ECHO
Friday 2nd January - Thursday 15th January 2026
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Issue No. 120
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WHERE IS ROBYN? Missing 54-year-old hasn't been seen for over a month - P3
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Bath fraudster is ordered to pay back over £4m - P2
Man given life sentence for murdering his father - P3
Confusion over £20m of funding for Twerton and Whiteway - P5
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Bath fraudster is ordered to pay back over £4m
In this issue... Top Stories
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A CONVICTED fraudster from Bath has been ordered to pay more than £4 million or face extra time behind bars, following a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing at Bristol Crown Court. Jeff Arundell, 75, of Sion Hill in Lansdown, was jailed for sixand-a-half years in October 2023 after being convicted of multiple offences including fraud and money laundering relating to financial dealings in 2016 and 2017. He returned to court on 3rd October 2025 for a confiscation hearing, and on 19th December 2025 His Honour Judge Blair ruled that Arundell had illegally benefitted by £4.8 million. A confiscation order was made for the available amount of £4,140,428.59, with more than £220,000 to be returned to his victims. If Arundell cannot or refuses to pay, he will face a further eight years in prison. The case began in November 2016 after Arundell invited a friend to invest in what he claimed was a guaranteed money-making opportunity involving shares in a pharmaceutical company. He said he had information that the shares were about to rise
significantly and personally guaranteed the investment, encouraging his friend and the friend’s family members to put in money. In total, he received about £108,000 to invest on their behalf. In early December 2016, he placed the funds on spreadbetting trades, but soon told the investors he had lost their money and could not honour his guarantee. A subsequent police investigation revealed he had actually made profits on some trades and gone on to use those winnings to continue betting, building up a £4.6 million windfall by August 2017. Arundell claimed to police he could have repaid the guarantee because he had received around £100,000 in inheritance from his late mother’s estate earlier that year. That led to a separate fraud investigation, which found he had taken his mother’s money while holding power of attorney some years before her death, depriving other relatives of their inheritance. He was convicted at Bristol Crown Court in 2023 of three counts of fraud by false representation and
If he cannot or refuses to pay, Arundell will face a further eight years in prison
one of money laundering, relating to £86,000 he had received from his friend and the family. He was found not guilty of a fourth fraud charge concerning the remaining money. In April 2021, he was also convicted of fraud by abuse of position over his handling of his late mother’s finances. DCI Carlos Filippsen said: “This is a significant result against an offender who was convicted of fraud and money laundering offences in November 2023. The convictions and subsequent confiscation orders in this case show how we will pursue offenders who directly target victims, including stripping them
From the Editor... Opinion, insight and the stories shaping Bath this week
W
ELCOME to our first issue of 2026, and to what I hope will be a regular column from myself. I’m sometimes asked why I don’t include a column in the newspaper, so I’ll be starting the new year by committing to writing one – let’s see how it goes. Something that has caught my attention since starting the Bath Echo back in 2015, and more significantly in recent months, is planning permission, and the somehow mystical factors that go with it. Do stay with me, I promise this won’t be too boring. We report on plans for buildings, properties and more in every issue of the Echo. However, something that myself and the team have noticed is that when it comes to actually getting the permission, why wait before
you get the builders in to start work? I can think of a surprising number of buildings that have already had work done to them, or been erected, without the relevant permissions being in place to do so – the temporary fire station at Roseberry Place, and the work undertaken by B&NES Council at Wellington Buildings immediately spring to mind. Avon Fire & Rescue Service have apologised and said they had to get the temporary station started so the demolition of Bath’s current station can take place as planned. B&NES Council later gave itself retrospective permission for the work it undertook at Wellington Buildings. There are plenty of other examples – and it begs the question – does putting an application in now
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of any assets they have gained through crime. “Ensuring that we have been able to return those funds to the victims and for the perpetrator to not be able to benefit from his criminal activity demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that crime does not and will not pay. “I hope this will deter other criminals who may be involved in these despicable offences, by showing that they will be convicted and have their illgotten gains removed.”
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Sebastian Hawker
mean you can start work straight away? Legally, of course not, and any work undertaken can be reported to the local authority’s planning enforcement team. The main issue is that this team seems severely overstretched. I contacted them well over a year ago regarding a breach of planning regulations, received a reference number and then heard nothing more. Their automated email even states “Investigating cases often takes a considerable time, and if we decide to issue a Planning Enforcement Notice, the property owner has a right of appeal. “As a result, the process of resolving a breach in regulations can take a long time.” So, are companies and individuals continually chancing
it by starting work in the anticipation that they will get permission and all will be okay in the end? An example of this includes a popular coffee shop in the city centre which opened its doors, fully renovated, just a few days after receiving permission for a considerable amount of work inside and out. Work was clearly going on inside the property in the weeks beforehand, but without permissions in place. We’re closely monitoring a number of developments across the Bath area, and will happily keep you all in the loop! We've got a list of sites that is constantly growing, so do feel free to get in touch with any that you’d like us to look at – you can email me directly via editor@bathecho. co.uk or call us on 01225 585484.
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Issue 120
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Your City, Your News - Bath Echo
Man given life sentence for murdering his father A 30-YEAR-OLD man has been jailed for life for murdering his father at a property in Bath last year. Christopher Monro was told he must serve a minimum of 12 years in prison for the killing of 73-year-old Peter Monro. Emergency services were called to Peter Monro’s address in Kelston View at around midday on Tuesday 11th February, where he was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives later traced Christopher Monro’s movements and he was arrested the following day at his home in Osney Lane, Oxford, by Thames Valley Police. He was subsequently charged with murder and pleaded guilty at a hearing at Bristol Crown Court in August. In a statement read out in court, Peter’s daughter Lara said she is still struggling to process what happened. She said: “I find it almost impossible to grieve my dear Papa. In fact, I don’t think I have been able to yet, because I don’t think my brain has allowed me to full comprehend what has
Left: Christopher Monro | Above: The crime scene
happened. “In darker moments, I am haunted by my father’s cries. But then there are also times where I am comforted by his laughter. I try my hardest to focus on these moments as a way of staying connected to him.” Lara said her brother – also known as Kit – had a “relentless battle with severely complex mental health issues”. While not excusing his actions, she said she believed he should have received greater support from mental health services. She added: “I often find myself preoccupied and pained by my
by brother’s suffering; what he must have been going through to commit such an act and what he must be navigating in the aftermath. “Ultimately, I expect for Kit’s sentencing to be reflective of his actions. But I also hope he will be safe and in a protected environment, and that he is given the necessary care and support to move forward and heal; that in time it will be possible for him to experience less suffering, and more light. “I loved our Papa with all my heart, and you (Kit) took him away from me. Yet while I will
never be able to understand why or how you were able to do what you have done, you will always be my brother, and I will always love and care for you.” She also thanked family and friends for their support and praised the “professionalism and empathy” of specialist family liaison officers. Detective Chief Inspector Neil Meade said: “While today may mark the conclusion of the court proceedings, it does not end the pain and loss felt by all those who knew and loved Peter Monro. “The past 10 months have been incredibly difficult for the entire family and they have shown remarkable resilience in such adversity. We are grateful for their support while we have investigated this tragic case. “The information provided to us in the early stages relating to Christopher Monro was crucial in achieving this conviction and we want to publicly thank those who came forward. “Sometimes little details may seem inconsequential on their own, but fed into the bigger picture they can have a huge impact on progressing investigations and bringing offenders to justice.”
Concern for woman missing for over a month AVON & Somerset Police are continuing to appeal for help to find 54-year-old Robyn, who has now been missing for a month. Officers say they are increasingly concerned for her welfare. Following extensive enquiries, they have confirmed that Robyn’s latest known movements include three sightings in Bath. The first was at around 8pm on Thursday 27th November, when she was seen in Bathwick Street, heading towards Beckford Road. Her Mini had previously been found in Bathwick. Detectives have since confirmed further sightings. At around 1.15am on Friday 28th November, Robyn was seen walking on London Road in Bath, near the Esso garage, and heading in the direction of Morrisons. Shortly afterwards, at 1.18am, she was seen nearby in Meadows Lane. Instead of the dark-coloured jumper previously described, she was then wearing a lighter-weight black top. Robyn is described as white,
Helpful information
Images courtesy of Avon & Somerset Police
approximately 5ft 8ins tall, of slim build, with dark brown hair. She speaks with a slight South African accent. She has been seen wearing black leggings, striped socks, brown boots and a long, dark green-brown jumper. Robyn was reported missing on Wednesday 17th December.
She has links to Bath and often visits surrounding villages, especially Combe Hay. Anyone who knows where Robyn is is urged to call 999, quoting reference 5225354485. People with any other information which could help the investigation are being asked to call 101.
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There were three confirmed sightings in late November, but there have been none since, according to police. 8pm - Thurs. 27th November Robyn was seen in Bathwick Street, heading towards Beckford Road. She was wearing a long, dark-greenbrown jumper. 1.15am - Fri. 28th November Robyn was seen walking along the London Road near the Esso garage, in the direction of Morrisons. She was wearing a lighter-weight black top. She was then seen at 1.18am in Meadows Lane. Robyn's silver Mini found Police officers originally launched an appeal to trace Robyn and her car, a silver Mini, which has now been located in the Bathwick area. Robyn often visits villages including Combe Hay.
News in Brief Appeal after woman injured in M4 collision Avon & Somerset Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a multivehicle collision on the M4 left a woman in her 60s with serious injuries. The collision, involving three cars and a van, happened on the eastbound carriageway between Junction 19 (Bristol) and Junction 18 (Bath) at around 9.35am on Sunday 30th November. A white Renault Master van is reported to have collided with slowmoving traffic, leaving a woman with a broken arm, a fractured rib, nerve damage and a head injury. She was taken to hospital for treatment and has since been discharged to continue her recovery at home. The incident is under investigation and officers have already carried out CCTV and dashcam enquiries and taken several witness statements. They are now appealing for anyone who saw what happened, or who may have dashcam footage of the collision, to come forward. If you can help, call 101 and give the call handler the reference number 5225336131.
Crews tackle restaurant fire in central Bath Fire crews were called to Shires Yard at around 2pm on Tuesday, 30th December, following reports of a fire in a restaurant. The small fire was out on our arrival and firefighters used fans to clear the smoke and check that the building was safe. The cause is thought to be accidental.
Weather Forecast Fri 2nd Sat 3rd Sun 4th Mon 5th Tue 6th Wed 7th Thu 8th
4°c 3°c 3°c 3°c 4°c 4°c 7°c
Long range forecast:
(9th to 15th January) Some wintry showers are expected, with rain on the way for much of the region. Temperatures will be around average, though staying cold for many.
