Ee, 32 Stall Street, City Centre, Bath

32 Stall Street is an unlisted retail building, situated within the commercial core of the Bath City-Wide Conservation Area and World Heritage Site. It forms part of the collective streetscape setting for a high concentration of Grade II terraced shops along Stall Street, itself a historic 17th century thoroughfare through the heart of Bath, and immediately adjoins the Grade II listed 33 Stall Street to the north. It forms part of the contextual setting of the Grade I late 18th century shops by Thomas Baldwin at 34-36 Stall Street. No. 32 is designed to read as a continuation of No. 33 in its regular two bay façade, use of traditional finishes such as multi-pane sash windows and upper floor string courses and cornice, but it is evident that it was added onto the end of No. 33 at a later date. The existing shopfront is a simple, symmetrical timber frontage with single pane shop windows. The existing fascia is indicated to be timber, but is evidently a much later addition based on its size, which is without reference when considered against the traditional shop front character of the wider conservation area.

The proposed use of hand-lettered signage is considered to be an improvement to the existing fascia signage, and would be in keeping with the traditional signage character of the streetscape. Given the unusually large size of the fascia, the proposed lettering would also be excessive in scale and we encourage consideration of more modestly sized signage in keeping with the wider area.

The proposed visuals indicate that the fascia would be a stark black colour, and as such would have a jarring appearance against the natural Bath stone palette of the building and the wider street scene. We recommend a more subdued colour is selected, such as a dark grey to match the retained colour of the timber shop frontage (indicated to be RAL 7022).

We maintain general concerns with the proposed installation of an illuminated ATM in the shop window, as well as two freestanding LED signs within the shop windows, and the resulting impact of increased illumination on the visual amenity of the conservation area. Where the signs are located within the shop windows, we acknowledge that this would be considered to come under deemed consent, but continue to reiterate these would contribute to cumulative increased lightspill from this shop front. Bath is recognised as a low-illuminated city in which the maintained low levels of lighting complement the historic character and appearance of the city, and create a distinctive evening and night-time atmosphere. Therefore, the use of illuminated signage would be of detriment to the visual amenities of the Bath City-Wide Conservation Area and the special qualities of the World Heritage site.