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ITV News
4 days ago
- General
- ITV News
Why is the South West building so many new homes when thousands of old ones are empty?
The roof was falling in, water was creeping into the adjoining houses, and the garden was a jungle. No one had lived in the two-bedroom terraced house in Bath's Oldfield Park since 2001. Yet Bath & North East Somerset Council could do little about it, even though it had a housing waiting list of 5,500 people. "There's no specific, standalone law that prohibits a property being left empty," says Debbie Freeman, the council's sole Empty Property Officer. "It only becomes illegal when it starts to have a detrimental impact on other properties. We have to build a really clear case for enforcement; it's really labour-intensive. It can often cost a lot of money to bring cases to court.' With limited powers, it took the council more than a decade of legal wrangling to force the Oldfield Park owner to sell. And B&NES is one of the minority of councils with a dedicated Empty Property Officer. Two thirds of councils don't have anyone tasked with fighting these empty property battles. They used to have. Between 2012 and 2015 English councils got ring-fenced government money under the National Empty Homes Programme to fill up empty houses. They could spend it on officers like Debbie, grants, renovations. But when the money stopped, so did much of the work. An interactive map showing the number of empty homes across the South West According to the campaign group Action on Empty Homes, the number of long-term empty properties in England jumped by a third once the programme ended. It now stands at over 265,000 empty homes: 24,000 of them here in the South West - these are unoccupied, unfurnished homes that have stood empty for more than six months. Councils do have some tools for dealing with them. They can charge extra council tax on vacant properties (assuming they know who owns them - another challenge). They can give grants and VAT discounts to people wanting to renovate. Or they can do what B&NES Council does, and fight court battles. But there is no legal requirement for local authorities to bring empty properties back into use. With stretched budgets, many don't. "Empty homes are an opportunity to deal with the worst aspects of our housing crisis", says Chris Bailey, Campaign Manager at Action on Empty Homes. "Don't leave homes empty when they could be housing people. "They're homes that are in the right places. They're homes that are on your street and my street. They're not built on greenbelt. They're right there where people want to live - in the middle of our towns and cities - and they're going to waste." The government didn't mention empty homes in its manifesto, and it has not talked of reviving the funding to tackle the problem. Instead it has promised to build 1.5 million new houses over this parliament. Legally, it's the easier solution. Politically, it's powerful. But thousands of old homes stand silent and forgotten.
Newsweek
16-05-2025
- Newsweek
Server Baffled by Note Couple Leave With 25% Tip: 'What Does This Mean?'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A cryptic note left on the back of a credit-card slip at a chain restaurant has internet users scratching their heads—and offering some hilariously speculative translations. Jade, a 24-year-old server with nearly a decade of food service experience, currently works as a server in a restaurant just outside Cincinnati, Ohio. She shared a picture of the note on Reddit's popular r/ServerLife with the caption: "What does this mean?" "I've received lots of notes in my nearly 10 years serving … they're always the typical, 'Great service!' or the occasional complaint," Jade, who didn't give her surname, told Newsweek. "I've never received something so obscure." A picture of the cryptic note left behind at the restaurant. A picture of the cryptic note left behind at the restaurant. Substantial_Depth563/Reddit The handwritten note left by a couple read: "Thank you for your individual kindness while serving the table associated with US! We hope you see a clearer and more pristine work environment intended for public scrutiny and bias at all times. Enjoy your night.—B & V" Jade recounted that the interaction with the couple was entirely pleasant. They tipped well (around 25 percent), paid in cash, complimented her, and wished her a sweet "get home safe, don't work too hard." But the message they left behind raised more questions than answers. "I immediately showed my co-workers," Jade said. "We all spent a bit contemplating and laughing—not at the folks who left the note, but at the confusion we felt attempting to decipher it." She later shared the note on Reddit in hopes of crowdsourcing interpretations. The post exploded with comments, theories, and jokes. "Yeah I'm gonna be honest, these folks were on psychedelics lol [laugh out loud]," one commenter wrote. "Those are for sure all words," another Reddit user said. Many Reddit users suggested the diners may have been under the influence of psychedelics—possibly mushrooms—and simply struggled to articulate what they felt was a profound compliment. One user, u/ooorezzz, related from personal experience: "Probably on shrooms. Lol. I've done this before … end up being super nice, but no idea how to express to the lady she was really good at her job … probably made an a** out of myself trying to muster up words." Researchers from Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Safety in Denver, Colorado, and colleagues recently revealed that magic mushroom use in the U.S. has increased in recent years. Psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms, became the first hallucinogenic substance to be decriminalized in the U.S. after Denver voted to legalize possession of it in 2019. The research team found that psilocybin use increased by 44 percent over 2023 among young adults aged 18 to 29, and by 188 percent among older adults. "Past year use" for 2023 among 12th graders was also revealed to have increased by 53 percent since 2019. Jade said that the diners were sweet and respectful the entire time, and wondered if the note was meant to recognize her professionalism while serving a nearby table of Indian customers—a group she described as regular, low-maintenance, and consistently lovely—but added there was no indication of bias in the moment. Ultimately, Jade said she just wanted to share "something silly and fun in a subreddit dedicated to other servers," and she is amused at how far the discussion has gone. "If these folks ever come into my workplace again, I'll be sure to ask them about it and give an update," she added.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bath Rugby Submits Updated Plans For New Stadium At The Rec
Bath Rugby has submitted updated plans for the construction of a modern stadium at The Rec, where the team first set up shop in 1894. The updated application includes suggestions from the public, important stakeholders, and Bath & North East Somerset Council (B&NES) after technical aspects were tested last year. The planning committee will review the new project plans over the upcoming New Year. Advertisement Significant improvements that lower the height of the East and West Stadium seating sections are incorporated into the new design. The strategy aims to raise matchday satisfaction without taking away from the neighborhood's unique attractiveness. Tarquin McDonald, the CEO of Bath Rugby, informed the public that his team plans to build a stadium that preserves Bath's historical traditions while providing benefits to the local community. By adding accessibility and achieving sustainability goals for net-zero carbon, the designs preserve key elements of the original proposal while building a stadium with 18,000 seats. The stadium enlargement initiatives generate significant worries because Bath maintains its position as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Advertisement The location of the Recreation Ground places it directly within this area, which holds substantial Roman and Georgian architecture next to the River Avon. The expansion project encounters resistance from Green Party council member Joanna Wright, who alleges that the stadium development threatens the UNESCO status by diminishing the surrounding 'green space.' Bath Rugby maintains its positive outlook even though some community members have concerns about the construction plans. However, the designs add public spaces along the regenerated riverbanks and redesign the East and West Stadium stands to improve the surrounding area. An updated submission illustrates Bath Rugby's future direction by combining the city's historical and modern sporting demands.