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Friday 2nd January - Thursday 15th January 2026
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New allotments are refused after ‘Vicar of Dibley’ debate Becky Feather Reporter
CONTROVERSIAL proposals for long-awaited allotments on the edge of Bath have been refused by councillors, against the advice of their planning officers. By a majority vote, Bath & North East Somerset Council’s planning committee rejected the application from Countryside Properties (Vistry) for nine plots at Derrymans Field at Combe Hay Lane. The site is east of Odd Down Park & Ride and west of Phase 1 of the Sulis Down development of 171 homes. As part of Phase 1, which was permitted in 2019, there was a Section 106 obligation for the developer to provide allotments within the allocated site prior to 50% of the homes being occupied. The site at Derrymans Field is not in that allocated site, but in the Green Belt, Cotswolds National Landscape and an ecologically sensitive area. There had been objections from organisations including the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, Bath Preservation Trust, South of Bath Alliance, Cotswolds Landscape Board, and both Combe Hay Parish Council and South Stoke Parish Council. More than 80 objections had also been received from the public, along with one comment of support. B&NES Council officers had been recommending approval of an allotment area totalling 1,180 square metres, with a timber communal shed, 1,889 square metres of meadow and a 1.8-metre-high security fence. Planning officer Chris GriggsTrevarthen told the committee meeting on 17th December that the developer had inquired about a couple of locations within the allocated site, but those had been rejected by the council as they conflicted with areas shown for additional green infrastructure. He said the developer is in breach of its obligations regarding allotments provision. Part of the reason for the delay is that there had been an application for all the allotments that would be required for Phases 1, 2, 3 and 4 as part of the proposals for up to 290 homes on land on the South Stoke Plateau, owned by the Hignett Family Trust, which the council refused in 2024 and which were dismissed at appeal
in early 2025. The land had been taken out of the Green Belt 10 years ago for a “mixed-use” development of up to 300 homes. With 171 homes already built during the first phase of the development, the proposed 290 new properties would have exceeded the 300 figure by more than half. Three hundred would not have been considered a cap had all other placemaking strategies been met. But the planning inspector did not agree that they had been met, as he warned the scheme would have a harmful effect on the Cotswolds National Landscape. The joint allotment site would have been immediately to the east of Sulis Manor. Council planning officers took the view that delivery and certainty of the Derrymans Field scheme would outweigh the potential benefits arising from the colocation of allotments in the future as and when the other phases are approved. But the application was referred to the planning committee following a call-in request from ward councillor Fiona Gourley (Bathavon South, Liberal Democrat). She addressed committee members at their meeting on 17th December, saying there had been “a long-drawn out failure of masterplanning and repeated attempts to overdevelop the area”. She said “inefficient use” of space in Phase 1 had seen the allotments “pushed into Derrymans Field” which remains in the Green Belt and is in Combe Hay parish. “This decision to put the allotments on Derrymans Field is a quick fix by Vistry who are desperate to get off site. “It discharges their responsibility and is cheaper for them than having to pay B&NES for a contribution to another allotment site,” she said. “We know with the closing of the Combe Down allotments that there is a shortage. “Indeed, residents of Sulis Down are already gardening in the allotments at South Stoke.” Derrymans Field “is carrying a heavy burden” as not only would it be housing allotments but has newly planted woodland, the soakaway, a fenced-off area of meadow for biodiversity net gain,
The proposals would have seen nine plots created at Derrymans Field at Combe Hay Lane
grassland and insect refuges, Councillor Gourley
continued. “How many roles can one Green Belt field fulfil? This is also on the national landscape so it cannot be dotted with polytunnels, greenhouses and sheds so beloved and valuable to gardeners.” She added: “Sulis Down Phase 1 residents, who were promised allotments, have been so keen to grow food that they have taken to planting small grow pots on grass verges. “This had the benefit of increasing the biodiversity and make good use of empty space. I applauded their efforts and was appalled when Vistry insisted on removing them before it hands over the site to the management company. “Actually, allowing grow pots would have been a really good interim measure and it has certainly been done in other estates I have visited. “Vistry on the other hand have not looked after the ecological management of the estate. They skimped on topsoil and allowed two of the six main trees in the central grassed area and rows of saplings to die through neglect whilst they were still building remaining houses on the site.” She said Phase 1 residents did not want to wait for the next phases of development for allotments but there were many well-founded objections and the complex question remained about who would take on responsibility for
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the allotments. She said she had been “sitting on the proverbial fence” but felt the allotments should be allowed, with strict conditions. Committee member Councillor Ian Halsall (Oldfield Park, Liberal Democrat) said: “It’s the last committee before Christmas and we’ve got one item and I do feel we are stretching this out rather. It’s all so very Vicar of Dibley, I am afraid.” He continued: “I’m speaking as a townie; I’ve got a really large allotment plot at Bloomfield in my ward. I actually think it really enhances the setting of the area.” He said that even if each plot at Derrymans Field had a shed or a small greenhouse he did not think it would generate any harm to the setting of the national landscape or the fact that it is a nature conservation area and in the Green Belt. He added: “I know there have been a lot of objections. I do feel however that were based upon the history of the site. Maybe there is some anger and bitterness about how Vistry have undertaken their development.” Councillor Halsall agreed with Councillor Gourley that Vistry didn’t make efficient use of Phase 1 as part of its masterplan but had been left with the situation where it had no choice but to put the allotments where they were being proposed at Derrymans Field. He said it would be good if the allotments could be grouped with subsequent phases “but we don’t
know when they will happen and it does feel unfair for the existing residents to be denied an area where they can cultivate their own fruit and vegetables”. On balance, he said he would support the plans. But Councillor Shaun Hughes (Midsomer Norton North, Independent) criticised the “piecemeal” approach to development. “It just feels like an expansion of the development site through the back door to me,” he said. The committee heard that the nine allotment plots would initially be offered to Phase 1 residents and then to the wider public. There would be mains water supply on site but only one communal shed, which was considered sufficient for the number of allotments. Through the Section 106 agreement, the allotments would be either transferred at nil cost to the management company, to B&NES Council or a body nominated by the council. But in refusing the proposals, the committee said the allotments and associated infrastructure, including the communal shed and fencing, would fail to preserve the openness of the Green Belt and would be “inappropriate” development. The plans would also fail to conserve or enhance the natural beauty of the Cotswolds National Landscape and would harm the Fuller's Earth Works-Southstoke Complex Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI).
Issue 120
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Confusion over £20m of funding for Twerton and Whiteway Becky Feather Reporter
THE £20 million investment awarded by the government to the Twerton and Whiteway ward has sparked confusion and controversy. In their Christmas newsletter, the ward councillors Tim Ball and Sarah Moore said the “new money for Twerton” was awarded after a bid by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Liberal Democrat administration – and questioned why Whiteway had been excluded. But the Liberal Democrats councillors were called out on the local Facebook page for “misinformation”. A local resident also contacted the Echo to point out that there was no council bid, as the Pride in Place Programme (PiPP) used deprived area ONS (Office for National Statistics) data to work out which communities across the country would benefit from funding. The resident added that the press release issued on Friday 19th December by B&NES Council made it clear that the funding is for the Twerton and Whiteway ward. Both councillors responded promptly after being contacted by the Echo.
Councillor Moore referred us to their ‘Twerton and Whiteway Community News’ blog, where they posted that they’d had a further meeting with officers concerning the £20 million allocated to Twerton. “We have received confirmation that the previous information given to us was incorrect, and although the council are regularly placing bids for funds, this money was not allocated as part of a bid from the council.” The councillors added that the funding had been allocated based on the previous Twerton ward boundary: “We will be working closely with officers and residents to ensure the whole ward is included and residents lead this project.” Councillor Ball told the Echo that the map they had included in their newsletter reflected the current area in the PiPP proposal. “However, it is based on pre2019 ward boundaries, which we believe is an error that needs to be corrected. “We are seeking clarification on this and will ensure the correct boundaries are represented moving forward.” He confirmed that the newsletter delivered to most of the area has been “amended” to reflect the funding issue. The official council press release issued on Friday 19th December
The local councillors were accused of spreading “misinformation”
said: “Pride in Place funding aims to help communities make long-term improvements that residents want through community-led Neighbourhood Boards. “Government guidance says the boards must be made up of local people, who will decide how to invest the funding, supported by their local councils and their local MP. “With support from Bath & North East Somerset Council, which will receive the funding and be the accountable body to begin with, an initial timeline to get a board in place has been agreed. “In the New Year, people in the Twerton and Whiteway ward will be able to formally share their
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views on the boundary for the area, the name of the scheme and what improvements they want the board to prioritise. “The application process for the board and its independent chair will also get under way. “Anyone who is ‘from’, living or working in the Twerton and Whiteway ward, holds a prominent role in the community or has a passion for the place will be eligible to submit an application for the chair or board when the application process opens. “Under the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) guidance, boards should have at least eight members, with the
majority (51%) living or working within the area. The local MP and at least one ward councillor will also sit on the board.” Council leader Councillor Kevin Guy added: “We end the year with much to look forward to in 2026, not least this unique opportunity for residents to fundamentally do something brilliant for the Twerton and Whiteway ward over the next decade. “Since the government announcement about Pride in Place in the autumn, the community supported by the council have got the ball rolling and in line with MHCLG guidance, we are all now in a place to take significant steps forward in the New Year.”
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Crime & Court
Friday 2nd January - Thursday 15th January 2026
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Drama as defendant collapses in Bath court during sentencing
Teen hammer attacker gets custodial sentence
A 24-YEAR-OLD woman who has committed more than 20 offences collapsed in the dock at Bath Magistrates’ Court after being sentenced to a total of 26 weeks in jail. On Wednesday 17th December District Judge Lynne Matthews resentenced Yasmin Harwood for a series of thefts from shops and assaults as she had breached a community order. But before the judge could clarify that she was going to suspend Harwood’s sentence for 18 months, the defendant began wailing and fell to the floor. The mother-of-three has been battling a drug problem but had been clean for two months, the court heard. Previously of Julian House shelter in Bath but now living at Sunnyside View in Peasedown St John, Harwood was also ordered to complete up to 30 rehabilitation
A TEENAGER from the Peasedown St John area who hit two boys over the head with a hammer after taking drugs and alcohol has received a custodial sentence. Reporting restrictions prevent us from naming the 17-year-old who was sentenced at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 17th December. He received a 14-month detention and training order. At an appearance at Bath Youth Court in September, the teenager had admitted two charges of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm. The unprovoked attacks happened on 25th June 2024 in Midsomer Norton when the defendant was 16. His 15-year-old victim needed stitches to a deep laceration. The 16-year-old victim lost a tooth, another was chipped, and he also
Harwood's sentence was suspended for 18 months
activity requirement (RAR) days. Her sentence included a fine of £200 for breaching a twoyear community behaviour order which bans her from any premises within a mapped exclusion zone in the city, and from any shop from which she
Man jailed as judge resentences him for punching his partner
Cook was sent to prison for 10 weeks
A 35-YEAR-OLD man who breached a community order imposed after he punched his partner in front of their children has been sent to prison for 10 weeks. District Judge Lynne Matthews, sitting at Bath Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 17th December, heard that Jack Cook, whose address was given as the Julian House shelter in Manvers Street, had failed without reasonable excuse to comply with the requirements of the community order made by Taunton Deane Magistrates’ Court on 6th September 2024. He had missed some appointments and not complied with the requirements of his alcohol tag. Defending Cook, solicitor Jennifer Stetson told the court that he has had alcohol-related problems all his life and both his parents were alcoholics. He had
recently suffered the trauma of a friend at Julian House dying; he had been in hospital for a week with sepsis in November and currently had pneumonia. District Judge Matthews said Cook had been given a community order “generously” and that custody had been merited in the first place for the assault. One witness had described it as a “sustained attack” and the woman was left bleeding. District Judge Matthews told Cook that when children see domestic violence it is repeated down the line. In her view the community order was “beyond repair” due to his wilful and persistent non-compliance. She revoked it and resentenced Cook, imposing an immediate 10-week custodial sentence. Cook wiped away tears as he was led from the dock by custody officers.
has a specific written ban. Harwood thanked District Judge Matthews for suspending the jail sentence, which will be imposed if she offends again. Harwood assured the judge: “I won’t offend again. I am literally done with this life.”
The teenager had admitted the attacks
suffered a cut chin. The youth court had ordered a pre-sentence report and the teenager had been on bail prior to being sentenced at Bristol Magistrates’ Court. The court made no compensation order for his victims.
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Supervision order imposed on pensioner who killed his wife A JUDGE has given a Bath pensioner a two-year supervision order after a jury found he unlawfully killed his wife of more than 60 years at their home in June 2024. William Haxworth appeared before His Honour Judge William Hart at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 19th December for sentencing. It followed a two-day finding of fact hearing in September as the 88-year-old, from Upper Lansdown Mews, was not fit to stand trial. The case had been adjourned for pre-sentence reports. Wearing a hat, shirt and tie, jumper and corduroy trousers and using a walking stick, Mr Haxworth was accompanied into courtroom 10 by his daughter on 19th December. He did not sit in the dock but in front of it. The judge explained that his options were limited by law, and there was no question of conviction or punishment as there had been no attempt to prove the other ingredients of the offence of murder. He said that the two-year supervision order, which is the maximum allowed, would include supervision by both a probation officer and a registered medical practitioner. Judge Hart said that Mr Haxworth had a “fixed belief” that his 85-year-old wife Delia had been suffering from a “very serious if not terminal” illness. He described the circumstances as “most tragic” and gave his condolences to “all who knew and loved Delia and those who
Upper Lansdown Mews in Bath
care for and love you”. He said that Mr Haxworth had made a second attempt to take his own life and had spent some time in hospital. Police had been contacted on Tuesday 18th June 2024 when members of the public reported concern for the welfare of a distressed older man in Bennett Street who was threatening to jump from the top of scaffolding. The man, later identified as Mr Haxworth, told those trying to help him that he had killed his wife, and now it was “his turn”. He repeated the remark when police arrived. Officers went to the couple’s home nearby and found Mrs Haxworth’s body. Despite his initial comments, Mr Haxworth gave officers no account of what had happened. As he was deemed unfit to stand trial, no defence case was presented. A post-mortem examination established that Mrs Haxworth
had died from suffocation, with evidence of smothering. Although she’d had some recent health issues, including falls, she had no terminal illness. At the sentencing, the judge praised those who had prevented Mr Haxworth from hurling himself off the scaffolding. Following the sentence, friends of Mr Haxworth who were in court hugged him. Detective Superintendent Tom Herbert said: “Delia’s unexpected death was not due to natural causes. “Medical evidence showed that although she had some recent health issues, she had no terminal illness. “The jury, after hearing the evidence from a thorough and necessary investigation, unanimously agreed that she was unlawfully killed by her husband. “This is a tragic case, and our sympathies remain with the Haxworths in their loss.”
