Some of you may have seen coverage in last week’s Bath Chronicle of a walk-about l did, with journalist Nancy Connolly, to hi-light some of the blackspots with regard to litter.
At first, this Monday morning, l thought we were seeing an improvement with the pile of bagged rubbish at the entrance to Northumberland Parade – and across the road from the Guildhall.
That was until l walked around the other side and saw the tell-tale trail of a pecked bag and the usual mess all over the flagstones.
The issue seems to be that these bags are not being collected earlier enough in the morning – having been put out over-night. Cannot B&NES – with Bath BID – get these collections organised to be collected in the evenings?
Why do our tourists have to be met with this sort of sight when they set out to view this World Heritage city each morning?
I seem a planning application has finally gone in for repairs to the damaged glass roof in The Corridor.
About time as the traders have really been suffering since the weight of last winter’s snow caused a partial collapse.
It appears they may also be looking at repairs to the metal canopy over the High Street entrance. That is also reaching a critical stage if you stop and look at the gaps in the rusting structure.
Finally, l want to look inside and outside the Guildhall. This fine 18th century building is basically the city’s town hall and busy with weddings, birth registrations, council meetings and conferences, etc.
Imposing and impressive from the outside but wait until you to step inside! Actually getting in is often a task in itself. Those wooden doors are heavy!
The entrance hall/lobby is so dimply lit and confusing. There appears to be a main reception desk but with another to the side unmanned?
The colour scheme is horrendous. A couple of busts of former MP’s look down upon you, while glass cases full of awards – and the city’s old stocks – completely the decoration.
In the two window bays are a couple of new benches. l thought the council may have snapped up a pair of ‘doctored’ pews removed from Bath Abbey, but these turn out to be a gift from the BBC!
They were made to help decorate the Guildhall’s old magistrates court which was recently turned into the Old Bailey while the BBC were filming scenes for The Trial of Christine Keeler – a six part drama series coming to BBC 1.
It will take a fresh look at one of the most infamous British stories – the chain of events in the 1960s that came to be known as the Profumo Affair.
The benches were left behind to be put to a new use. If you ask me – that whole reception area needs a revamp. Brighten it up and open it up to make it more welcoming.
Meanwhile, if Emery Brothers of Bath – currently busy across the road at Bath Abbey – feel like adding a contribution to the city’s civic pride. When you next have some spare mortar from re-laying memorial stones in the Abbey, l wonder if you could spare an hour using the leftovers in tidying up the steps into the Guildhall. Another disgrace.
I will make sure l take your picture!!
Richard, greetings. There is a general air of decay, dissolution, decomposition that suffuses this city. There are unacceptable potholes in many of the roads (although I do see some signs of reparation by the council), the road markings are all but worn out (cross hatchings at important traffic-light sites have virtually disappeared, and which in any case are totally ignored by many drivers), there is litter and rubbish everywhere. Bridges are left corroded, unattended and unpainted. Our forebears, especially those who had served in the armed services, who had the highest standards, would be appalled by our laziness and slovenliness. If they could find the money to carry out such work, why cannot we do so ? As John Kenneth Galbraith once said, “Private wealth, public squalor”. Never was a truer word spoken.
Tony.
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