River regeneration at heart of new Bath planning blueprint

“I am very concerned with this decline of certain areas, Bath city council seem oblivious. The fact that they have evacuated the Guildhall to occupy an eyesore in Manvers St, and allow their Guildhall dept to be a centre for what! are they on a downward slope? This would have been a lovely building for the library to move in to. The eyesore that is Southgate is still severely lacking appeal and along with the bus station, leaves a feeling of a no confidence in planning.”

“..."The alley bit between the rugby club and the maze is a disgrace, the same rubbish has been there for years and the blinkered rugby club should havce noticed the neglected state of their frontage."

jonquil, I have a theory. Call it a conspiracy one if you wish.

It begins with two words: Constructive Negligence. Because what benefit to the club and those who want to redevelop the vicinity if it's already a very attractive credit to the city?

Add the current state of the Leisure Centre to this idea and what is a disgrace to you and me might make good commercial sense to developers. I think it's time current commercial interests in Bath's riverside development were declared.”

“The council obviously know it is there,they found it to get portable toilets put there during the half marathon. It has now been conveniently forgotten again. To think that scenes from Les Mis were filmed there would inspire some type of pride from Bath city council is naive. All winter it has looked a disgrace. The area is too near to night clubs to be kept clean, although litter is picked up and bins emptied by a council gentleman. I see tourists peeping over the bit at the bottom of the steps, outside the river cafe, and all they see is bottles and rubbish. The alley bit between the rugby club and the maze is a disgrace, the same rubbish has been there for years and the blinkered rugby club should havce noticed the neglected state of their frontage.
There was an attempt last year to cheer it all up along the river, with a market and they kept it clean and bright, but unfortunately fell foul of safety laws. If this could be repeated but with good safety measures, it would be good. The short sighted council however watched this happen, instead of helping to ensure that it was all done to good safety standards.”

“Who is responsible for cleaning and maintenance in that area, and why has it been allowed to get like that?

Over three years now Nemo shouting loud about the disgraceful state of our great river and its riverbank environment.

Roman Baths, Abbey, the Royal Crescent and The Circus all nicely looked after. Well it's our turn now! So there! Red Card me all ye wants me luvvers.”

“I think it is more than litter picking needed, it is a major overhaul.”

“Everytime that I look over the balustrades on Grand Parade (opposite the entrance to the Market), the first thing that I see when I look down are weeds, rubbish and general decay of the stone work on the ledges at pavement level. Total neglect of a prime tourist spot.....

Who is responsible for cleaning and maintenance in that area, and why has it been allowed to get like that?”

“capndave & jonquil: You can count me in on the litter pick with the big, tough rugby players!”

“capndave... was thinking more along the lines of the big tough rugby players cleaning their ground doorstep up, not me a fragile pensioner. On the other hand, I am not amiss to a bit of litter picking.”

“Nail, head, hit comes to mind jonquil!

Perhaps you would like to come forward and help put a voluntary group together with brooms and litter pickers to start right where you suggest. I'll be right alongside you.”

“Perhaps start by cleaning up the area around the entrance to Bath rugby ground, as they do not seem to bother,then the bit in front of the weir by the cafe.”