Nestled beneath the sprawling canopy of a centuries-old London plane tree lies Kingsmead Square, a lively commercial hub in the heart of Bath. The square is characterised by colourful pastel bunting, talented buskers, and benches filled with visitors who admire the city’s historic charm.
Kingsmead thrives with a vibrant mix of young professionals and students enjoying £6 lattes from Starbucks, while establishments like Dough offer innovative pizzas featuring seaweed, turmeric, and hemp bases. Bath Bus Station Fruiterers continues its tradition of selling fresh produce with a warm smile, supported by a family-run business spanning almost 50 years. Recently, the quirky Kingsmead Street Bottle was recognised as the best bar in Bath, underscoring the area’s growing popularity.
However, beneath this prosperity lies a persistent issue: anti-social behaviour (ASB). Last summer, Avon & Somerset Police implemented a weekend-long dispersal order to safeguard residents and tourists from such incidents. More recently, on Sunday 26 July at approximately 3pm, a 52-year-old man was arrested in Kingsmead Square on suspicion of robbery.
Conor, a 30-year-old local greengrocer whose family has operated Bath Bus Station Fruiterers for decades, offered insight into the ongoing challenges. Reflecting on the situation, he remarked, “Only for the last 15 years! Every single day for years and years they’ve been coming here, they sit on the benches, they drink the majority of the day. It’s not ideal for any business to see this there. There’s kids. There’s families. And one of them lit a spliff just five minutes ago and I could smell it instantly.”
A nearby shopper, overhearing this conversation, shared her own concerns. At 34, she has witnessed both drug use and soliciting in the area. “This is a beautiful place but would I sit here with my kids? No,” she said candidly.
Personal experiences underscore the complex reality of the area. One morning last month, a local encountered a woman who sought spare change purportedly to catch a bus to hospital. The request escalated to £10 for a train ticket to Bristol Royal Infirmary, and subsequently £20 for a round trip. Scepticism grew, suggesting the woman may not have intended to visit a hospital at all. While the encounter was unsettling, it also evoked sadness, recognising the underlying struggles often faced by those involved in ASB.
The root causes of anti-social behaviour are multifaceted, including poverty, mental health challenges, addiction, and unresolved trauma. Despite these issues, Bath remains one of the safest places to live. Although the city has a crime rate 16% higher than the national average, it is still the safest large town in Somerset.
No community is immune to difficulties, and Kingsmead Square stands out as a focal point of ASB in Bath. This creates disruption for local businesses and can make visitors feel uneasy or intimidated. More broadly, Kingsmead Square highlights the stark contrasts within the city-while some reside in affluent Georgian townhouses around the Royal Crescent, others find themselves sleeping on benches or outside supermarkets.
Councillor Manda Rigby, cabinet member for communication and community, addressed these concerns, stating:
“Bath is a fantastic and vibrant city, which we all know attracts many visitors. In fact, it has recently been voted the best, and the happiest city in the world, in two Time Out surveys. It is a place we want everyone to enjoy and feel safe in but, like all city centres, we know there is often an element of anti-social behaviour which we don’t want to see.”
She added that the council works closely with the Bath City Centre BID and the police to manage these issues. Residents are encouraged to report incidents of ASB, with helpful information available on the council’s website. Currently, public consultation is underway on a new Street Strategy aimed at establishing a clear and co-ordinated approach to ensure public spaces are safe and accessible for all.
Kingsmead Square remains a vibrant and beautiful part of Bath, but addressing anti-social behaviour is crucial to preserving its welcoming atmosphere for locals and visitors alike.