A hub offering support to Bath’s high street traders and businesses as they recover from the effects of the pandemic has been launched in the city centre.
Set up in an empty shop on Cheap St and using primarily recycled and reclaimed furniture, the temporary High Street Hub will provide quick access to business support services run by Bath & North East Somerset Council.
These include high street renewal projects which bring vacant shops back into use, improving public spaces and bringing events and animation to the city, town and neighbourhood centres.
From Monday to Friday, council teams will be on hand to meet traders or visit their businesses to offer support on skills, training, grant advice as well as specialist advice from teams such as public health and licencing.
Outside of business hours and at the weekends, the Hub – which is being supported by government Covid-19 response grants – will be used to support community, environmental and business initiatives that aim to bring people to the city centre.
The council is collaborating with Bath Business Improvement District on its Summer Sundays initiative. As reported by Bath Business News, this runs from June 27 and aims to inspire more local families to visit the city centre at quieter times through free art and craft activities and offers promoting local businesses.
The events will run each Sunday for 10 weeks and are funded by Bath BID and the council.
The council sees the Hub an important part of its commitment to support and welcome people back to the city centre after the Covid lockdowns.
The council’s property team will also be opening a commercial hub at New Bond St next month to support its commercial tenants in the city centre.
Deputy leader and cabinet member for economic development & resources, Cllr Richard Samuel, said: “These are hugely challenging times for our high street businesses and we want to offer them direct and targeted support.
“I’m pleased that the creation of High Street Hub will mean that we have a physical presence in the heart of the city, where traders can come and speak with us and get the right help for their business.
“We will be extending the direct support to our property tenants with the opening of our commercial hub next month.
“It’s great news that the Hub will be used to further encourage footfall during weekends and evenings through some engaging community activities.”
The High Street Hub supports the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) funded Love our High Streets programme to improve city centre public spaces and its Welcome Back Fund programme of events, outdoor markets and media campaigns to bring visitors and locals back to high streets this summer.
It also supports WECA’s Unit Action Project, which is bringing innovative commercial, creative and community uses to vacant shops to support high street recovery – including artists’ studios, pop-up shops and other ‘meanwhile’ uses.
West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris said: “It’s good to back our brilliant businesses at this challenging time. Tourism and hospitality have been especially hard hit by the pandemic.
“But people from Bath and surrounding communities are resilient and creative. And that plus the high-quality skills support on offer, means we can turn this around.”
Bath BID chief executive Allison Herbert, pictured, said: “We are so pleased to see the city reopening and welcoming people back and are keen to encourage people to spend time and money in the city over the summer months.
“Our Summer Sundays initiative is designed to showcase Bath as a vibrant, family-friendly city with lots of events and activities to enjoy, and our free arts and crafts activities in Cheap Street will form an important part of the campaign.”
Businesses wishing to contact the High Street Hub should call Council Connect on 01225 394041, email council_connect@bathnes.gov.uk or follow the Twitter account for updates.
Pictured, from left: Cllr Richard Samuel, Ellie Leiper, owner of The Grapes in Westgate Street, Cllr Kevin Guy, and Bath BID chief executive Allison Herbert
