We stayed in Keynsham at a place called the Manor Lodge B&B. It was okay but cheap and there's not much going on in Keynsham. However, the B&B was very close to the railway station and it's only 10 minutes to Bath. Bath station is right in the centre. I lived in Somerset until I left for uni and used to go to Bath fairly frequently. The town centre was almost unrecognisable from the place I saw 25 years ago, and for the better I'd say. We took the open top bus around Bath which was a lot better than I expected, it really is a lovely place.
There has beem big changes in Bath over the past 10 years with more to come. The arrival point has finally been ripped out and offers the visitor a wholly bettrr experience/view.
Like may UK cities, local industry has been decimated an the expansion of the education sector has grown and continues to do so. The student accomodatiom requirement will grow as the University of Bath expands it's offering and Bath Spa University ups it's game too.
As I understand it, the main city Police Staion was demolished to make way for.... more student accomodation.
The need for more accomodation for students has also led to new build along the A4 going west from the city centre along the Lower Bristol Road. This has affected new hotel development. The latest build is the Malaysiam owned (YTL which also owns Thermae Bath Spa and Wessex Water) 5* Gaindborough Hotel which is a conversion of a Bath College buiilding. The night rate is £250+
The main supply of visitor accomodation is the Guesthouse/B&B sector. As it always was. There are 2 Travelodge hotels, a Premier Inn and a Holiday Inn Express but at this time of year the cheaper end of the market is usually on 100% occupation.
At the start of the next academic year there will be another increase in student numbers arriving, which may prove interesting in a physically small but busy Tourist City, with a lot of city centre residents and clubs and bars chasing the student 'dollar' 7 nights a week.
Another dynamic is the electrification of the the gWr serive from Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads which will reduce journey times. A lot of Bath residents already travel to London for work. Hpuse prices are already seeing an uplift. The estimate is that Bath to London train journey times will drop to 60 minutes fro the current 90 minues which will mean Bath could be seen as a London Village.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...roperty-catch-a-train-to-Bath-in-an-hour.html
The link is a bit trite but who knows?
I am likely to spend more time in Ireland as I have long since reduced popping into the city centre.
Too msmy students and tourists bah humbug [emoji5]
Welcome to Bath - A World Heritage Site...
Steve