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Issue 120
Your City, Your News - Bath Echo
Man appears in court twice in three days
Sex offender returns to Bath court after error
Keynsham Police Centre
BATH magistrates have fined a man who damaged a pillow in a cell at Keynsham Police Centre. Ben Badman, 25, who gave his address at the hearing on Monday 15th December as the Julian House shelter in Bath, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage while locked up on 27th October. The prosecutor said that Badman had difficulty getting comfortable and that the pillows in the cells are “not the most comfortable”. He had unpicked the outer sleeve and settled down with the inner part. Badman was not charged with anything as a result of his stay in custody, other than the damage to the pillow, which was unusable afterwards. He was fined £40 and told to pay the police £45 compensation for
the pillow. He was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £16 but not prosecution costs. The amount will be consolidated with the £3,700 still outstanding from his previous convictions, with deductions coming out of Badman’s benefits. Badman was then back at the magistrates’ court two days later to admit an outstanding offence that on 17th July at Cardiff he was in possession of 3.59 grams of spice, a Class B drug. District Judge Lynne Matthews, who was sitting on Wednesday 17th December, ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drug. She fined Badman £140 and ordered him to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £56 surcharge.
A CONVICTED sex offender returned to court in Bath after it emerged that an error had been made at his sentencing. Russell Maidment, 32, had been given a 12-month suspended prison sentence by magistrates after admitting making a category C indecent photo / pseudophoto of a child in February 2022 and six offences of sexual communication with a child in 2021 and 2022. Under Section 82 of the Sexual Offences Act, anyone receiving a sentence of more than six months, whether suspended or not, must comply
with reporting requirements (which enable police to monitor and manage sex offenders) for 10 years. However, when Maidment was sentenced on 10th November, the reporting requirements term was set at five years. Magistrates formally reopened the case on Monday 15th December, with the legal adviser explaining to Maidment that no one had picked up on the error at the time of his sentencing. The bench changed it to 10 years, with Maidment acknowledging he understood the reason.
Appeal after man in his 70s punched in the face POLICE have launched an appeal for witnesses after a man in his 70s was punched in the face during an incident in Odd Down. At around 1.30pm on Thursday 27th November, the victim was walking on Frome Road near Tesco Express when he was punched after an altercation. The victim sustained minor injuries and did not require
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hospital treatment. The offender has been described as a white man, aged in his 50s or 60s, about 5ft 7ins tall and was wearing a hooded jacket at the time of the incident. He was riding an e-scooter. If you witnessed the incident or have any information you think could help the ongoing investigation, call 101 using the reference number 5225333422.
Why do we ‘name and shame’ in our stories? Since the introduction of our Crime & Court section, we've been contacted by concerned members of the public, defendants and guilty parties regarding the inclusion of their names, ages, and partial addresses. We are proud to be able to provide court coverage of cases at Bath Magistrates' Court, something that many local newspapers are unable to do due to restricted time for their reporters. Reporting court cases acts as a deterrent against crime. Printing a defendant’s age and address stops anyone with the same name from being defamed. We do not have access to police or CPS files regarding cases, so everything reported is based on what the prosecution and defence say during a court hearing. HM Courts & Tribunals Service encourages and facilitates media access to courts and tribunals. We have the right to attend and report on proceedings held in open court, unless a statutory restriction applies, or a court order prevents this. Our stories are governed by the regulator IMPRESS, the Independent Monitor for the Press. We follow their dedicated Standards Code, which can be found at https://bit.ly/4n0d9qN
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Pictures from the Past Bath's First Fire Station
Bath's first fire station, behind the Guildhall
Kirsten Elliott Akeman Press
BATH’S fire station has been much in the news lately, so this week’s archive feature looks back at Bath’s first station, at the back of the Guildhall. The first fire brigades were set up by insurance companies, but in the late 19th century they were taken over by local councils. In 1889, the West Of England Fire & Life Assurance Company disbanded its brigade in Bath – which was based in the yard of the White Lion in Bridge Street – and donated its engine and equipment to the corporation. Two years later the Bath Fire Brigade bought a new engine and moved to a new base in York Street. This was only a
A sketch of the entrance to the fire station
makeshift home, however, and in 1898 the brigade moved to a purpose-built facility, next to the police station (now Brown’s restaurant) at the back of the Guildhall. Initially, the brigade was a voluntary force, supported by subscriptions, but in the early 1900s the council decided to create several full-time posts. When not engaged on brigade duties, these early firemen had to work as porters in the Guildhall. There were also 17 voluntary firemen, who received a retainer of two guineas a year, but, when called out, were paid two shillings for the first hour and one shilling for every hour thereafter. The horses which hauled the engines belonged to a private owner, and were only stabled at the fire station between 7pm and 7am. In the day, they were used for other jobs around the city, which meant
that, in the event of a fire, there was often a considerable delay before they could be rounded up. Another problem was that some of the hills around Bath were so steep that horses struggled to drag the heavy engines up them, causing further delays. After a series of major fires which the brigade took an unconscionably long time to reach, in 1909 the council convened a committee which recommended the purchase of a ‘motor fire escape and tender’, and in January 1910 the city took delivery of a 50-horsepower, chain-driven Merryweather engine. With a maximum speed of 30 mph, it could climb Widcombe Hill, fully loaded, in seven minutes – a climb that had taken the horse-drawn engine 40 minutes. The fire station at the back of the Guildhall
was only 12 years old when the new engine arrived, but, although it fitted in comfortably, bigger and better engines were soon being developed. When delivery was taken of a Merryweather turntable engine less than 20 years later, it had to be dismantled before it could be moved into the station – and disassembled and put but back together every time it was called out. With no room for expansion, the council had no option but to acquire land for a new station. The site they chose was an old tip on Bathwick Street – where Bath Fire Station still stands today – and the old station was demolished. More about Bath’s first fire station – and the fires its engines turned up late to – can be found in The Year of the Pageant, published by Akeman Press.
COLUMN | Councillor Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council
I
hope you had a lovely festive season. Happy New Year! Before I look forward to 2026, though, I want to highlight the excellent news we had before the holidays. The government announced a capital fund of at least £3 billion over the next four years to help create at least 50,000 new places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in schools across England. We warmly welcomed this funding which will unlock the long-awaited new special and alternative provision schools we
have been planning to build at the Culverhay site in Bath: Green Ways Academy (special school) and Sulis Academy (alternative provision). The schools are expected to provide 120 places for children with SEND in Bath and North East Somerset alongside 55 alternative provision places. The project has been on hold for the past 18 months, while a government spending review took place. We pledged to keep an education presence on the Culverhay site after the closure of Bath Community Academy a few years
ago. We have been lobbying the government to fund the new schools, as some of our most vulnerable children have the challenge of travelling out of B&NES for education. We are proud we have been listened to and will be treating this as a priority. The good news for vulnerable children came soon after we welcomed the government’s support for another key initiative we have lobbied hard for: the power to raise a tourism levy. A modest levy applied to overnight stays (including short-
term lets such as Airbnb) could raise much-needed funds. We believe councils should be able to use income from a levy to invest in services and infrastructure that benefit residents and visitors alike. Bath’s attractiveness as a visitor destination continues to grow. Early data from our recent 25th anniversary Christmas Market shows an increase in footfall on 2024’s level. More than 250 businesses – 65% of which were from Bath and the surrounding areas – joined 32
community groups at this successful event. The next couple of months will be focused on budget setting. The West of England Combined Authority (WECA), a major source of funding for many council projects, will finish setting its budget in January. The council will be finalising our budget in February. This year promises to be another busy one with a very full agenda. I look forward to sharing updates on the ambitious projects we are delivering for our residents.
Issue 120
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Crossword
Congratulations to Alma Queralt for winning £50 in our festive crossword! The answers to the crossword below will be published in our next issue.
Complete our crossword for your chance to win £20! Across
Down
1 Old-fashioned persons (7) 5 Much the same (7) 9 Penitent's emotion (7) 10 Crusading king (7) 11 Commotion (3) 12 Twilled material (5) 13 Big-head (4-3) 15 Petrol measure (5) 17 Milky (7) 20 Kind of owl (7) 23 Sound from a tree (7) 25 With feeling (7) 29 Burst forth (5) 30 Personal label (4,3) 33 Hidden (5) 34 Cuttlefish smokescreen (3) 35 Element emerges when humidor is smashed (7) 36 Tomb inscription (7) 37 Instruction not to stop (5,2) 38 Sniffed (7)
1 Predicted (7) 2 Feudal Japanese warrior (7) 3 A Haifan, for example (7) 4 Slyness (7) 5 Cerebral afflictions (7) 6 Extremely small in scale (5) 7 Capital of Tibet (5) 8 Annual flyer with a famous nose (7) 14 Go round (5) 16 Sea-girt land (4) 18 Hedgerow berry (3) 19 A tenth part (5) 21 Hew (4) 22 Computer "brain" (1,1,1) 23 Guaranteed academic employment (7) 24 Therapeutic plan (7) 25 Fools (7) 26 Take advantage of (7) 27 Star's letters (3,4) 28 Pitched abruptly (7) 31 Native New Zealander (5) 32 Banal (5)
Entering our competition - via email or post For your chance to win £20, submit your full name, postal address and answers by email to puzzles@bathecho.co.uk or via post to: Crossword Competition 0201, Bath Echo, PO Box 5395, Bath, BA1 0YA The winner will be the first randomly opened entry with the correct answers on 14/01/2026. They will be notified using the details they provide when entering the competition. Winners will be given the option of receiving a High Street shopping voucher or be provided the £20 via a BACS transfer.
