Preserving Bath’s independent retailers, securing the future of The Rec and Guildhall Market, and making Bathonians healthier were among the topics up for debate at the Ask the Panel session that concluded this week’s Bath City Conference.
Taking place in the council chamber at the Guildhall, the session provided an opportunity for anyone to put their questions to the panel on key issues that could shape Bath’s future and improve the lives of its citizens.
Bath City Conference, taking the themes of share, debate and learn, had already given community groups, cultural organisations and public sector bodies a chance to engage with each other and the wider population on subjects as spanning health and wellbeing, education, housing, regeneration, tourism and economic development.
Taking part in the Ask the Panel session were Paul Crossley, Bath & North East Somerset (BaNES), Council leader, Dr Jo Farrar, the council’s chief executive, Dr Ian Orpin, chair of NHS BaNES clinical commissioning group and Robert Buckland, editor of Bath Business News. The session was chaired by Henry Brown, chair of the Federation of Bath Residents’ Associations (FOBRA).
The panel agreed that it was vital to preserve Bath’s independent retailers and cafes as they gave the city its distinctive character. Cllr Crossley said Bath had one of the country’s best selections of coffee shops – an indication it could stand its ground against national chains. However, there was still an urgent need to ensure major retailers did not take over.
The future of The Rec, home to Bath Rugby, was due to be decided by the Charity Commission at the end of May, Cllr Crossley said, while he council had exciting plans for Guildhall Market which included opening up “Bath’s hidden treasure” – the building’s undercroft – and possibly linking it with other buildings via the existing network of tunnels.
Questions ranged from the disadvantages of Bath’s night-time economy when it led to alcohol-fuelled incidents, what to do about vicious seagulls, and promoting health and wellbeing.
Dr Orpin said the area had an enlightened approach to health promotion and ensuring that all council and health services were linked up and geared towards promoting better health. Bath was a relatively healthy city, he said, when compared to most others in the UK although it did have a worse alcohol-related issues than some and this was an area that would be investigated.
Dr Farrar, who took up her job a year ago, said Bath was a fantastic place to live and work. While it faced challenges it could be proud of its record joint working between public bodies particularly around healthy lifestyles. It was also living up its claim to be a city of ideas, she said, which was boosting its rich cultural heritage.
One idea that was welcomed by the audience was opening up the city’s river frontage. Cllr Crossley said Government funding had been received to help develop footpaths along the river near Avon Street while the new Western Riverside development would for the first time open up the river in that area.
Other events during Bath City Conference included talks on the Special Olympics by their development manager Bob Billson, on social enterprise by Paul Caulfield of the University of Bath’s School of Management, and making Bath a better place for older people by Marny Thompson of Radstock College.
