between 18 and 21 million pounds.
The NHS disposed of the building as a new unit for rheumatology is currently under construction at the RUH.
Mr Mountain has not answered my email but – in the meantime – Bath MP Wera Hobhouse is trying to maintain public access to the Grade 2 listed building – whoever owns it.
She is concerned that – as the price goes up – whoever develops the site will want to see a maximum return on his or her investment. That could mean high-value luxury flats for foreign investors.
She has been running a petition on her website to garner support for her stand – and has also been trying to get Sam Smiths Brewery – the owners of the old King Edward’s School building in Broad Street – to get on and develop that site as the building has stood derelict for too many years.
Bath Newseum has been talking to her.
I also asked the RUH for comment as to whether – a new owner might affect their current agreement to stay at the Min – until the end of 2019.
A spokesperson for the hospital told me : ‘The Trust has an agreement in place to continue to use the building until the new premises at the RUH are completed.’
King Edward’s School features in ‘Nooks and Corners’ in the current Private Eye.
Bath depends on foreign visitors and should be open to everyone who wants to invest. Very concerning to hear the German-born MP Wera Hobhouse deriding ‘Foreign Investors’. This sort of irresponsible dog whistle politics has not place in a welcoming city