What’s Available Locally
Widcombe is a thriving community with excellent facilities and services. On the south-eastern fringes of Bath city centre, the area is but a few minutes walk via the footbridge across the River Avon from the railway station, and boasts excellent eating and shopping, beautiful walks and spectacular scenery - not least the National Trust Prior Park Landscape Garden (picture) which well repays the effort required to walk up Ralph Allen's drive from Widcombe Parade.
Local Shopping
Widcombe Parade has a good selection of shops, from McColls, the convenience store, through Widcombe Health Foods and Widcombe Pharmacy to the more specialist shops, which draw clientele from all over Bath and the surrounding area. Around the corner in Prior Park Rd is the recently expanded Prior Park Garden Centre, providing a vast array of trees and shrubs, garden and pet supplies, and a farm shop offering local fresh produce.
Niche Shopping
Widcombe has a high percentage of specialist shops - The Aga Shop supplying Agas and all the accessories; Curtain Exchange for new and second-hand high quality curtains & fabric; Blazes, a fireplace provider; Print Room for prints and framing; Wide-Range Key and Security for locks, keys and alarm systems etc; Roundabout for high quality second-hand clothes etc for children and adults; The Violin Maker and Restorer; The Bus Station Florist supplying flowers, plants and shrubs, The Widcombe Gift Shop; She, the designer dress shop and Bath Contract Flooring. The recently-opened Two Dragons of Bath gallery exhibits works including ceramics, oils and photography.
A short walk westward will take you to St Mark's Rd where tucked away behind St Mark's Church you will find Tim Richards' Workshop & Gallery, where his many fascinating architectural models can be seen and purchased.
In the other direction in Pulteney Rd, is Homemaker Kitchens of Bath, supplying kitchens and appliances.
Widcombe – The Place to Eat
Widcombe Parade hosts two excellent bistro-style dining venues for lunch and supper, each with a different atmosphere and high quality cuisine.
The Ring O’ Bells is a bustling wine bar with scrubbed wooden tables and benches. The menu contains such dishes as baked red mullet and sea bass, with boulangère potatoes. There is also a good sized function room upstairs, ideal for a private party, dance or group activity.
The White Hart has been converted from a traditional pub to a spacious, light, airy bar and restaurant with pleasant courtyard garden, serving choice dishes such as braised lamb shank with horseradish mash, or rib-eye steak with tarragon mustard butter.
As well as these restaurants, there are also the traditional pubs: The Ram in Widcombe Parade which serves a wide range of pub favourites, such as homemade beef, bellringer and thyme pie; plus snacks and filled ciabattas; and The Royal Oak in Pulteney Rd which boasts real ales, home-made food, a beer garden and a skittle alley.
Widcombe is also well-known for the Widcombe Social Club, a centre for, amongst other things, Somerset skittles, folk music, and M. Le Bon Bon's famous cabarets, which take place in the Lakeside Suite.
The Parade also has two take-aways - The Manhattan serves burger-type food and the Ruposhi is an Indian curry house.
The Kindling Coffee Shop offers locally produced cakes, sandwiches and snacks with your coffee; and has an outside terrace for Summer days. Lennies Deli and Coffee Shop offers fresh bread daily, cream teas, fine wines and coffee and filled rolls to eat in or take away.
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Within the Parade is also a doctors' surgery with a chiropodist, two dentists; two estate agents: Roman City Property Management, specialising in the management of student properties, and Bath Property Shop, who let and manage properties; a launderette, and hair stylists Hedonism Hair who boast, among other things, a relaxed atmosphere and good coffee. And if you're looking for a driving instructor based in Widcombe, try Widcombe Driving School on 444166.
Amongst specialist companies is Solicitors Own Software, providing consultancy and software support to the legal profession.
Schools
Widcombe is home to excellent schools, in both state and private sectors. The state primary schools are Widcombe Infant School and Widcombe Junior School. In the private sector, the Paragon School in Lyncombe Vale feeds the high-achieving Prior Park College, whose main building is Ralph Allen's old mansion in a wonderful position overlooking the city.
Churches
Just up Widcombe Hill from Widcombe Parade is St Matthew’s Church and a little further on, turn right along Church Street to find the original parish church of St Thomas à Becket. These two churches make up The Benefice of Widcombe.
There is also the Widcombe Baptist Chapel in Pulteney Road and the Christian Science Church at the corner of St Mark’s Road and Claverton Street.
Community Services
St Mark’s Community Hall (a large converted church) in St Mark’s Road is used by a playgroup, as well as for various classes and a packed programme of events.
Widcombe’s local police Beat Officer is Gerry Monks and he is the man to contact about any incidents in Widcombe. He can be contacted on 01225 842496. If you observe a crime in progress, dial 999 but if you want to talk to Bath Police about a non-urgent matter the number is 0845 4567000.
More information can be found on the Avon and Somerset Constabulary website under ‘Widcombe Beat News’.