Not what you could ever call a typical September Saturday on Milsom Street – still ( just about ) Bath’s pre-eminent avenue of high class retail activity.
I was there early enough to catch people in the midst of setting up for the much-feted Love Milsom Street week-end of car-free shopping, food and entertainment.
Our hard-pressed traders had something to take their minds off business rates and on-line buying.
They were being offered – what we can only hope – is a glimpse of the near future. A permanently-pedestrianised street with – maybe – just a bus and cycle lane.
These are debates still to come but for today it was good to see shops and cafes taking full advantage of the additional ‘selling-space’ on offer to show off goods or their breakfast – en plein air – menu.
I am sure the traders and shoppers of Bath will have plenty to say about this event – both now and in the future.
The local authority – that’s B&NES – and Bath BID have done a lot of talking with the traders of Milsom Street about how this week-end would be organised. It remains to be seen how successful it will prove to be.
Don’t forget this years Christmas Market will once again spread up into the street from November 28th for 18 days.
Good to see Green Street also traffic-free with the Green Tree pub setting up for some outdoor bbq – ing.
While l was out and about l thought l would take another look at the new street furniture going into Union Street nearby.
I have gone on record as saying how pleased l am to see the benches being used.
My personal issue is with the colour of the planters that go with them.
The city does apparently have an list of acceptable ‘street colours’ and this ‘vibrant’ red is one of them. It is certainly an attention-getter. It got mine for one!
I was arguing that this ‘city of waters’ should be promoting a pale blue in its urban spaces to help drive home that point.
My choice of colour has been used in another popular urban space. The Council is also looking at making Kingsmead Square more pedestrian friendly and it’s there that somewhat darker blue furniture has managed to get a look in.
What do you think?
How frightfully Bath … but how would it look in the rain and winds of winter?
Hopefully, the long term idea is just to have it free of traffic – during trading hours – and pedestrianise the tarmac!