By Harry Mottram: I first met the journalist James Garrett back in the 1980s when he penned an article for the what’s on magazine Venue about who were the most important and powerful people in the city and nearby. At the time I was only the designer of the front cover of the long lost but fondly remembered publication but as the editor of Venue Dave Higgitt said at the time ‘James is the only real journalist I know.’ As an endorsement that was important as the article ventured where other rival publications may not have trod considering the tangled relationships between some very wealthy and influential people in the city and the local media. Since then James has continued to dig away at some of the area’s most high profile figures and institutions revealing things they would prefer to be hidden and details the public should know about. His latest work is for the online news site Somerset Confidential – a publication that uncovers stories across the historic borders of the county including North Somerset and our own patch in Bath and North East Somerset.
Freelancer James’ latest feature is about who actually owns a wall between land owned by the National Trust (NT) and the University of Bath – and more to the point who paid to have it repaired and why. The question is raised as officially the NT own it and are responsible for its upkeep – something they deny. But strangely enough the University paid a third of a million pounds to have it repaired even though it’s not theirs according to the papers held by landlord BANES. Why? Some two decades ago the NT and the Uni were not the best of friends. The University of Bath wanted to build on its campus – something that the NT objected to as they felt it was urbanising the skyline area and thought the new builds should be on brownfield sites in the city. Eventually the Uni got its way and overcame the NT’s disquiet – and now the educational establishment wants to cover their campus with more concrete with accommodations blocks – which you would expect the NT to be even more concerned about. But apparently not – but rather helpfully the Uni has spent £333,064.00 repairing its neighbour’s wall. There is much more to this as you might imagine and James goes into the details but it does suggest that in certain circumstances as the Australian TV title song goes, ‘neighbours can become good friends.’
Check out the full article at https://somersetconfidential.substack.com/ – it costs £30 a year to pay to read Somerset Confidential’s articles – less than 10 copies of the Bath Chronicle. By the way Bath Voice has no financial interest in recommending this publication – but it’s good to read widely when taking in the news. For more on James see https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-garrett-3278903a/
Other recent articles in Somerset Confidential are on New Leaf Farm – the property that the leader of the council Kevin Guy has an interest it; the cost to the Council of storing the fashion museum’s collection in a Wiltshire glove factory; why day trippers don’t have to cough up for the proposed tourist tax but overnighters will; the conveniently cosy landlord/ tenant relationship between the Council and University of Bath (UoB); the generous hospitality shown to successive councillors by the Uni; and the way Cllr Guy became a Lib Dem Councillor and then leader of the council – all good reading matter.
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Harry Mottram is a freelance journalist. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Telegram, TikTok and Email:harryfmottram@gmail.com
Website: www.harrymottram.co.uk