Every effort will be made to keep facilities open as set out in the Christmas Opening Hours notice (see links).  However, notices will not be placed on the home page during this period if adverse weather were to require amendments.

If there is further adverse weather and you are proposing to use facilities on campus during the Christmas and New Year period, you are advised to contact the security office for details of any changes to opening hours. The security office will be staffed continuously throughout the period and can be contacted on 01225 385349. 

Whilst some Estates staff will be working during this period, it will not be possible to clear car parks, roads and paths regularly. If using the campus during this period, please therefore take even greater care than usual. Some surfaces may be very slippery and icy and car parks may not be fully accessible.

From 4 January notices will once again be published in the usual way if the University’s operations are expected to be significantly disrupted by adverse weather.

There has been no snowfall overnight in the Bath area.  Roads and paths have been cleared as far as possible.  Some surfaces will, however, still be slippery/ icy. Staff, students and visitors are advised to take great care when using paths and car parks on campus. Please be alert for slippery, wet floor surfaces in the entrances to buildings.

Main access routes to the University are fully accessible at the time of writing and the bus companies serving the University are running a normal service.

Staff should make every possible effort to attend work in the interests of maintaining a normal service through the current bad weather. Those using public transport should use the first available service if there are early morning cancellations.

The University’s guidance on staff attendance during severe weather conditions appears in the links section.  In accordance with the guidance, staff who are not able to travel to the University are able to work from home if this is agreed with their line manager.

Catering and retail outlets will, as far as possible, be open as normal today, but there may be some delayed opening times for facilities.

No further snow is currently forecast for the Bath area before Christmas and there are no severe weather warnings in force for this area.  No further announcements will therefore be made unless the situation deteriorates.  In the event of heavy snowfall in the future please check the University website or the severe weather helpline (a recorded message) on 01225 383200.

Jason, who graduated last year in Innovation & Engineering Design, has come second in the alumni category of the Universities South West Enterprise Awards for new technology he has invented for the UK alcoholic drinks market.

His Business, entitled Core & Grove, sprang from time Jason spent working as a barman alongside his university studies, where he spotted the inefficiencies of current alcohol distribution processes.

Siobain Hone, Student Enterprise Coordinator, said: “Jason won last year’s Business Plan competition, organised by BANTER (Bath Entrepreneurs’ Society) and I’m very proud of his success. It’s good to see our student enterprise activities being recognised at a regional level. It should be a great inspiration for students who have entered this year’s competition.”

Speaking at the award ceremony, Professor David Coslett, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Plymouth said, “Enterprise and entrepreneurship have never been more important to our region and our economy. Entrepreneurs are willing to embrace risk, to try out new ideas and embrace innovative technologies. In today’s economic climate this takes courage and good judgement, but often the best opportunities occur when you least expect them.

“Tonight’s event involves students, alumni and staff from Higher Education Institutions in the South West who have ideas and plans to take forward into viable businesses. I would like to thank the finalists and their support teams who have travelled from all round the region to be with us tonight and I particularly thank the crucial input from the judges. They are all busy people in senior positions and we are grateful for their generous support in reading the plans, interviewing the entrants and giving invaluable feedback and advice to help these budding entrepreneurs move forward with their future plans.”

The judges this year included Nick Buckland OBE, board member of the South West RDA and Jeff Brown, Executive Director of Universities South West (two of the organisations funding the Awards); Ranulf Scarbrough, Chief Scientist for BT Martlesham; Dr Jane Guise, Chief Executive of the Royal Bath and West of England Society; Sandu Hellings, Director of riskHive Ltd, David Embleton, partner at Eden Ventures (UK) Ltd and Martin Coulthard, director of the Bath & Bristol Enterprise Network (BEN), the network for the technology business community in the region.

The competition is part of the Knowledge Escalator South West (KE-SW) programme managed by Universities South West. KE-SW is supported by over £2.3 million of European Regional Development Funding investment through the South West RDA and aims to encourage collaboration and enterprise between universities and business in the region.