Latest Bath Stories

An old man lives among other people's broken junk. He dreams that one day his world will be full of life, colour and sound. His wish is about to come true. Full of visual invention, The Tin Forest comes to the egg theatre, Bath on Saturday September 13. Suitable for children aged three years and over and their families, this humorous and touching show presented without words features mechanical birds, a wind-up circus, exotic animals of all shapes and sizes and a sound-scape of live...

I popped along to the Tourist Information Centre the other day for a copy of the Bath movie map, which highlights some of the films shot here and the locations. Along with the new Clapperboard film tours, the leaflet is a welcome initiative. After all, the average visitor connects with familiar films and their stars more than with obscure characters from the dim past on house plaques. Movies are a fresh way of exploring the city. For locals, it's intriguing to see our home patch on screen,...

Bath's Next Stage Theatre Company has been offered a four-week run in the heart of London's theatreland. The invitation to perform at The Jermyn Street Theatre, just off Haymarket and Piccadilly, has come as a result of the company's recent hugely successful off Broadway run in New York. At the end of July Next Stage opened to rave reviews when it took an Alan Ayckbourn production to the prestigious Midtown International Theatre Festival in the heart of New York theatreland. The festival...

A new mini-hospital for the Bath area is likely to be completed by autumn next year. Construction work is well under way on the pounds30 million-plus 26-bed hospital at Peasedown St John, which will treat around 600 patients a week. It has been designed by world-renowned architects Foster and Partners - headed by Sir Norman Foster - in conjunction with the doctors who will own and work in it. The Circle Bath hospital, at the Bath Business Park, is likely to carry out work for both the...

Residents in the Bath area put out a record amount of material for composting in a month - an amount equivalent to nearly 120 double-decker buses. The 940-ton record in May was the highest ever collected by Bath and North East Somerset Council's fortnightly garden waste and cardboard collection service. Cllr Charles Gerrish (Con, Keynsham North), who is in charge of customer services, said: "Bath and North East Somerset Council is delighted residents have recycled a record amount of...

Alison Steadman will star in Alan Bennett's satirical comedy Enjoy at the Theatre Royal Bath later this month The actress - who will forever be remembered in the role of the ghastly Beverley in Mike Leigh's Abigail's Party - will star alongside David Troughton, most recently seen in the BBC's series of Doctor Who. The two lead a 13-strong cast as Connie and Wilfred Craven in this rarely-performed gem written by one of theatre's greatest observers of the English way of life. Enjoy,...

If you're ready for a bathroom makeover you may want to think smaller scale rather than a complete renovation. Try cosmetic changes. You can transform your bathroom into a beautiful space just by changing the hardware, a shower curtain or even by adding new flooring. We started with a staple piece _ a vessel, a bathroom cabinet and a tub _ and added simple accessories to achieve a new, fresh look. SEASIDE _ Bathroom mirror ($40) at Dillard's. _ Bath and hand towels ($14 to $20 each) at...

A GIFTED disabled boy died after doctors mistakenly gave him a "cocktail of drugs" forbidden by medical textbooks, an inquest heard. Alexander Newton, 18, a talented scientist, botanist and chess player despite having life-limiting Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, suffered delusions of being a dog after taking the medication, his mother told a coroner. Muscular dystrophy expert Dr Philip Jardine said the respiratory arrest caused by the sedative Zopiclone and the painkiller Co- codamol was...

A meeting has been held to discuss the future of health care in Bath. Members of Bath and North East Somerset Council's Healthier Communities and Older People Overview and Scrutiny Panel met local GPs to discuss Government proposals for improving patient access to doctors within the city. B&NES Primary Care Trust has already stated that it has no plans to build a major polyclinic staffed by a large number of GPs in its area. But it is required by the Department of Health to set up some...

Reports of a new heritage tour taking in the locations chosen by Hollywood blockbuster film-makers in the city prompts me to publish my own list of lesser known films and documentaries that have used Bath and the surrounding area for their settings. Illustrated map available soon. Stothert & Pitt And The Pendulum: Horror flick set on Western Riverside and featuring the famous crane scene when a 50-ton weight is slowly lowered onto a planner. A Bendy Bus Named Desire: torrid back-seat...