Out and About

What is it with men and lawnmowers? As I write it is early morning Sunday, I was at the Bath Festival finale weekend (brilliant!) had a few cocktails and was looking forward to a rare lie-in, drowsy coffee, waking up slowly, easing gently into the day.

You know, the kind of things normal people do at the weekend.

I can hear at least three lawn mowers going and it is only 9.15am.

It is a cacophony of droning noises all around me, each one fiercer than the other.

What is wrong with these men - it has to be men, what is this obsession with mowing your lawns incessantly when the rest of the world is asleep?

You all need to get a life, grass grows slowly, these jobs can wait.

Listen to the bells, make your missus a cup of coffee, read the newspapers, go for a walk, anything but blasting up the dreaded mowers.

Bath Festival finale weekend

The finale weekend at the Rec was brilliant this year despite no UB40.

I went on Sunday afternoon, the sun was shining and there was a great atmosphere.

Hard to describe but everyone was so pleased to be out, to be mixing, meeting old friends after the locked-up time we have had.

There is nowhere better than Bath for an event like this, it is a village when it comes to these things, you meet everyone you know.

There was a slight sigh among the crowd when the MC announced UB40 had to pull out.

But it did not dampen spirits, the other bands just played longer to make up for it and there was a great buzz. Fun Lovin’ Criminals were superb – lead singer Huey lives in

Bath and he had the crowd eating out of his hand.

They played the UB40 signature song Red Red Wine and the crowd just laughed and sang along.

Billy Ocean was also superb, singing his great dance anthems well into the night when darkness fell and we all had to reluctantly call it a day.

It was a great day for Bath, the day the hills were alive with music again in a city that loves its music.

Well done to the organisers, great job, security staff were excellent, all bidding us goodnight with a big smile, and even the toilets were beautifully managed and clean. Gather Cafe

I hear the great Gather cafe in Batheaston has opened again, great news for us coffee lovers.

They have moved from the High St to the old pub in the village next to the fish and chip shop, opposite the river.

It is a great cafe, really quirky furniture and antiques and delicious home made food.

The breakfasts are to die for.

I like it as you can park opposite and you are right by the river if you fancy a walk after your scrambled eggs and sourdough. Or, even better, you can cycle there.

They are not fully open yet so check before you go, they have outdoor tables so nice if the weather is good. Great to see things opening up again.

New pizzeria

Speaking of things opening up, I hear there is a cool new pizza restaurant opening in Milsom Place this month.

Not another pizza place, I hear you say; there are only so many pizza restaurants we can have in our small city. But this one is a bit different, so they say.

It is called Bosco Pizzeria, they have two restaurants in Bristol and the reviews are rave on Tripadvisor.

They will be opening in the premises which used to be Argentinian steakhouse Cau, a great venue with outdoor seating in the courtyard.

Bring it on, we want to see these places filling up.

7Hills music festival in pleasure gardens

Is it just me or is there something really exciting about the idea of an all-day music festival with food and wine in a secret garden in Bath?

Well, that is what we are getting with the all new 7Hills music festival coming on Saturday, September 4.

7Hills festival will be in a secret garden at the wonderfully named St James’ Pleasure Gardens in Lyncombe, a truly beautiful place.

Featuring all sorts of American folk and indie music, this new one-day festival looks like a good one, named to celebrate Bath’s famous seven hills, fashioned along the city’s mother ship Rome.

I will be there, I’ve even bought my ear plugs for the next day.

City Buzz

Things are definitely opening up again in Bath, the city is buzzing.

I noticed lots of UK visitors walking around and in the shops and cafes, accents from all over the country, great to see them again. We love our tourists, we love showing off our wonderful city. We also love our independent shops and cafes, it is what makes us what we are.

It looks like Bath is very much on the map for staycation visitors, good news for our hard hit businesses.

Here’s hoping the Sunday morning lawnmower brigade will not scare them off.