BUSINESS NEWS
Bath ranked 17 in 2021 Small Cities Index
City praised for its incredible quality of life .
Global media company Monocle 24 has released its 2021 Small Cities Index , with Bath ranked 17th on the list .
The publication ’ s annual feature puts the spotlight on ‘ compact civic spots that offer rich culture , varied careers and progressive planning alongside plenty of room to breathe .’
Monocle ’ s Small Cities Index focuses on settlements of fewer than 250,000 people and which offer incredible quality of life . They must have all the other assets that make any city tick , including a buzzing nightlife , welcoming populations and good connections to the wider world . The list promotes cities that are hubs for industries and ambitious in their business mindset .
Bath has risen 19 places from the 2020 list and is the only UK city to make the cut . Portugal ’ s Porto , takes the top spot with cities in Belgium , Japan , Switzerland , Canada and Italy featuring in the top 20 . To see the full list visit :
https :// monocle . com / magazine / theforecast / 2021 / bright-lights-small-city /
RADIO BATH HITS THE AIRWAVES ONLINE AND VIA DAB
A new volunteer-run radio station has launched in Bath , broadcasting to over 415,000 adults throughout the region via DAB and to many more listeners across the globe online .
The full-time station launched on Thursday 5th November and features a mixture of 80s and 90s music as well as sport and magazine shows . Specialised music programming , including jazz and classical , will be broadcast in the evenings .
Run entirely by volunteers , Radio Bath is a communityfocused station which aims to give back to the local area . It is currently in the process of becoming a registered charity and has vowed to return any surpluses from income to community projects .
The station was the brainchild of Simon McNeill-Ritchie along with former GWR Bath presenter Steve Fountain and Bath resident and businesswoman Loraine Morgan- Brinkhurst .
The three Founders had been working on the project for some time and the station has now launched when the need for community news and information has never been greater . In addition , radio listening figures have been on the rise throughout the Covid-19 pandemic , with the BBC estimating that radio listening has grown by 19 per cent since March .
Managing Director , Simon McNeill-Ritchie , said , “ During this difficult time for many local people we will serve communities in Bath and West Wiltshire by providing vital information , entertainment with great music and guests , and education programmes to give access to radio for young people . We are a Community Profit Organisation which means we will return any surpluses we make to local good causes .”
In recent years , many radio stations and media outlets have consolidated to regional or national centres , often leaving a void of community news and information .
Steve Fountain , Programme Director , said , “ The local media landscape has changed so much over the last two years with many commercial stations withdrawing from cities and towns entirely . Bath has been without a full-time radio station representing local views and news for nearly a decade . We want to fill a much-needed gap with a schedule of local information , news , entertainment and community interest interviews . We ’ re really looking forward to hearing from people from across our patch .”
Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst added , “ This amazing opportunity for the city and the surrounding area is the culmination of 10 years of shared dreams . The timing this
year has been right for us when we received the support from a local business with spare office space , the chance from Ofcom to go on DAB and the availability of each of us to commit the time .
“ My role here at Radio Bath is community engagement , I am looking forward to hearing from and supporting businesses , charities and organisations .”
The station is available on DAB across Bath , Somerset and Wiltshire including Frome , Warminster , Trowbridge , Devizes , Calne , Chippenham , Malmesbury and Tetbury . Those listening further afield can tune in via www . radiobath . com
Interested groups or organisations across Bath and West Wiltshire can get in touch with the station at news @ radiobath . com . Businesses , charities and organisations should email loraine @ radiobath . com
@ RadioBath _ com
For more info : www . radiobath . com
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THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2020 5