Bath Trials Faster Waste Removal Scheme

Bath Bid and Bath & North East South Council to trial faster trade waste removal scheme.

Bath Business Improvement District (BID), working in close collaboration with Bath & North East Somerset Council, will start a three month trial in June in which trade waste will be collected quicker and more efficiently around a trial area the city centre. The trial scheme is intended to both improve the ambience of the city centre for diners enjoying the summer’s café culture, and crucially to help address the problem of seagulls feeding from trade waste.

Explaining the trial, Louise Prynne, Chief Executive of the Bath BID said “The trial will see timed deliveries in which trade waste bags will be collected between 5.30pm and 6pm to ensure they are only on the streets for the minimum amount of time possible. This will be a significant enhancement of the very successful trade waste scheme introduced by the Bath BID and operated in partnership with SUEZ. The trial will help to support the late afternoon / early evening economy around the city during the very busy summer period, when the city is perhaps at its best as the days draw out and the number of visitors increase. We have worked very closely with Bath & North East Somerset Council l to develop this trial and if successful will look to expand the service across other areas of the city.”

Councillor Martin Veal, Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services, added “This trade waste trial will help to drive forward the Council’s crackdown on the gull problem by reducing street litter and food sources for gulls. It is the ambition of the Council and Bath BID that our World Heritage City grows its reputation as one of the UK’s cleanest and most attractive visitor destinations. The trial will also underline the power of collaborative working between the Council and the Bath BID and help us to support the evening and night-time economy.”

Kambiz Shayegan, owner of four restaurant venues on the trial route (the Oven, Vino Vino wine and cocktail bar, the Amarone Restaurant, and Rapheal) said “If successful this will be a big improvement, especially for the city’s hospitality sector businesses. As summer arrives the city’s pavement culture comes into full swing and in many ways helps to define the attractiveness of Bath as a place to relax and enjoy food and drink. The speedier removal of trade waste and food segregation in seagull-proof canisters will help to ensure that pleasure is not compromised.”

The three month trial will start 1 June and will cover Cheap Street, Westgate Street, Saw Close and the end of Upper Borough Walls. Waste collection drivers will start at 5.30pm and have all trade waste bags collected by 6pm. For first two weeks of the trial B&NES Council and Bath BID will have teams on standby at 5.30 to monitor. All B&NES council and Bath BID/SUEZ trade waste customers will be included in the trail and it is hoped that other trade waste collection companies will also support.