Sunday, April 26, 2009

Bath Fringe - Kensington Meadows



Bath Fringe 2009 on Kensington Meadows

This year the Bath Fringe are planning a 3 day event over the weekend of 5th – 7th June.
Friday Evening Cabaret Bar till 10.30/event finish 11pm;
Saturday Daytime Boom Stage 12 – 7pm Sat eve Comedy show 8 - 10.30/event finish 11pm;
Sunday Walcot Community event 12noon – 7pm.

These events are subject to the following Licence Application being granted: -

They have made an application for a ‘premises licence’ for Kensington Meadows (this is similar to an old-style ‘Entertainment Licence’, for anyone unfamiliar with the changes to the licensing system).
This has been done in order to put the events we’re planning more under the jurisdiction of the licensing system than with the ‘Temporary Event Notice’ we used last year. A full licence also gives us many more responsibilities, which we hope reflects our commitment to be a good neighbour on the meadows.

This licence, if passed, would give licensing permission to run an event for a 4-day long weekend once a year. This is still subject to an annual agreement with the B&NES Parks Department for the use of the land, so there is no sense a carte blanche to do what they like on the site. There is also the requirement to consult with the council’s Events Safety people, the Police and the Fire Service every year. All of this means that performing will be overseen by the Council and there will be a continued line of communication for local residents via the council.

It is intended to run the Boom Stage youth music afternoon on Saturday 6 June, and an afternoon performance picnic on the Sunday. They will not be running music events later in the evenings, but circus/cabaret events which should be very much quieter – we are aware that this was an issue for some people in 2008.

The Fringe are committed to advertising that there is NO car parking available in or around the Meadows – the main afternoon events are orientated towards local people who wouldn’t need to drive to the site anyway – though we will be providing secure cycle parking. They will have to erect a tall fence to define the area under our jurisdiction and to ensure that the various rights of way on the Meadows are not obstructed, and while this is not the most beautiful thing in the world it does have its advantages too. Inside will be the expected tents, performance areas, food concession, bar, portable toilets etc. – it is a condition of the licence that the public is not allowed to bring alcohol or glass onto the site. The event area will be about 20% smaller than that for the 2006 Walcot Independence event and will stop well short of the gate from Ringswell Gardens, which will remain shut and used for Emergency Vehicle access. Events will be confined to the southern end of the Meadows, leaving lots of space for dog walking and games, and won’t be intruding on the lower levels by the river at all.

There will be holding an Meeting to discuss this event and the licence application at Riverside Youth Centre on Friday May 1st at 5.30 pm and would like to invite local residents and others with an interest in the event to come along.

You can contact Wendy Matthews; Steve Henwood & Bath Fringe Committee at:

103, Walcot Street
Bath Fringe BA1 5BW
Tel 01225 480079
admin@bathfringe.co.uk

Monday, April 06, 2009

Bus services saved by Don Foster MP

We are pleased that action taken by Don Foster MP has helped to save the The Number 20A/C bus service that is used by by local people in going about their daily lives and to be able to carry out their shopping. The Service is also part of an important link for some of our schools and the University of Bath.

Many of our more elderly residents and those with health problems use the service to get to the RUH.

A New service that covers the same route as the one that has been run by first bus and will have the same numbering Wessex Connect from 11th May 2009.

Bath & North East Somerset council will be supporting the new service have managed to secure bigger, low-floor buses that will increase trip capacity in the morning and afternoon peak times.

Although we welcome the new buses we do have a few concerns about how they will manage the narrow streets that the smaller buses have been able to get through with some ease and we hope that journey time will not be increased.

On a down side the last three journeys on the number 20A/C services will no longer operate and single fares will increase by 10%