Pic of the day. Sunday, December 7th

Richard Wyatt

The Pump Rooms is one of the most photographed examples of Georgian architecture in the centre of Bath – an iconic Grade 1 listed landmark.

Should we perhaps be more sensitive about what exactly we are shoving two sheds in front of?

Published by Richard Wyatt

Freelance Journalist, broadcaster, columnist and local historian. Director of Bath Newseum. Married and lives in Bath. Interested in local history, architecture and visual display in museums and urban spaces.

8 Comments

  4. A few years ago BID kindly offered to lend Bath Comedy Festival their smart Christmas chalet for use as a small pop up indoor comedy venue with a bit of outside seating in April. We wanted to put it on Kingston Parade near the former tourist info and stage popular acts that appealed to tourists and resident in the way of tasters for the main Comedy Festival. Mostly free I might add.. We had to submit professinally produced artists impressions, list the type of patio chairs, show heights, submit heath and safety plans and enter into protracted discussions with protesting local traders (as if a week of one person shows and some kids events could possibly detract from their businesses, which in my opinion vere towards end of the pier in the first place). Even the Abbey objected with some nonsense about gathering for funerals. The fuss made about blocking iconic views, stealing trade, and general mean minded attitude coupled with over zealous red tape made us simply give the project up after months of preparation . Just saying !

  5. Why? They’re only there for a few weeks and they do nothing to harm or devalue the building itself. We shouldn’t have a Christmas market at all by that logic.

  6. I suspect that the majority of the horde that descend on the City at this time of year are more interested in the Mac`N`Cheese stall than the Georgian architecture. But it is ony temporary.

  7. Amplified sound can be very easily heard inside the Abbey and if there was a comedy act intruding on your relative’s funeral (and funerals by their nature can’ t be booked months in advance) you might find it distressing.

    1. It wasn’t the sound they were objecting it was something about waiting space pre funeral. We would have taken up a miniscule amount of space compared to say the market. And far less amplification than buskers. Our shed would have been so small barely any amplification would have been required. I hardly think the daytime activities planned such as comedy mask making for parents and small children would effect funerals. Bath Whingers Rule it seems. Some months later the Abbey modified their original objections anyway. But by then we had withdrawn from the hysteria.

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