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Food & Drink
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Melissa Blease
Food Writer
Tasty Dates For Your Diary Book today for Scallop Shell owner Garry Rosser and head chef Jack Scarterfield’s one-off Supper Club showcasing “an elevated menu of unbeatable British seafood” in the twinkly surroundings of The Little Scallop (upstairs at The Scallop Shell, Monmouth Place) on Wednesday 14th January (£65pp). https://bit.ly/3MZql2r
Welcome the incoming Year of the Fire Horse at Castle Farm (Midford) on Saturday 17th January when a very special Chinese New Year Supper Club menu inspired by “beauty, majesty and the boldest Chinese flavours” combine to create spectacular foodie fireworks (£58pp). https://bit.ly/49agRsA
kicking off this year’s series of pop-up guest chefs at the Rose and Crown (Larkhall) on Tuesday 21st January with a simplesounding menu (“a homage to the humble potato”, no less) that promises to translate as “something extraordinary”. Go on, be brave! (£55pp; optional wine flight +£40pp). roseandcrownlarkhall.co.uk
The Inn at Freshford (Freshford, of course!) has reopened under the conscientious curatorship of William and Marianne Cartwright-Hignett of the acclaimed Iford Manor Estate, Cafe and Kitchen, who will be putting community, hospitality, heritage and sustainability at the heart of this glorious hostelry’s overall ethos. www.theinnatfreshford.com
Put a much-needed blast of glamour and sparkle into deep midwinter lunch/dinner times at Montagu’s Mews at the Royal Crescent Hotel, where fixed price menus (lunch: £35/£39 for 2/3 courses; dinner £38/£45) makes a 5-star experience an affordable treat until Tuesday 31st March. https://bit.ly/4awYAbg
Celebrate Burns Night weekend at The George Inn (Bathampton) from Friday 23rd - Sunday 25th January when a 4-course supper brings Scottish delights including Cullen Skink, Haggis and those all-important neeps and tatties to the no doubt tartan-dressed table for just £29pp. https://bit.ly/3YM6k1U
A very exciting mystery chef is
The
Recipe
fully-refurbished
King
William pub in Combe Down has reopened under the experienced ownership of Charlie and Amanda Digney, who many of us are already fully acquainted with from the Garrick’s Head (Saw Close). Exciting times indeed! www.kingwilliambath.com A welcome drink, a 3-course Burns Night menu, a carefully curated selection of Suntory’s remarkable world class whiskies and the dramatic, ceremonial Address to the Haggis: it’s all going on at the Huntsman (Terrace Walk) on Saturday 24th January (£56.16pp). https://bit.ly/3YhGzXa “A tasting menu designed to soothe the soul”: that’s The Tastes of January Supper Club at Bath Soft Cheese HQ (Kelston) on
Thursday 29th January - go forth and indulge! (7-courses/£65pp). https://bit.ly/44NQ6Jd Komedia (Westgate Street) sees out January in style when the Mamma Mia! Bottomless Brunch (Saturday 31st January) promises an all-singing, all-dancing, Abbacentric experience featuring a delicious brunch and 1.5 hours of bottomless drinks (prices vary). https://bit.ly/4qyXnVz Melissa regularly reviews eateries across Bath and the surrounding area. Find out more at: www.theprandialplayground.uk Follow Melissa on X Find her @ThePigGuide
Mushroom Stroganoff
Rich, tasty and on the table in less than the time it takes to steam the accompanying rice, this satisfying, meat-free, wallet-friendly dish is the perfect cosy January supper.
Ingredients (serves 4)
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and grated • 600g chestnut mushrooms, sliced • 1 heaped tsp smoked paprika • 1 tsp Dijon or English mustard • 250ml vegetable stock • 200ml soured cream (or vegetarian/vegan alternative) • The juice from ½ fresh lemon To serve: • Steamed basmati rice • Freshly-chopped parsley • Lemon wedges
Method
• Heat a little olive oil in a wide saucepan over a medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent, adding the garlic for the last minute or so of cooking time. • Add the mushrooms to the pan and continue to cook gently for around 5-6 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and golden brown. • Add the paprika and mustard, stir well, then add the stock, continuing to stir as you pour it in. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the soured cream followed by the lemon juice and stir thoroughly to combine. • Season to taste and serve immediately on a bed of steamed rice, topped with fresh parsley and accompanied by lemon wedges for spritzing.
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What's On
Friday 2nd January - Thursday 15th January 2026
Wassail Celebration
Winchester: A City of Kings
Bath Jazz Weekend 2026
Bath Portrait Club
Dyrham Park (National Trust) 3rd January, 12pm From 12pm, visitors can make wassail sticks in the Great Kitchen. At 1pm there will be traditional music in the courtyard leading up to the great wassail procession around the garden.
BRLSI 8th January, 7.30pm This talk by Susanne Haselgrove is organised by Bath & Counties Archaeological Society (BACAS) and draws on ‘Winchester: City of Kings’, coauthored with Katherine Barclay.
Widcombe Social Club 9th – 11th January Returning for the sixth time, the Bath Jazz Weekend has found its way to becoming an important part of Bath's cultural calendar. Run as a co-operative, the festival serves as a showcase.
The Holburne 11th January, 2–4pm Bath Portrait Club welcomes everyone (not just artists!) to have a go at drawing a face, with sitters changing every 15 minutes. Based in the Brownsword Gallery, all materials provided.
The Randy Swindlers
Farm Tots - Mini Wassail
New Year Concert
Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story
The Bell Inn 4th January, 1pm Mr Swindler has been away on a long holiday, but got time off for good behaviour. Be entertained by cheeky swing & easy listening favourites, just don't part with any money.
Bath City Farm 8th & 13th January Following the animal feed and a snack at the Roundhouse, visitors will head to an apple tree or two to sing, dance and to make some noise to ‘wake’ the apple trees from their winter slumber.
Bath Abbey 10th January, 7pm Welcome in the New Year with a magical evening of enchanting music sung by the Bath Abbey Girls’ Choir. Featuring a range of solos, accompanied by the beautiful sounds of the harp.
Theatre Royal 13th – 17th January This sensational multi award-winning West End show first opened in 1989 and has been thrilling audiences around the world ever since. Now it triumphantly visits Bath as part of its 2025/26 UK Tour.
Life Drawing in the Living Room
Free Community Music Festival
A Night of House & Garage Live
Damon Hill
The Grapes 5th January, 7pm Join Bath Drawing for life drawing classes in the Jacobean Living Room. Running since 2020, the sessions cater to all skill levels, from complete beginners to seasoned artists.
Komedia Bath 9th January, 5.45pm Join this Free Community Music Festival feat. Meryl Streek, Kill Mirror Image, 1000 legs, Mute TV, Leathers, Crooked Snout & Quick Romance! Presenting seven acts across two stages.
Burdall’s Yard 10th January, 5pm Kyrstik makes his debut alongside fellow Bath native Cobber, with a set of Garage anthems. Jack T mixes Modern House with 90s classics and Harry Krishna brings his blend of Disco and House.
The Forum 14th January, 7.30pm Damon will share stories from his remarkable Formula 1 journey, from his unconventional late entry into the sport at 32 to becoming the first son of a champion to claim the title himself.
Tiny Tales
Rowan Stuart Trio
Haunted Shadows
Dick Whittington
Topping & Company Booksellers 6th January, 10am Claud will read a handful of brilliant new picture books carefully selected. It will last for approximately 45 minutes. Tiny Tales is for children aged 2 to 5 years-old.
Chapel Arts Centre 9th January, 8pm Rowan Stuart is a singer-songwriterguitarist from South Africa, who relocated to Devon in 2024. With a love of fantasy and storytelling, Rowan is on a quest to bring his inner worlds to life.
The Ustinov Studio 10th January The Gothic Tales of Edith Nesbit. An expert at chilling the spine and curdling the blood, Edith Nesbit relates three of her best Gothic tales while recalling her own childhood terrors.
The Rondo Theatre 15th – 17th January Dick and his magic cat, Tiddles, leave Bath to seek their fortune in medieval London. Everything looks rosy - a good job, new friends, the beautiful Alice - but the evil king Rat soon ruins it all.
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Community Overnight closures of M4 for bridge works
A CGI image of how the new bridge will look | Image © Highways England
NATIONAL Highways will be closing the M4 overnight in both directions between Junction 18 (Bath) and Junction 19 (M32) from 5th to 10th January, as work on the replacement A432 Badminton Road Bridge continues. The 8pm to 6am closure is needed so that work can be carried out on the sides of the new bridge that is taking shape. Used by around 16,000 vehicles a day, the old overbridge linking Bristol and Yate was closed to traffic in the summer of 2023 after extensive cracking was discovered. The bridge was demolished in March 2025 and the new bridge is due to open in early 2026. At 46.5 metres in length and 20 metres wide, it will span eight lanes of motorway but will be slightly wider to ensure the lanes and pavements are wide enough
to meet today's safety standards. The barriers along the sides will be higher, making it safer for people walking and cycling. As with previous motorway closures as part of this project, people are advised to plan their journeys to avoid delays, and to follow the signed diversion route and not satnavs. If you're travelling westbound: • Leave at M4 Junction 18 and join the A46 towards Bath • Take the A420 towards Warmley at the A46/A420 junction past Pennsylvania • Join the A4174 towards the M32 at the A420/A4174 junction in Warmley • Connect to the M4 at Junction 19 via M32 Junction 1. Drivers travelling eastbound can follow the same diversion in the opposite direction. The cost of the new bridge has yet to be confirmed.
Legal Expert
BPT purchases historic K6 phone box for £1 THE Bath Preservation Trust snapped up an unusual early Christmas present, a Grade II– listed K6 red telephone box on Queen’s Parade Place, for just £1. The charity has taken ownership of the classic kiosk, which stands at the southern steps leading to Gravel Walk, a Regency promenade made famous by its appearance in a key scene in Jane Austen’s Persuasion. The phone box, designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1935, has been largely out of use since the rise of mobile phones but remains a much-loved feature of the streetscape near the city centre. Bath Preservation Trust (BPT) plans to repair and restore the box, including repainting, rewaxing and re-glazing it, before installing new display panels telling the story of Gravel Walk and the surrounding area, giving the structure a fresh role as a heritage information point. Alex Sherman, CEO of Bath Preservation Trust, said: “BPT is well known for its care and conservation of the doubleinscribed World Heritage site of Bath and particularly its listed buildings. “This beautiful and classic piece of Britain’s streetscape is an important feature in the city but one which is in desperate need of love and attention.
Photo © BPT
“We are looking forward to seeing the phone box fully conserved with fresh paint and new glass and giving it a new lease of life, to help people understand more about Bath’s unique heritage. “The K6 telephone box is our first non-Georgian built structure and is 108 years younger than our next youngest building, Beckford’s Tower. “We are very proud to be looking after such an important piece of 20th century design.” Bath Preservation Trust already owns and operates four museums in the city – No. 1 Royal Crescent, the Museum of Bath Architecture (currently closed), the Herschel Museum of Astronomy and Beckford’s Tower. Each is based in a historic building and showcases Bath’s social, scientific, architectural and historic significance, as well as providing spaces for learning and engagement with local heritage.
Festive cheer thanks to Bath hospital musician THE Royal United Hospital in Bath was filled with extra melody and warmth over the festive period thanks to its long-standing Musician in Residence, Frankie Simpkins. Throughout Christmas, Frankie used live music to bring comfort and connection to patients and staff, drawing on more than a decade of experience at the RUH to tailor each performance to the moment. She said: “It’s all about being really aware that music needs to be right in the moment for that person and how they are feeling.
So, I can sing Christmas songs if we want to or I might sing something else.” Frankie has been the RUH’s Musician in Residence for 12 years, working through the Soundbite Music Programme with support from Friends of the RUH, and over that time has seen first-hand how powerful a familiar song can be. She said: “Music in hospital has many benefits. Someone’s face can light up despite feeling poorly when they hear something that’s familiar or special to them.” Consultant Geriatrician Dr Helen
Milbourn, who regularly saw the impact on older patients, said: “It’s a joy to see Frankie come on the wards. It’s so nice to see some of our patients who have been unwell look so animated and back to themselves.” One recent moment on the Older People’s Unit, captured in a short video that was widely shared online, showed just how transformative music could be. Frankie said: “It was a busy day on the ward and so the patient was brought down to me so she could hear me singing. “She requested ‘Rock Around the
Clock’ and I began to sing it and she started dancing! It was the most beautiful thing.” Highlighting the clinical benefits too, Dr Milbourn added: “Just a small amount of time in bed can mean real loss of muscle bulk and so a patient can take longer to recover and spend more time away from home. So it’s really important to get up and moving and music is a brilliant vehicle for this.”
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Why Making a Will Matters
The start of a New Year often brings fresh focus on the future and the people who matter most. One of the most practical steps you can take is to ensure your affairs are in order by making a Will. A professionally drafted Will gives you certainty and control, setting out clearly how you wish your estate to be managed when you die. It also provides peace of mind for loved ones, removing uncertainty and ensuring the right people can deal with legal matters on your behalf. To make a valid Will, you must be over 18 years of age, act voluntarily, and have mental capacity. Your Will must also be signed in accordance with strict legal formalities; otherwise, it may be deemed invalid. Many people consider making a Will at life milestones such as buying a home, marriage, civil partnership or the arrival of children, but it is wise to put one in place as early as possible. Without a Will, your estate will be distributed under the rules of intestacy. These rules are rigid and may not reflect your personal wishes. For example, unmarried partners are not entitled to inherit, and married couples with children may see assets divided in ways they did not intend. The distribution can become increasingly complex where parents, siblings, grandparents or extended family are involved. It is also important to remember that some assets fall outside your Will, including jointly owned property, pensions, death-inservice benefits and certain life assurance policies. Reviewing these arrangements regularly is essential to ensure they remain aligned with your intentions. Battens’ Private Client team offers clear, pragmatic advice on Wills, Trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney, probate and tax planning. Contact the team in our Bath office on 01225 562581 for more information or to book an appointment.
