Earlier this month l ran a story about the old Corn Market building which stands to one side of the large open car park that now occupies the space once occupied by the city’s cattle market.
I had sent a Freedom of Information request to Bath and North East Somerset Council asking when the scaffolding – which dresses one whole side of this original Victorian building – had been erected.
After all the local jokes about the scaffolding being so old it’s listed, l wanted to know just how long it had been there, and how much it was costing the local authority to rent it.
Despite being told it dates from 2018, many of you came forward to point out it was there at or before the year 2000.
Amongst those l heard from was Bob Taylor who is a local architect and was involved – with others – in setting up the Walcot Street Trust. Its aim was to preserve the built and natural environment of the area and provide local facilities for arts and crafts.
The Trust wanted to acquire and restore the Corn Market and run it as an arts and community centre.
However, their efforts came to nothing and the building – behind its wall of ‘ancient’ scaffolding – continues to wait for someone or something to rescue it from oblivion.
In town one day on other matters, I persuaded Bob to come and have a look at the place.
To be fair to B&NES, the council does have a masterplan for what it calls the ‘Milsom Street Quarter’ and you can view it via https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/milsom-quarter/view-masterplan-documents
The following passages are of interest.
Here is Option 1.
“The corn market building itself is proposed to be subdivided
into a series of residential properties, using the arches at the
lower level to form a garage, workspace, or kitchen space with
living accommodation above and the potential to include
mezzanine levels.
A further small addition is possible to
augment the existing street frontage building, completing the
elevation where there is presently a blank gable.”
And there is an Option2:
The proposed changes to the cornmarket building are the
same as in option 1. However, the small retail offer on the
ground floor facing onto Walcot Street is the only retail
space in this option.”
