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Search forHundreds attend Bath Press exhibition
Wednesday, December 03, 2008, 11:00
Bosses from St James's Investments, the London-based finance firm which bought the former printworks in May, met members of the public for the first time last week to discuss possible ideas for development.
Bath Press closed with the loss of 200 jobs in the summer of last year after more than 150 years in the city.
St James's Investments, which has a long history of working with supermarket giant Tesco, bought the site for around £15 million and is now considering options for development at the five-acre plot.
It is likely that a supermarket will be part of its plans for the site but the firm is keen to get as many public views as possible.
The idea of a store has been backed narrowly in a vote on the Chronicle's website, www.thisisbath.co.uk.
At the firm's three-day exhibition, visitors were asked to fill in feedback forms on everything from their views on the facade of the building to the most suitable businesses to operate from the site were it to be developed.
St James's Investments will be looking at issues such as the character of the area, the height of any development, traffic access and impact on Oldfield Park Infant School when drawing up its plans.
The firm is also carrying out extensive traffic and transport studies and planning workshops to consider issues raised at the exhibition.
These will be followed by a more detailed showcase of proposals for the site before a planning application is submitted.
St James's managing director Christopher Borkowski said the company had identified a need for a food store in the western part of Bath.
Mr Borkowski said his firm would like to create a sustainable mixed use development and maintain the name Bath Press.
He said: "The first thing we must do is get back to square one and say what do people feel about this site.
"You shouldn't be afraid to ask people what they think.
"The one thing we have learnt from consultation is that it is a historical place and people know the Bath Press."
A spokesman for the firm added: "The final scheme must be sensitive to the surrounding area and beneficial for the local community.
"We must also ensure that the final scheme is commercially viable."
Retired publican Mike Mapstone went along and said the site must have an anchor business with a multi-million pound enterprise to keep it a viable business.
He said: "I would like to see Tesco here to give the other supermarkets in Bath competition.
"At the moment Sainsbury's at Green Park has no competition, competition is a good thing and nobody could bring that more than Tesco.
"People would only go to Tesco for their main shop and drop into Moorland Road on the way back.
"I'm strongly against the banner waving anti-Tesco protesters and I think they do more harm than good."
Campaigner June Player set up the Save Moorland Road action group to fight for the survival of small businesses in Oldfield Park in May.
She attended the exhibition and said she was not against the idea of new supermarkets but that the former printworks would not be a suitable location for a large store.
Mrs Player said: "I'm concerned about anything that generates masses of traffic and the impact it will have on independent traders.
"I'm concerned about environmental issues and the loss of Moorland Road."
Members of the Bath Heritage Watchdog, a local group set up to monitor developments in the city, also visited the exhibition.
A spokesman for the group said: "We would like to see the facade of the Bath Press preserved and if appropriate extended along the remainder of the Lower Bristol Road frontage.
"We are not expressing any particular opinion about what the site should be used for and we think we should neither guide nor restrict the public's suggestions at this stage."
The poll on The Chronicle's website showed 53 per cent of voters supported the idea of developing a supermarket at the Bath Press site.
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