When I set this up, I thought I would take an occasional look at what was happening in Bath, and give my views. If people wanted to shoot me down – well, I can take it. But the latest corporate website inflicted on its local papers by the giant company Northcliffe Papers, leaves one wondering if they simply want to kill off local journalism – it’s so appalling! So should I try to challenge it? Should I set up a web-based journal for Bath? I did ponder calling it the Bath Figaro, a scurrilous newspaper of the 19th century which got round libel laws by saying that various people had NOT done things, when it was fairly clear that the paper knew they had, but couldn’t prove it. So imagine, if you will, that the editor thought a council official had taken bribes, he would say that Mr XYZ was NOT seen sliding a large brown envelope into his pocket, after a meeting with Mr ABC. (This is a purely hypothetical example, you understand.)
However, the answer is that it would be quite impractical. I’m far too busy doing other things, and, however much we may deplore Northcliffe Papers, our local journalists on the Chron are doing their very best to run a decent paper. So keep buying the paper, folks, but if you want to comment on anything that takes your fancy – especially if I have raised the issue here – then feel free to put up your views. Unlike Northcliffe Papers, I won’t ban anyone for going off subject. But I will remove any abuse – especially if I think it breaches the law. I hope anil takes note.
Hen and Stag Parties
One upon a time, we used to run a jolly little tour (as we thought) called the Great Bath Pub Crawl. It had a bit of everything – comedy, history, ghosts and of course, about three or even four pubs with real ale. Then the stage and hen party market found out about it. After I had taken round several hen parties, including one in which half the participants were dressed as leprechauns, complete with ginger beards, and the other half as Vikings, and Andrew had taken round a few stag parties, during which one groom had run round the garden of a pub dressed in a mankini (Sacha Cohen has a lot to answer for) we decided to jack the whole venture in, before we got banned from the pubs we went in. And these parties were quite well-behaved compared with some we have seen around Bath. Yet here is Robin Bischert, Head of Bath Tourism Plus, informing us that they” tended to be a good thing for the city” adding “groups that come to Bath are here to enjoy the facilities the city has to offer and clearly add a valuable contribution to the visitor economy by spending in Bath's spas, restaurants, shops, accommodation and other attractions.” Of course – silly me - that’s why Dublin clamped down on them – they were bringing too much trade. Actually – no – they were a pain in the .. er .. elbow, the same as they are becoming here. But hey (says Henry Brown, so it must be true) all that we need to do is to persuade the restaurants to give them a good meal. Words fail me. Are these two men for real – or do they live on some alternative planet? What do you think?
Don’t blame me – I didn’t vote for them.
During the election, the Lib Dems were all set to reverse all sorts of unpopular plans put in place by the Tories. Now they’re in, however, we’re already seeing a certain amount of back-tracking. The Wellsway Bus Lane is going to stay and – all you people at Newbridge, who thought you were going to retain your open spaces – the fight for them is going to have to go on. It’s not the LIb Dems fault, of course – it’s the wicked Tories who have spent so much money on them already they will just have to go ahead. Besides, the LIb Dems want to put something else on those village greens – bikes not buses. So that’s all right then. If I were a parent at Culverhay, I don’t think I’d start counting my chickens yet. Will the LDs will decide that too much money has been spent on that to make changes? The good news about this is that, if this volte-face continues, come the next council elections, maybe we will see even more independents getting elected. And that can only be good for democracy. Mr Crossley, you have been warned – and every time you look across the council chamber at June Player, I hope you remember my warning.
And Finally …
One of my criticisms of the new Chron website is the plethora of fonts. However, you’ll see that I’ve used a number of differing font from post to post. That’s because what goes up on the blog preview doesn’t always turn out quite how I had expected. Readability is important, so please let me know which font you find easiest to read. Just give the date of the blog.
5 comments:
Anil in breeches. Now there's a sight to stop a bus.
Naturally the word will be spread.
Kirsten - Not sure I agree about stag/ hen parties. I don't think that Bath will ever get too bad, simply because it is not really a "party city". Dublin had major issues, but I think it was more the Euro rate and beer getting too expensive that reduced that problem. With cheap advance train tickets, Travelodges etc. I think there will be a move back to UK based stag/ hen do's, and being a lovely City, Bath will attract some of them, as will York, Chester, Oxford, Bristol, Salisbury etc. All part of lifes rich tapestry, and all part of lifes conspiracy to annoy our 'Enery!
From what I understand from Irish visitors, the situation around Temple Bar in Dublin had got so bad that the council took action - quite what that was, I'm not sure. Having visited Dublin when it was still the place to go for these groups, I can confirm that it had become a serious issue and was beginning to deter other visitors.
But as you say, anything that annoys 'Enery can't be all bad!
I went there around that time and agree that they were a pain, but Temple Bar is pretty naff anyway, apart from the Porterhouse. As I recall, the council could not actually do a lot, I think the police just took a more zero-tolerance approach, but as with all these things, trends moved on. As with all these things, the stag/ hen label covers a wide range of groups, some are out looking for trouble, whilst most are out for a good time. My guess is that Bath mostly attracts the latter, and the nature of Bath as a City means that it will never turn into a crap-hole like Newquay has become.
It's all just part of the way society as a whole is changing, quite why a few people dressed ridiculously making noise is any different to other people making noise escapes me. I get the impression that the problem is being over-hyped because of the proposed budget hotels, which as we all know, only attract 'low-life'! Shortly off for about 10 days in Inverness mixing with chavs, stags & hens at the Travelodge.
Don't often agree with Anil, but sometimes he is right about some Bathonians having heads up arses.
Yes, and I've had some very ladylike ladies in some groups - though the fact they happily swigged real ale might worry some of our more "refeened" residents! A very happy group of girls were enjoying a trip on the "Lady Lena" yesterday - lucky for them it's not today! So you're right - to make a blanket condemnation is unfair. Added to which, as I see many of them trailing rather glumly around, or queueing to get into clubs and being glared at by officious bouncers, I do wonder why they come here at all.
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