The changing face of Bath’s High Street was at the centre of an exciting discussion at the heart of the latest Breakfast Exchange event.
A collaboration between Richardson Swift, The Business Exchange and Thrings Solicitors, the latest in the popular series of breakfast events returned to The Ivy on Thursday, 11 July with an insightful panel discussion on the modern day demands Bath faces from a property perspective, whilst trying to preserve its rich heritage.
Chaired by TBE founder and editor Anita Jaynes, the panel heard from guests Alex Sherman, CEO of Bath Preservation Trust, and Alistair Colston, Founder of and consultant to CSquared, who brought their personal and professional experiences of living and working within Bath’s property sector as they considered the steps Bath could and should take to maximise its potential for future generations.
More than 50 people representing a wide array of sectors from across the city’s business community were in attendance, including from the property, retail, charity and professional services sectors, as the expert panel debated how Bath can attract retailers and retain businesses whilst preserving Bath’s buildings without turning the city into a museum.
Alex Sherman, CEO of Bath Preservation Trust, said: “Helping our beloved city to continually step into the modern era without losing its significant historic legacy is a challenge that that impacts a wide variety of sectors and it was positive to see such a diverse group of organisations from across Bath ready to engage on this important issue.”
Alistair Colston, Founder of and Consultant to CSquared, added: “Bath is a city that continues to attract people from across the world, whether it is simply to visit, or to live and work. In order to truly maximise this opportunity, it is important for our business community to collaborate and continue to look forward and there is clearly an appetite for that from the conversations I had in the room today.”
Also on the panel were Richardson Swift’s Managing Director Debbie Boulton and Thrings’ Property Litigation expert Simon McIlroy, who brought their expertise on the professional side of the property market, highlighting the trends they have seen in recent years and discussing how things could soon change.
Debbie Boulton, Managing Director of Richardson Swift, said: “We’re delighted to have had another excellent turnout for the Breakfast Exchange and to have Alex and Alistair lead the discussion on how commercial and retail businesses need to evolve and adapt to ensure their stability in the long-term. It was particularly interesting to see the audience get involved and, in some places, offer challenge and alternatives to what had been put forward.”
Simon McIlroy, Legal Director at Thrings Solicitors, added: “Bath boasts an incredible mix of culture and innovation that many of our geographical and economic neighbours struggle to match. Having been subjected to a lot of change in recent years, this is likely to continue with the government’s raft of property-based pledges and it was good to speak to see business owners at today’s event alive to the implications of changing policies on their long-term plans.”