01225 562581 www.battens.co.uk hello@battens.co.uk 7 Gay Street, Bath, BA1 2PH
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Issue 120
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Your City, Your News - Bath Echo
Robert Drewett appointed as new Vice Lord-Lieutenant for Somerset SOMERSET has a new Vice Lord-Lieutenant, following the retirement of Ted Allen from the role. Robert “Robbie” Drewett, who lives in the Mendips above the Chew Valley, has been appointed to the position after two decades of service as a Deputy Lieutenant. Mr Drewett succeeds Mr Allen, who has served as Vice LordLieutenant for the past three years and has now stepped down on reaching the Lieutenancy retirement age of 75. Speaking about his appointment, Mr Drewett said: “It is a great honour to be appointed as Vice Lord-Lieutenant and I very much look forward to working alongside the Lord-Lieutenant in helping further the work of the Lieutenancy in Somerset. “Ted Allen has done a fantastic job during his time as Vice LordLieutenant and set the bar high but I will do my best to build on the high standards set by him.” Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset, Mohammed Saddiq, praised both the incoming and outgoing post-holders. He said: “I am delighted to welcome Robbie Drewett as the next Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset, bringing with him a distinguished legal career and decades of devoted service to the
Permission sought to repair historic bridge
The bridge was struck in October
Robert Drewett has replaced Ted Allen | Photo © B&NES Council
county’s civic and charitable life. “His exceptional leadership across agricultural, charitable, and community organisations - alongside his long-standing commitment as a Deputy Lieutenant and former High Sheriff - will be of immense value in this new role. “I would also like to thank Ted Allen for his service as Vice LordLieutenant for the past three years. I am truly grateful for the exceptional support and service he has provided and he will be greatly missed.” Reflecting on his time with the Lieutenancy, Mr Allen said
his years in office had been a privilege. He said: “I have been a part of Somerset Lieutenancy for 16 years and it has truly been an absolute pleasure. But my last three years as Vice LordLieutenant have been the most huge privilege. “To work closely in support of the Lord-Lieutenant, welcome our Royal visitors and have the opportunity to meet so many charities and volunteers who work tirelessly to help others and their communities, has been the most remarkable and humbling experience.”
THE Canal & River Trust has applied for listed building consent to repair an historic Bath bridge which was extensively damaged in a collision. A vehicle and trailer crashed into the parapet of Horseshoe Bridge over the Kennet & Avon Canal on 23rd October, dislodging chunks of masonry. Initially, navigation for boats was closed and Avon Fire & Rescue crews assisted in making the scene safe, including for those on boats. Safety barriers were erected, and the footway closed, although the bridge has remained open to traffic. The Grade II listed bridge dates from around 1800 and
is attributed to engineer John Rennie. In the application to Bath & North East Somerset Council, the Canal & River Trust says it proposes to repair the damage reusing the salvaged stone where possible. It says the works will be carried out by local craftspeople specialising in working with Bath stone and with previous extensive experience of repairing similar structures, and the work will be monitored by the trust’s heritage team. The planning reference is 25/04403/LBA. The deadline for comments is 17th January. The Canal & River Trust says vehicle strikes cost the charity more than £1 million per year.
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Health Health warning issued as temperatures continue to drop PEOPLE across the South West are being urged to look out for one another and help ease pressure on the NHS as temperatures fall below freezing this week. Health leaders say the cold snap poses particular risks for older people and those with pre-existing health conditions, following an amber cold weather alert issued by the UK Health Security Agency, which is in place until 10am on 6th January. Very cold weather is linked to a rapid rise in serious health problems. Heart attacks increase almost immediately after a cold spell begins, hospitals typically see more stroke patients around five days later, and respiratory illnesses peak roughly a week after the cold weather sets in. Dr Justin Varney-Bennett, Regional Director of Public Health for NHS England – South West, said: "With very cold
weather forecast, it's vital for people who have long-term conditions, and especially important for the elderly, to take extra care. "Checking in on those who are more vulnerable in your life over the next few days could potentially save their life as well as lift their spirits on a dark day." People are being encouraged to follow simple steps to stay safe: • Keep your home heated to at least 18°C if you're elderly or vulnerable • Wear hats, gloves, and warm indoor footwear like slippers • Stay active indoors with gentle movement to improve circulation • Check on vulnerable friends, family and neighbours Dr Varney-Bennett added: "Moving each day improves blood circulation, helping to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attacks whilst warming your core, as well as helping to lessen the risk of
An amber warning is in force until 10am on 6th January
trips and falls. “No one wants to start the new year in hospital with something preventable. “The cold also makes everything slippier and more hazardous. Take it steady whether you're behind the wheel, on a bike or on foot – getting there safely matters more than getting there quickly."
Dr Alasdair Wood, Consultant in Health Protection at UKHSA South West, said a bit of extra care over the festive period can make a big difference: “Cold weather can be harder on some people, particularly those over 65 or with existing health conditions, so why not use this season of goodwill to check in on elderly neighbours,
family members or friends who might appreciate a visit, a phone call, or a helping hand. "Simple gestures like making sure their home is warm enough, helping with shopping, or just spending some time together can make a real difference." People are also being reminded to help stop winter bugs spreading by staying at home if they are unwell, washing hands regularly with soap and water, using tissues to catch and bin runny noses and sneezes, drinking plenty of fluids and using over-the-counter medicines for aches and pains if needed. GP practices continue to offer consultations online, over the phone and in person with a range of qualified staff. Anyone who feels unwell and is unsure where to turn is advised to use NHS 111, either online at 111.nhs.uk, via the NHS App or by calling 111, to be directed to the most appropriate service.
MP launches campaign for Hospital’s maternity dedicated health centre in Twerton team praised in survey BATH MP Wera Hobhouse model already supported by the has launched a new campaign NHS nationally. calling for a neighbourhood It would bring together doctors, health centre in Twerton, pharmacists, community warning that local health nurses, occupational therapists, services need to be “restored”. diagnostics and outpatient rehab The Liberal Democrat MP has in a single building, to provide a started a petition backing the range of services closer to where proposal, which comes as new people live. figures show long waits for GP The MP argues that by co-locating appointments across Bath and services, patients in Twerton North East Somerset, Swindon could be seen more quickly and and Wiltshire have almost treated more effectively. doubled in five years. Wera Hobhouse said: “We Since January, 321,299 GP have a once-in-a-generation appointments in the area have opportunity to secure a new involved waits of more than 28 neighbourhood health centre for days, compared with 169,675 at our community. With the NHS the same point five years ago – an encouraging bids for new health 89% increase. centres nationally, we must seize The local campaign sits alongside this opportunity to repair the a national Liberal Democrat damage of Conservative neglect. pledge for 8,000 more GPs across “Twerton did not have a fair the country, with a guarantee deal on the NHS under the last that patients would be able to get government - and we face a real a GP appointment within seven crisis in access to basic services days, or 24 hours in urgent cases. not least GPs. Under the proposals, the new “Every week I meet more people Twerton neighbourhood health 1 who have to wait weeks to have JB Dental October 1/4.qxp_Layout 18/10/2024 14:50 Page 1 centre would open 12 hours a alarming symptoms investigated. day, six days a week, following a The truth is, our GPs and NHS
Wera, Tim & Sarah in Twerton
staff across Bath have been pushed to breaking point. “A new facility that gives doctors and nurses the tools they need, improves access to general practice, and introduces new community services, is a crucial step in delivering better, more accessible care for local people, and in banishing the 8am scramble.” Liberal Democrat councillors for Twerton and Whiteway, Tim Ball and Sarah Moore, added: "We are very pleased with the proposals for more localised health centres. “We believe these plans will bring real benefits to the communities of Twerton and Whiteway, who often face challenges accessing the main services." You can sign the petition at: https://bit.ly/4jndq6z
THE maternity team at the Royal United Hospital in Bath has once again been rated among the best in England for supportive and respectful care, according to the latest national survey. Results from the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) 2025 Maternity Survey show that women and birthing people who gave birth at the RUH in early 2025 rated the hospital better or much better than most trusts across 28 key questions. Respondents reported feeling listened to, respected and supported throughout their maternity journey, from antenatal appointments and labour to care on the postnatal ward. The CQC survey, carried out annually, asks people who have recently used maternity services about their experiences of care, including information provision, communication, involvement in decisions and emotional support. The RUH also achieved strong results for mental health support during pregnancy and for
respecting people’s decisions about feeding their babies. Zita Martinez, director of Midwifery, said: “We are delighted to see such positive feedback from the people we care for. It reflects the dedication and compassion of our maternity team, who work tirelessly to provide safe, personalised care for every family. We listen and learn from every survey and this year we’ve really focused on how we can make postnatal care even better, so it’s especially pleasing to see we’d further improved lots of our scores in this area. “Knowing that women and birthing people feel listened to, respected and supported throughout their journey is incredibly important to us. While these results are reassuring, we will continue to learn and improve.” Read more on this story via our website Scan the QR code
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Issue 120
Education
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Student donations help raise over £1m for British Heart Foundation PRE-LOVED clothes, books and kitchenware donated by students in Bath have helped raise more than £1 million for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) charity. The landmark total has been reached through the annual Student Moving Out Campaign, led by the Student Community Partnership (SCP), which encourages students leaving their homes at the end of the academic year to donate good quality items instead of throwing them away. Running for more than a decade alongside the British Heart Foundation’s Pack for Good campaign, the initiative has involved Bath & North East Somerset Council since 2015. Donations are used to stock the BHF shop in Bath, with sales helping to fund life-saving research into cardiovascular disease. The 2025 campaign was the most successful so far, raising just under £209,000 and pushing the overall total generated since the initiative began to more than £1 million.
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Councillor Mark Elliott, cabinet member for resources, said: “It’s worth celebrating this level of partnership working between the council and the universities and colleges. “This is a fantastic achievement and I’d like to thank everyone who donated and helped make this the most successful year to date. “The items left in the 15 temporary donation points around the city centre this summer raised an incredible £150,675. “In line with our zero waste strategy, this work helps increase recycling and promotes a circular economy – where rather than throw products away we keep them in use for as long as possible.” The SCP brings together the University of Bath, Bath Spa University, Bath College, their students’ unions, Norland College and Bath & North East Somerset Council. Professor Cassie Wilson, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Student Experience and Sport), University of Bath, said: “We’re very proud to be
Council grant for new pre-school training space at nursery
Photo © B&NES Council
part of the Student Community Partnership and to see the incredible impact of this initiative. Reaching the £1 million milestone reflects the commitment of our students and partners to sustainability and community support.” Professor Rebecca Schaaf, Senior Pro Vice Chancellor at Bath Spa University, said: “We’re delighted to have played our part in reaching this brilliant milestone, funding the important work of British Heart Foundation and encouraging more sustainable choices. BSU continues to hold sustainability as one of its core values and embeds this across the board.”
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SNAPDRAGONS Nurseries Ltd is planning to erect a new building at its Ellsbridge House site in Keynsham. The Snapdragons chain, which also has branches in Bath, Bristol and Wiltshire, says Bath & North East Somerset Council has provided a grant to help fund the proposed purpose-built training space as it wishes to be able to train local authority pre-school teaching staff. The detached single-storey
building will also provide Snapdragons’ staff with a breakout space. The new facility is said to be needed because the current space in the main Grade II listed manor house building on Bath Road is insufficient. The application is seeking both planning permission and listed building consent from B&NES Council. The reference is 25/04779/FUL and the deadline for comments is 29th January.
