The Independent Bath Media Trail
After four months of preparation we did it!
The Independent Bath Media Trail took place on 30th March 2017 and a lively group of 25 photographers, social media wizards, journalists, bloggers and PR experts came together to celebrate #independentbath, the community of independent businesses in our city.
The media represented were national newspapers, glossy magazines, blogs and broadcasting – from lifestyle to food, drinks, interiors, travel and business, just about all commercial areas of publishing were covered. Below is a list of those who participated in the trail and their social media accounts.
Visit Bath were very much involved from the start – they helped promote and direct the day and they are always proactive.
Tea and Thoughtful Bread almond croissants were served in The Foodie Bugle shop in Abbey Street whilst we welcomed all the media – some came as far as Derbyshire, the Cotswolds, Bristol, and London to participate!
We introduced the day as an opportunity to showcase the hard working and imaginative entrepreneurs around our city who own small, family shops, cafes, galleries, restaurants, hotels and cookery schools.
Armed with notebooks, cameras and mobile phones we made our way through those streets and lanes which are not on the main thoroughfares or well beaten tourist paths – in those parts of the city where artisans, makers, producers, cooks and craftspeople work and serve locals, tourists and visitors. We are so grateful for all the Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and blog buzz on the day – the enthusiasm and passion of the media highlighted the amazing quality of service, products and displays organised.
The #independentbath hashtag on Instagram alone is testimony to the amazing skills on display.
Local Bath photographer Paolo Ferla took the photographs – he was working with Pixie App, a new app that is free to download and showcases independent businesses in the city, and one day, hopefully, all the cities in Britain. The app rewards loyalty and repeat business with extra money and it enables visitors to walk the streets like a Bathonian, encouraging curiosity and a sense of discovery. