Dear Widcombe Association Member
Hustings. My public thanks to the candidates who held sway in an enthralling debate yesterday evening at Widcombe Social Club: Mike Davies (Labour), Vera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat) and Annabel Tall (Conservative). The other two candidates standing in Bath are Bill Blockhead (Independent) and Jimi Ogunnusi (Brexit).
https://whocanivotefor . co . uk/elections/parl . bath . 2019-12-12/bath/
Widcombe Association Membership renewal. Subscriptions for 2020 become due in January. For those not using a standing order the fees are:
Private households: £10 for up to 2 adults
Business members: £20 per business
Students: £5 per individual student member
Forthcoming Events
Pass on a Poem: Tuesday 10 December, 7.30 in St Thomas à Becket Church.
Widcombe Wayfarers: Wednesday 11 December between 10.00 and 12 noon. Meet by the tree, west end of Widcombe Parade (near the former public toilets). Then again on Wednesday 8 January.
Mummers: New Year’s Day. Widcombe Manor 12 noon, Prior Park Garden Centre 12.20, Widcombe Parade 12.45. If wet, in St Matthews Church at 12.20, 12.40 and 13.00.
Christmas Tree Disposal
The Council will collect discarded trees early in the New Year. You can take trees to one of their recycling centres, or you can put them out (cut into manageable pieces) on your garden waste collection day falling between 20 January and 10 February.
Dorothy House, for a donation, will collect trees from BA1, BA2 & BA3 between Friday 10 January and Sunday 12 January 2020. It’s necessary to register on www . charityxmastreecollection . com .
Prior Park Dams Project (National Trust statement)
The main structural and engineering works to restore Prior Park’s 18th-century dams has begun, with contractors expected to be on site throughout 2020. The extensive works will see the National Trust garden’s historic structures strengthened, an empty lake re-filled, paths re-instated and the return of a small cascade – a long-lost original feature. The project will fall into three phases, with the initial site set up and protection works occurring this autumn. Followed by the main engineering works, and then a final landscaping phase when 18th-century-inspired trees and shrubberies will be planted, and the iconic reflections of the Palladian Bridge will be restored.
The garden will remain open for the duration of the works to allow visitors to see conservation in action and this ambitious restoration project up close. Whilst there will be some changes to visitor access routes, Prior Park’s Palladian Bridge will still be accessible and is well positioned to act as a viewing platform for the works on the dams. Access to the garden is now through the main entrance on Ralph Allen Drive only. The lower gate at the end of Church Lane, promoted to local residents in recent years, has been closed for safety – it is right by part of the construction site, and access route for construction vehicles, and wouldn’t offer direct access to the lower part of the site.
Earlier this year in preparation for the project, the Tea Shed was relocated, and a new natural play area installed, with both now situated in the more tranquil, top end of the garden, away from the area that is the contractor’s worksite. More information about the garden and the dams’ project can be found at: https://www . nationaltrust . org . uk/prior-park-landscape-garden. There will be regular updates on the project on the website and social media channels.
Truespeed
For information, Truespeed is a Somerset based small business offering high speed broadband to rural areas and poor service parts of Bath. They are seeking to provide their service to Widcombe, initially in Perrymead, Lyncombe Vale, Lyncombe Vale Road and Rosemount Lane area. If you are interested and want to find out more: https://www . truespeed . com/ or telephone Dom Thomson on 07543 222205.
Have a good Christmas.
Alan Langton
Widcombe Association Secretary