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Business Application to install BT Street Hub Self-storage site helps on city centre pavement ensure over 1,500 presents are delivered
Becky Feather Reporter
PLANS to install an illuminated BT Street Hub on a city centre pavement have been submitted to Bath & North East Somerset Council. Aiming to replace phone kiosks, Street Hubs offer free public wifi, free UK calls, USB charging, an emergency services button and a range of other digital services. Advertising consent is being sought to replace the kiosk outside No. 6 New Street, which has an ATM in it, with a Street Hub near Silcox Coffee (5-7 New Street) displaying two digital 75inch LCD screens. BT submitted a similar application for a Street Hub in Southgate Place in the city centre in 2023 but it was withdrawn before the council could make a decision. The police designing out crime officer for B&NES has lodged an objection in principle, warning that the Street Hub would attract street-based anti-social behaviour (ASB), begging and street drinking. Recently BT’s plans for a Street Hub on the pavement near Poundland in Keynsham High Street were refused by B&NES Council. BT had said the High Street location was a more suitable site
How the proposed Street Hub would look | Image © BT
than the current phone box kiosk near Tesco at Bristol Road, which is to be removed. But the police designing out crime officer Jason Price had raised concerns about the proposed Street Hub becoming a magnet for ASB and highlighted the case of one in Tower Hamlets in London, where people had been seen forming an orderly queue to use the phone on the booth to order drugs using the free 30-second call provided. Mr Price also said that good crime reduction advice recommends that to protect yourself from street robbery you should keep your mobile phone and other valuables out of sight: “It therefore becomes a personal safety issue, with users open to street robbery.” And he warned that the glare from such units can create problems for CCTV cameras, leading to footage being of such poor quality
that it has no evidential value. Concerns had also been raised by local councillors and 27 members of the public. In refusing the proposal for the Street Hub, B&NES Council planners said the design, siting, scale and illumination would harm the character and appearance of Keynsham High Street and compromise public safety and security. The position, height, scale, illumination and appearance would also harm the setting of nearby Grade II listed buildings, and the character and appearance of the town’s conservation area. BT says that Street Hubs will help future-proof the high street making them “smarter, safer, and more sustainable”. The planning reference for the proposed installation in New Street is 25/04774/AR. The deadline for comments is 29th January.
Holiday let permission being sought for dilapidated Twerton garage A PLANNING application to turn a dilapidated garage in Twerton into short-term holiday accommodation has been submitted to Bath & North East Somerset Council. The garage is behind 29 High Street, which is an end of terrace, and the change of use proposals show that the holiday let will be timber-clad. A report from the architects says: “The existing garage is in poor condition, has water ingress, and, due to its dimensions, fails to
meet the minimum dimensions or required clearances set by local parking standards. “The existing roof construction requires particular attention and replacement. The existing roof structure appears to have been undersized previously and is in
particularly poor condition.” The report says the conversion will be “functional, wellconsidered and sympathetic” and there will be “no ill impact on adjacent occupiers or the applicants/existing dwelling.” It is noted that the immediate neighbouring properties are houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). No. 29 has two off-street spaces, and one of these will be for the proposed holiday accommodation when in use.
Ro Bevan, Lee Cross from Vanguard, and Yvette Caster
MORE than 1,500 Christmas gifts stored at Vanguard Self Storage in Bath were dispatched to young people on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) wards across the country. The impressive total, higher than last year’s collection, reflected the growing support for Christmas For CAMHS, a volunteer-run charity that ensures children and young people spending the festive season in hospital still receive a present on Christmas Day. With no physical office of its own, Christmas For CAMHS turned to Vanguard Bath in November to rent a unit where donated gifts could be gathered, safely stored and organised for distribution. In response, the storage company went a step further and offered the unit completely free of charge for the duration of the festive campaign. Staff at the branch also accepted donations on-site and assisted with transport. Branch Manager Anil Kellay said the team had been delighted to get behind the cause. He said: “We’ve been so proud to
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support such a meaningful cause. “The efforts of Christmas For CAMHS bring much-needed joy to young people during the festive season. We have been honoured to play a part in making this happen.” For the charity, the Bath site effectively became its hub. Jessica Boatright, Head Elf at Christmas For CAMHS, said: “Did you know that Santa’s workshop isn’t at the North Pole? It’s actually at Vanguard Self Storage in Bath! “Chief Gift Storage Elf Anil and his team of brilliant assistant elves have been busy for the past month receiving and storing boxes of gifts for us, and we are so grateful for their support. “They have enabled our gifting process to run very smoothly this year, and young people up and down the UK will be waking up on Christmas morning to a special gift thanks to their incredible support. We couldn’t have done it without them.”
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Politics Council set to ban off-lead dogs in its cemeteries Becky Feather Reporter
BATH & North East Somerset Council is planning to introduce Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) forcing owners to keep their dogs on leads in its cemeteries. The council says there have been problems with uncontrolled dogs in the cemeteries it owns and that “numerous avenues” - including signage, media coverage and social media campaigns – have proved unsuccessful. The decision to consult the public on the PSPO proposals has been taken by Councillor Manda Rigby, the cabinet member for communications and community.
The Bath cemeteries concerned are: • Locksbrook Cemetery at Upper Bristol Road • St Michael’s Cemetery at Lower Weston • Smallcombe Cemetery at Widcombe Hill • St James Cemetery at Lower Bristol Road • Twerton Cemetery in Bellotts Road. The new ruling would also apply to the council’s Harptree Cemetery in East Harptree. A council report says: “Cemeteries are places of remembrance and reflection, and it is essential to maintain their sanctity. “However, issues with uncontrolled dogs off leads, fouling, and disturbances have been reported, causing distress
There have been issues with uncontrolled dogs at various sites
to visitors, council staff and undermining the dignity of these spaces. These situations create significant Health & Safety implications and risks, particularly for the council staff working within these areas along with cemetery visitors. “PSPOs provide local authorities
with the legal framework to enforce restrictions that prevent anti-social behaviour in public spaces.” The report says the initiative aligns with the council’s commitment to enhancing community wellbeing and maintaining public spaces.
Councillors want review of city's UNESCO benefits John Wimperis
Local Democracy Reporter
LABOUR councillors on Bath & North East Somerset Council say the local authority should “fully assess” the economic benefits of Bath’s UNESCO inscription. The Labour government has told the council it needs to build 27,000 homes by 2043. In proposals for the council’s Local Plan, which sets out where new developments should go, the Liberal Democrat-run council is proposing putting most of the new homes in other areas of the district away from Bath to avoid risking the historic city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site status. But Westfield councillor Robin Moss, who leads the council’s opposition Labour group, said he was “disappointed” with the council’s approach. He said: “This Lib Dem Local Plan suggests that, because B&NES wants to hold onto its UNESCO status, we can’t build the homes that Bath people need. “But our economy needs homes and jobs.” Bath’s UNESCO World Heritage Site listing specifically covers its setting within a “hollow in the hills.” Top councillors have warned that building a suburban expansion to the city could cost it its UNESCO status, and have instead proposed that most of the new housing is built in other areas of North East Somerset. There have been calls from local politicians outside of Bath for the city to give up its UNESCO World Heritage Site status in order to shoulder more of the housing instead. Saltford parish councillor Phil Harding suggested the idea in June but that was dismissed as a “non-starter” by B&NES council
Planning Round-up Mixed-use development of townhouse approved A new mixed-use development of a Grade II listed townhouse in the city centre has been approved by Bath & North East Somerset Council. 18 Upper Borough Walls, where sandwich shop The Butter Pat used to be, will have two commercial spaces on the ground floor and six boutique hotel-style rooms on the upper floors, with a new mansard roof level creating a third floor. Barrow Renovations’ scheme also includes the conversion of the basement into a speakeasy which reflects the history of it being a spirit merchant and wine vault.
B&B conversion plan given green light A planning application to turn Royal Park Guest House at 16 Crescent Gardens in Bath from a bed and breakfast to a residential home has been approved. The company behind the scheme for the vacant six-bed property is PPNL SPV B64-2 Limited. The property has off-street parking for one car and there will be a secure bicycle storage area at the rear.
Diseased Prior Park ash trees can be felled Bath & North East Somerset Council has raised no objection to the National Trust’s plans to fell nine ash trees affected by disease at Prior Park Landscape Gardens in Widcombe. There has been “significant dieback” with branches dropping. The National Trust plans to remove the trees, which are at various locations around the gardens, in the interests of public safety.
Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, first inscribed in 1987
cabinet member responsible for housing, Matt McCabe (Bathavon South, Liberal Democrat), at a council committee meeting in October. Now, in a statement, the Labour group is calling for the council to: “Fully assess the economic benefits and disbenefits of UNESCO inscriptions across B&NES.” It has also called for the council to promise Bath “the homes and affordable homes that its residents need.” The group said the council’s approach to the Local Plan - and its new movement strategy which Councillor Moss said needed to include more of a “major public transport system” - could “turn Bath into a city that’s mainly for wealthy out-commuters, students, and tourists.” Councillor Moss said there needed to be more affordable housing built in Bath, instead of other areas of the district where
people would have to commute to Bath from. He added that there were 23,000 students in Bath “taking up private rentals”, while a growth in the student population of 7,300 is predicted in the Local Plan documents. He said: “There is a real risk of community harm, rather than cohesion, as a result of these strategies. “We urge the administration to ‘be bold’ as their motto says. We press them to focus on ordinary residents’ need for a home that’s close to work - not on UNESCO badges, student housing and small-scale transport interventions. “These things have some value, but not as much value as keeping communities together to lessen division and reduce frightening inequality.” Bath & North East Somerset Council has proposed a ban on turning three-bedroom houses
which could be “family homes” into shared houses (officially called houses in multiple occupation, or HMOs) in order to reduce the impact of student numbers on the city’s housing supply. It has also, in recent years, begun building its first new council homes in more than 20 years, by converting unused council buildings into new social housing in its £12 million B&NES Homes programme. Most affordable housing, however, comes from housing developers, who are required to build some affordable units on large developments. Speaking in October, Councillor McCabe said the government’s housing targets were based on a “clunky calculator without any sense of finesse.” He said: “We have argued our case with government that Bath is unique and you need to take a different approach rather than applying this calculator.”
Plans in for almshouse office conversions Plans have been submitted by the St John’s Foundation to convert their main offices at Chapel Court in the centre of Bath into new almshouses, as part of a £5 million scheme to increase the number available to older residents. Five one-bed apartments are proposed in the five-storey building, alongside the demolition of a 1930s extension to the rear.
Work proposed on historic school’s windows The Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership has submitted plans to Bath & North East Somerset Council to carry out work on various windows at Grade II listed St Julian's Primary School in Wellow. The scheme is scheduled for the summer holidays of 2026. The planning reference is 25/04751/LBA and the deadline for comments is 29th January.
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Call to save Georgian garden owned by charity
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John Wimperis
Local Democracy Reporter
COUNCILLORS are being urged to save a “very uncommon” historic garden in Bath. The Georgian Garden at the back of Number 4, The Circus is one of Bath’s less well-known attractions, but the free-to-access site is a rare chance to see the original 1770s garden of a grand Bath home. The house and garden are owned by a charitable trust, but it is effectively defunct with no trustees or other assets. Now Bath & North East Somerset Council, which is responsible for its administration, is trying to restore the charity so it can be officially dissolved. The grand townhouse has been unused for the last six years, while the council has had to spend thousands on its upkeep. Maintenance on the empty property cost the council £18,600 last year and it is projected to cost another £6,500 this year. A meeting of the council’s charitable trust board on 9th December voted to appoint new trustees “with the purpose of supporting the dissolution of the charity.” But this has sparked concern that the historic garden could be lost. Kay Ross, the vice chair of Avon and Gloucestershire Gardens Trust, which campaigns to save historic gardens, attended the meeting to urge councillors to keep the garden open to the public. She said: “We have been very concerned about the garden.” She warned that its box hedges had deteriorated, the garden was overgrown, and the “hoggin” gravel which had been chosen to be authentic to what the Georgians had used had been replaced with standard river gravel. A Georgian-style bench which had been recreated for the garden had also vanished since 2022, with another unable to be made as the plans for it had been lost. She said: “It is supposed to look exactly as a Georgian garden
I, Ben Eu, applied to Bath & North East Somerset Council on 29th December 2025 for a Variation of Premises Licence to use the premises at Gourmet Noodles Ltd, 15 Cheap Street, Bath BA1 1NA for the following licensable activities: - The sale of alcohol for consumption both on and off the premises between 10:00am to 03:00am every day. The Georgian Garden at 4, The Circus | Photo © John Wimperis
would, using all the research that was carried out and the archaeology and everything else. And it is gradually disappearing and it would be meaningless if the planting or the hoggin was not restored.” Bath man Peter Scott also addressed the committee. He said: “I am a neighbour of the Georgian Garden and the reason I am here today is just as a local resident to express concern over the dilapidation of the Georgian Garden and its future. “In researching it, I have looked into the house itself and found a series of anomalies that I found concerning, not least that the council’s lease on the property ended six years ago and that during the time that the council provided trustees for the property it appeared that no money has ever actually been raised for the charity.” He said that the council was acting like it was a “done deal” in appointing trustees with the express intention of closing down the charity, instead of looking into running the charity for its actual intended purpose. Graham Page, who sits on the committee as a non-voting independent member, also criticised the wording of the board’s resolution which he said appeared to limit what the charity
could do. But the council’s monitoring officer said the trustees, when appointed, would not actually have to dissolve the charity as the council could not bind them to a course of action. The four trustees will be chosen by the council’s political groups in line with the council’s political balance and are likely to be councillors although they do not have to be. Councillor Oli Henman (Walcot, Liberal Democrat), who sits on the committee, said: “I think all of us agree that it’s an important heritage asset in the city. We absolutely want to see it thriving and restored to its true historic purpose and a historical value is very much recognised.” The garden was discovered under a layer of clay with its original layout intact — a rare find — during archaeological excavations in 1985. Ms Ross told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It’s very uncommon. It’s virtually unheard of. All we have now are plans.” The garden was then restored with planting based on a plan by Dr John Harvey of the Garden History Society. It was completed in 1990. It is open to the public from Gravel Walk. The Circus is one of Bath’s most iconic streets. It was begun in 1754 by John Wood the Elder and
completed in 1768 by his son John Wood the Younger, who went on to design the Royal Crescent. Number 4 The Circus was recently featured in the BBC programme Empire with David Olusoga, where the historian revealed how money from the British Empire funded much of the city’s wealth. In 1768, Number 4 The Circus was owned by James Plunkett, whose family made their fortune owning enslaved people and plantations in Jamaica. By the 1960s, however, the home was owned by Bath couple Charles and Frances Cooke, who decided in their wills that it should be preserved as a Georgian house and exhibited to the public. On Mrs Cooke’s death in 1970, a charity was set up to own the house and fulfil this aim. Bath City Council was made responsible for the charity’s administration and appointing its trustees despite it remaining a separate legal entity. It had been the Cookes’ intention that the whole house be exhibited to the public, but the house itself has only been open one day a year on Bath and North East Somerset’s heritage open days. In the 1970s, the nearby Number 1 the Royal Crescent had recently opened for the same purpose and so Number 4 The Circus was instead leased to the council.
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Boxing Day derby woe for Bath City against Chippenham Richard Briggs Reporter
BATH City suffered late agony yet again as they crashed to a miserable defeat at bottom club Chippenham Town on Boxing Day in Enterprise National League South. This time a goal in the fifth minute of injury-time condemned Darren Way’s team to a 3-2 loss to a Bluebirds side who had won only two previous games in the league this season. Romans’ boss Way, whose first game in charge of the club was at Chippenham exactly a year earlier, said: “Extremely disappointed. You can imagine the dressing room, the way they feel now. “I thought we did really well to get the game back to 2-2, a little bit of individual brilliance from Jordan Alves [to score the equaliser], and then you’re thinking there’s probably enough in the team in terms of experience to not concede a goal late on. “Unfortunately that’s seven times it’s probably happened [conceding] with two minutes to go, so there’s a lot of thinking in terms of the group collectively – accountability, leaders in the group, being able to see those moments out, because that’s probably been the difference of the season.”
Of the experienced Harry Pell being forced out of the game through injury in the 34th minute, Way said: “He’s a leader and you can feel his presence. I felt when he came off the pitch we looked a little bit disjointed with our shape and the way we were playing because he’s a real big presence.” City opened the scoring in the 14th minute at The Thornbury Surfacing Stadium, Owen Windsor bursting forward from the left and firing past Town keeper Will Henry to the delight of travelling fans in the crowd of 1,731. And it was almost 2-0 four minutes later. Brad Ash knocked the ball into the box, Henry parried and Matt Bowman’s attempt to bury the loose ball was cleared at the expense of a corner. But Chippenham could have got back on terms in the 22nd minute. Bath gloveman Harvey Wiles-Richards tipped behind an effort from Billy Phillips – and from the resulting flag-kick, Jake Evans shot narrowly wide. However, the hosts did equalise in the 39th minute. Evans put the ball into the box, Harry Parsons shot and the ball went into the net via Canice Carroll. And a minute into the second period, Town were awarded a penalty for what the referee ruled was a foul by Jack Batten on Sol Wanjau-Smith. Parsons sent Wiles-Richards the wrong way
Owen Windsor lashes in Bath City’s opening goal in the Boxing Day derby at Chippenham Town | Photo © Simon Howe
from the spot and the Wiltshire side were in front. Wanjau-Smith almost made it 3-1 on the hour, his 18-yard drive flashing narrowly wide. City had two penalty shouts turned down by the referee before, five minutes from the end, the hosts’ Caine Bradbury sent in a shot that was parried by Wiles-Richards and then cleared off the line. The Romans appeared to have snatched a point when substitute Alves – who came on for Pell – drilled in a 25-yard free-kick in the first minute of injury-time. But there was another twist in the
derby as Anointed Chukwu struck the close-range decider following a free-kick from Bradbury. The result meant Bath dropped to 18th place in the table – and Chippenham closed the gap on penultimate club Eastbourne Borough to three points. Way said: “It’s really important the players reflect on themselves now, individually and collectively, and just be ready to put on a big performance against Torquay [United at home in the league on Tuesday 30th December]. “I knew this season wasn’t going to be easy, it’s a very demanding league.”
Bath: Harvey Wiles-Richards, Joe Raynes, Dan Greenslade, Jack Batten, Kieran Parselle, Brad Ash, Jordan Tillson, Luke Russe (Mitch Beardmore, 71), Matt Bowman (Jaiden Putman, 71), Owen Windsor, Harry Pell (Jordan Alves, 34). Unused subs: Charlie Binns, Louis Sweeten, Owen Pritchard, Manny Yeboah. City’s league match at Maidenhead United has been rearranged for Tuesday 3rd February (7.45pm). It was originally due to be played on Saturday 10th January, but Bath will be involved in the Isuzu FA Trophy that afternoon.
Van Graan: 2025 was a great year for Bath skeleton stars me and a great year for Bath strike World Cup gold Richard Briggs Reporter
JOHANN van Graan says 2025 will go down as one of the most memorable years of his life – and one of the most memorable years in Bath Rugby’s long history. This year, under head of rugby van Graan, the Blue, Black & White won three titles – the 2024-25 Premiership, Premiership Rugby Cup and European Professional Club Rugby Challenge Cup. And they currently top the 2025-26 Gallagher PREM and Investec Champions Cup Pool 2 tables. At Bath’s pre-PREM Round 7 media session on Friday 19th December, van Graan said: “2025 will be one of the most special years from a club perspective. “If you look at the history of the club, to win three trophies in one season, basically in nine weeks after three years in the making, was incredible. “Some of the moments that we all achieved together on and off the pitch… “There are images in my head that will stay forever, whether
it was in Sandy Park [in Exeter where Bath won the Premiership Rugby Cup], in the Principality [Stadium in Cardiff where they won the Challenge Cup] or in Twickenham [where they won the Premiership final]. “But the games will fade away. It’s the memories with people, and this is such a special group of people, players and staff. “So from a club point of view, who knows what will happen in the future? But 2025 was a special one. “From a personal point of view, I’ve got these years in my life that it seems that there’s more big moments than others. “Another year that springs to mind is 2009. I got married in 2009, we [his then-club Bulls] won Super Rugby with a record score at Loftus [Versfeld Stadium] and we won the Currie Cup, so we did the double in South African terms. “There are moments and years, but certainly 2025 will go down as a magnificent year for everybody involved at Bath Rugby. “15th June 2025 [the day of Bath’s victory parade around the city centre]…
Photo © Richard Briggs
“We came from The Lensbury [Hotel in London] on the Sunday morning. We drove [through Walcot] and there wasn’t really a lot of people in town, and we were all thinking ‘What’s this victory parade going to look like?’. “Certainly when we went up the hill and turned left there over Pulteney Bridge, that’s scenes that you only dream of. If you look at what we all achieved together, the last three-and-a-half years, that day was certainly amazing. “That’s ultimately why you do it. You do it for those that support you and those around you. “There’s a picture with me going to the pavilion at The Rec, a picture from a drone when we are there at Bath Abbey with the two buses, and that moment and many moments from that day will stay with me personally for ever.”
BRITISH Skeleton head into Olympic year on a high after winning six medals on the final IBSF World Cup race weekend of 2025, including stunning back-to-back one-two finishes in the men’s events. In a double-header in Sigulda, Latvia, University of Bathbased Matt Weston dominated Friday’s men’s race, storming to his third successive gold of the season. He clocked a combined time of 1:40.35 to finish nearly a second clear of the field. Team-mate Marcus Wyatt, sixth after the first run, produced the second-fastest second run of the day to charge through the pack and take silver, his first individual medal of the 2025–26 campaign. Wyatt went one better on Saturday as the pair swapped places. A rapid opening run of 50.02 laid the platform for victory in 1:41.37, with Weston this time claiming silver just 14-hundredths of a second behind. At the halfway stage of the season, Weston now leads the men’s world rankings, with Wyatt sitting third. Fellow Brit Jacob Salisbury is 20th overall after finishing 17th and 26th in Sigulda.
The women’s squad also impressed. Tabby Stoecker opened the extended weekend with silver in Thursday’s race, her second runner-up finish in as many outings. Amelia Coltman, 11th in that opener, bounced back superbly on Friday to win bronze in 1:44.30, just 0.14 seconds off gold. Freya Tarbit joined her on the wider podium in sixth – a fine response after dropping from seventh to 25th between runs the previous day. Stoecker endured similar frustration in Race 2, sitting 19th after a tricky first run, but she responded in style by setting the fastest time of all in Run 2 to climb to 14th. Those results leave Stoecker sixth, Coltman eighth and Tarbit 12th in the women’s world rankings going into 2026. The athletes were able to take a short Christmas break before the Olympic season resumed today, Friday 2nd January, in Winterberg, Germany.
