By Harry Mottram: As someone whose A Level results back in 1975 were a huge disappointment I can relate to nervous students who await their results today – some fearing the worst and some expecting the best. The schools and colleges always announce with some triumph (and relief) the overall statistics endorsing their students and staff alike. However, not every student gets five A’s and is set for a place at Oxford University or even better the University of Bath or Bath Spa University. Some will have fallen short of their expected grades and will be looking at Clearing – hoping for a place at a second of third choice college. And some will choose to get a job, take up an apprenticeship or resign themselves to having a rethink. Bath Voice will do our best to bring news of how Bath’s schools and colleges have done on this crucial day for many young people.
Sydney Gardens
Sydney Gardens entrance: Green Party Cllr Saskia Heijltjes (Lambridge) is calling for improvements to one of the entrances to Sydney Gardens from the Kennet & Avon Canal towpath. Currently, the narrow set of steps linking the canal to the park excludes people in wheelchairs or mobility scooters and creates real difficulties for parents with pushchairs and those with bikes. She said that while making the entrance accessible was included in the original plans for the £3.4 million Sydney Gardens Restoration Project, it was later dropped due to budget constraints. Cllr Heijltjes said: “This is a key link in our local active travel network, but it’s completely closed off to anyone who can’t manage stairs. That’s not acceptable in 2025. If we want to be serious about inclusion, we have to fix barriers like this.”
The Local Active Travel and Safety Programme (LATSP) gives ward councillors the opportunity to propose small-scale improvements to walking and cycling infrastructure.
Gatwick strike
A word of warning for those in Bath heading to Gatwick Airport this August Bank Holiday weekend. A number of baggage screeners at Gatwick Airport will strike over a pay dispute say the Unite union. It will obviously affect passengers both outward and inward bound. The BBC reported: “The union said all flights out of Gatwick would be affected by the strikes and that ICTS was “entirely responsible” for the disruption.”
ICTS (International Cargo Transport Security) is the firm involved in the pay dispute.
Claire’s Accessories
The Stall Street store that has been part of a rights of passage for many young women for its range of accessories and ear piercing service is in administration. It hasn’t closed and will continue as normal while the future of the American owned chain of high street shops is decided following the owners filing for bankruptcy protection in the USA. Claire’s has 278 shops in the UK and 28 in Ireland and employs more than 2,000 staff. Although much has been written about the demise of Claire’s due to changes in shopping habits – online shopping being one change and another being debt – it may not be the end of all the shops. If you take the example of The Body Shop – last year the chain was in administration but it was acquired by the Auréa Group and although many of its UK stores shut along with those in Germany and elsewhere the core business here survived – hence the shop continues to trade in Burton Street. No promises – but something similar could happen with Claire’s so young girls will still be able to buy their earrings, necklaces and have their ears pierced in the city centre.
University Challenged
For the first time in 10 years the University of Bath took part in University Challenge – the television quiz show for colleges.
Sadly Bath were well beaten by Southampton who scored 255 points to Bath’s 70 although they did bring a smile to viewers with their home made knitted mascot.
The team consisted of captain Joni Wildman, Luca Romagnoli, Sajjan Johal and Lewis Blakeborough.
Bath Voice Monthly Newspaper is distributed free to thousands of homes and some supermarkets – distributed from the first of the month. Harry Mottram is the News Editor
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