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Van Graan: Bath losing to Larks and Odd Down Northampton shows PREM’s quality revel in festive cheer
Kieran Phillips wheels away after putting Larkhall 2-0 up | Photo © Phil Scovell
Richard Briggs Reporter
Johann van Graan conceded that his Bath Rugby side were beaten by a better team when they faced Northampton Saints here at The Rec on Saturday 27th December | Photo © Richard Briggs
Richard Briggs Reporter
JOHANN van Graan believes that his Bath Rugby side’s defeat by Northampton Saints on Saturday 27th December shows the quality of the Gallagher PREM. The Blue, Black & White put in a well below-par performance at The Rec in the Round 8 fixture and were beaten 41-21 – a result that few people would have predicted. Bath head of rugby van Graan is always gracious with the media – and despite obviously hurting at the manner of the loss, he was his usual calm and exceptionally polite self at his post-match press conference, and shook hands with all the journalists present. But he was stony faced as he delivered his verdict on a match that saw Bath lose not only their perfect home record in the PREM this season but also the league leadership, the Saints taking over in pole position. “Clearly beaten by the better team on the day,” said van Graan. “The last 30, they squeezed us, they got penalties, and then, against a side like Northampton, it’s very difficult to keep them out. “The first half was a crazy half of rugby by both teams. “We came out after half-time, we scored [to make it] 21-14 after 46 minutes and then the last 30 just weren’t good enough from our side. “Never too high, never too low. We as a group win together and we lose together. “Beaten by the better side on the night and well done to Northampton. They were really, really fast. “We had some good moments, specifically in the first half. We had two clear-cut opportunities literally one metre from their try line which we didn’t finish. “These two teams play a totally different way. We scored our third after 46 minutes, and then they got the bonus point in the
second half. “It’s never great to lose. I think what it does show is the quality of the Premiership. “Anybody can beat anybody on the day, and from our side we’ll go and review it on Monday morning and then move forward again. “We’re right in the middle of a massive block. There were some very good things we did. “Across the season we’re in a very good place, but clearly not good enough tonight. “All defeats hurt. We haven’t lost a lot at The Rec – I think the last time we lost [at home] in the Premiership was against Bristol [in October 2024]. “It hurts when you lose because we’ve actually had a very good week. “But we didn’t perform in the last 30 minutes of the game. “We came up against an opponent that was better than us on the evening, and credit to them.” Of Tom de Glanville’s condition after colliding, head first, with a post in the 31st minute and subsequently being replaced by Santi Carreras in the 56th minute, van Graan said: “He stiffened up quite a bit, that’s why we brought in Santi. “It reminds you that, credit to the players, they always put their bodies on the line. But let’s see where we’re at early next week.” And of the injury that forced Max Ojomoh out of the game in the 31st minute, van Graan said: “It looks like a calf. We’ll know a bit more on Monday or Tuesday.” Hooker Tom Dunn joined van Graan at the press conference and explained how he reacts to a defeat. “I always look at myself first, look at myself and see what I can do better,” said Dunn. “And then we do that collectively as a team on Monday. “As Johann stated earlier, we’re never too high, never too low, we don’t take things for granted, we don’t expect things to happen, so we always look in within the
circle and see how we can fix it.” Of what it was like watching from the sidelines after being replaced in the second half – although he did return as a sin-bin substitute after Dan Frost was yellowcarded – Dunn said: “You always want to be involved. “It’s not a tough watch because you know everyone’s doing what they can, everyone’s pulling together, pulling in the right direction. “So you sit there and you trust the group and you trust the people on the pitch. “We’ll review it on Monday and then we’ll get back to zero, we’ll look at it and look forward to Exeter [at The Rec on Saturday 3rd January in PREM Round 9].” Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson acknowledged at his post-match press conference that Bath would be disappointed with the result against the muchchanged Midlanders. He said: “We battled hard in the first half and kept them out on a few occasions, and I thought in the second half we really got into our stride a bit more. We always play fast regardless of who we’re playing against. “Bath are a very good side and they’ve got lots of very good players, and they’ll be disappointed with it today. “Bath’s team, Bath’s squad, what they did last year, winning the treble, their home record… and people talk about home records but good sides have good home records, because they’re full of really good players. “They’re coached well, I’ve got a lot of respect for Johann van Graan and his team. So we know the challenge is going to be huge. “I think some of those selection changes took some pressure off us and allowed us to free up and go and get them. “And I think once we got through the first half, and it was a draw, and we felt our way in, and we’d had some scores chalked off, we felt good about ourselves, and that gave us a bit more confidence.”
LARKHALL Athletic soared into a 3-0 lead in their derby with Bristol Manor Farm on Saturday 27th December but were left hanging on for a 3-2 success. The victory at the Camella Stadium was the second in two games for the Larks’ stand-in manager John Durbin and lifted them into ninth place in Pitching In Southern League Division One South. Athletic went ahead in the 26th minute, when Kieran Phillips headed home from close range. Phillips made it 2-0 three minutes later – and when Dawid Regula struck the third goal, eight minutes into the second half, a home win seemed assured. But Manor Farm reduced the arrears in the 56th minute, Kian Hill making a great run past several Larkhall players and firing beyond home keeper Liam Armstrong from 18 yards. Hill almost scored again seven minutes later, shooting just over, but the visitors ensured a grandstand finale when they made it 3-2 with seven minutes remaining, substitute Jack Karadogan on target from a goalmouth melee. The derby was watched by a crowd of 355. Larkhall starting XI: Liam Armstrong, Jeff Forkuo, Spencer Dymond-Hall, Sam Boulton, Lewis Graham, Will Banks, Alex Camm, Jack Camm, Kieran Phillips, Milo Murgatroyd, Dawid Regula. Meanwhile, applications for the role of Larkhall first-team manager closed at 5pm on Monday 29th December. Odd Down won for the first time since Saturday 8th November when they overcame Keynsham Town 3-0 on Boxing Day in Jewson Western League Division One. Victory was the Down’s first in six matches across all competitions, that run also having seen them pick up a point against Cheddar on Saturday 22nd November, lose three times in the league and bow out of the Francis Hillier Premier Cup. But everything came together in the festive derby at the Lew Hill Memorial Ground.
In front of a crowd of 90, Jack Paul gave Odd Down a 24th-minute lead. Nicholas Taylor added the second goal 10 minutes after the break – and Charlie Saunders sealed the win by netting seven minutes from the end. Odd Down starting XI: Matthew Green, Jack Kelsey, Jack Paul, Josh Hewlett, Joe Paradise, Lewis Bahadur, Treyvond Anderson, Robert Hobbs, Nicholas Taylor, Alfie Kelsey, Charlie Saunders. Larkhall Athletic Development suffered a surprise defeat at Corsham-based Park United on Saturday 27th December. The Larks were beaten 2-0 and are 10 points behind Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League Premier Division leaders Shrewton United, but with a game in hand. Adam Mitchell and substitute Aaron Ledgister got the goals for Park, who started the day three points clear of the drop zone. Larkhall said that the opening goal, in the first half, was against the run of play but the hosts came strong and deserved their victory. Forthcoming fixtures: Saturday 3rd January: • Enterprise National League South: Bath City v Ebbsfleet United (3pm). • Pitching In Southern League Division One South: Melksham Town v Larkhall Athletic (3pm). • Jewson Western League Division One: Hengrove Athletic v Odd Down (3pm). • Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League Fountain Trophies Senior Cup: Larkhall Athletic Development v Faringdon Town Development (3pm). • Trophies of Radstock Mid Somerset League Division One: Odd Down Development v Chew Magna Reserves (2pm). Sunday 4th January: • Shield Services Group South West Regional Women’s League: Downend Flyers v Bath City Women (2pm). • Somerset County Women’s League Division One: Bridport Women v Bath City Women Development (2pm). • Somerset County Women’s League Division Two: Odd Down Women v Bishops Lydeard Ladies Reserves (2pm). Wednesday 7th January: • Pitching In Southern League Division One South: Tavistock v Larkhall Athletic (7.45pm).
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Out-of-sorts Bath overpowered by Northampton Richard Briggs Reporter
SIMPLY not good enough. Those four words are not normally associated with a Bath Rugby performance. But they sum up accurately the Blue, Black & White’s display in their sobering defeat by Northampton Saints on Saturday 27th December. The Midlanders hit back from a 21-14 deficit to score 27 unanswered points in the final 27 minutes and run out 41-21 winners of the Gallagher PREM Round 8 match at The Rec. And it could have been worse as Northampton had two tries disallowed – one in each half – by television match official Dan Jones on an evening to forget for the hosts, who have now lost two of their last three games across all competitions. The speedy and dangerous Saints, featuring a plethora of changes from the side that thumped Sale Sharks in Round 7, had 54% of the possession but Bath shaded the territory with 52%. However, the telling statistics showed that the Blue, Black & White – also with a vastly changed, but arguably superior, line-up from the previous weekend – missed 44 tackles, and gained only 215 metres in attack whereas the Saints gained 509 metres. This was not just a loss. Bath were outplayed by what on the night proved a much better team in the meeting of the reigning and 2024 league champions. It was a grim end to the year for Johann van Graan’s outfit and the majority of the sellout crowd of 14,509. Not even a four-try bonus point was secured – although Bath came agonisingly close in the 79th minute – and the league leadership was relinquished to the side from Franklin’s Gardens. What Bath have achieved in three-and-a-half years under van Graan is incredible, meaning the 27th December result was viewed as a shock. And of course one big defeat does not make the Blue, Black & White a bad side. But too many players were well below par against the Black, Green & Gold, and they were
Bath Rugby conceded 27 unanswered points in the final 27 minutes to lose 41-21 to Northampton Saints here at The Rec | Photo © Richard Briggs
punished for that. On a cold and windy evening, less than three minutes were on the clock when Northampton scored the first of their six tries, Tommy Freeman running in from 12 metres on the left following a line-out and Anthony Belleau converting. But Bath bagged their opening try in the ninth minute, Thomas du Toit going over from five metres on the right after a tap penalty. Finn Russell converted and the match was level at 7-7. The Saints were reduced to 14 men when Ed Prowse was yellow-carded in the 13th minute following a clash of heads with Miles Reid. The crowd gasped repeatedly as the incident was replayed time and again on the big screen. And Bath took advantage of their numerical superiority to grab their second try, this in the 15th minute. Tom Dunn touched down from a rolling maul on the right and Russell booted the extras. However, the guests soon restored parity. Archie McParland picked up the ball 25 metres out and darted through a gap in the line to score just to the left of the posts, Belleau slotting over the two points. Northampton seemed to have scored again in the 31st minute. George Hendy offloaded to Freeman 20 metres out but he was tackled almost on the line, Tom de Glanville’s head crashing against a post in his efforts to defend. Black, Green & Gold skipper Callum Chick picked up and touched down just to the left of the posts. Belleau was ready
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to take the conversion kick but Jones ruled out the try for the Saints obstructing Beno Obano in the build-up to the score. The Blue, Black & White then lost Max Ojomoh with what head of rugby van Graan described at his post-match press conference as a likely calf injury. But Bath got back in front in the 47th minute, du Toit stretching to touch down under the posts. Russell landed the conversion and the home side led 21-14. Little did anyone in the stadium know that Russell’s kick provided the Blue, Black & White with their final points of the fixture. Northampton appeared to have tied things up again when Rory Hutchinson scored under the posts in the 49th minute and Belleau converted. But Jones was called into service once more, and the try was disallowed for Hutchinson grounding the ball just short of the line, Dunn having done well to pressure the centre. The reprieve was short-lived, as Freeman surged away from 23 metres to go over on the left in the 53rd minute and Belleau kicked the additional points. And Northampton secured the four-try bonus point when they turned defence into attack in the 55th minute. Henry Arundell, who was subdued for much of the match, surged away down the left, only to be tackled. The ball spilled and was gathered by Hendy, who charged 55 metres upfield before releasing Henry Pollock on the Bath 22 – and the number 8 dived to the ground, theatrically, behind the posts. Belleau converted and the Saints were 28-21 ahead. Van Graan’s immediate response
was to bring Francois van Wyk, Ted Hill, Guy Pepper and Santi Carreras off the bench. Further replacements arrived in the 65th minute – but one of those arrivals, Dan Frost, lasted only a matter of seconds before being sent to the sin bin by referee Craig Maxwell-Keys for a deliberate knock-on. And, with Frost off the field, the Saints swooped for their fifth try, Pollock scoring on the left from a rolling maul in the 66th minute. Belleau missed from the tee but Bath were 33-21 adrift. A 26-metre penalty from in front of the posts by Belleau in the 72nd minute left the Blue, Black & White more than two converted tries behind. And further salt was rubbed into Bath’s wounds when Freeman ran in from 15 metres, shrugging off a tackle from Joe Cokanasiga, to complete his hat-trick with a 76th-minute score in the left corner, although Belleau again failed with the conversion. The hosts looked like sneaking a fourth try when, with a minute left, Arundell offloaded to Ollie Lawrence. But with the left corner at his mercy, Lawrence – back in the side after injury – dropped the ball. So five league points to the Saints, none to Bath. Northampton’s celebrations at the final whistle showed just how much the victory meant to them. Sam Underhill won Bath’s Pol Roger Performance of the Match award. But Freeman was deservedly named the Gallagher man of the match. The game was a classic for Northampton followers and neutral spectators – but it represented a Christmas gift best consigned to the bin for supporters of the Blue, Black & White. Bath will be back at The Rec on Saturday 3rd January, when they host Exeter Chiefs in PREM Round 9 (3.05pm). The Devonians’ 24-10 win over Leicester Tigers on Sunday 28th December took them into second spot in the table, pushing van Graan’s unit down to third place. With Bristol Bears snapping at Bath’s heels, only four points separate the top four clubs.
Bath Rugby Saturday 3rd January – 3.05pm
Bath Rugby v Exeter Chiefs (Home) Gallagher PREM – R9 Friday 9th January – 8pm
Bath Rugby v Castres Olympique (Away) Investec Champions Cup – R3
Bath City FC Saturday 3rd January – 3pm Bath City v Ebbsfleet United (Home) League Sunday 4th January – 2pm Bath Women v Downend Flyers (Away) League Saturday 10th January – 3pm Bath City v Southend United (Home) FAT4 Sunday 11th January – 2pm Bath Women v Stockwood Wanderers (Home) League
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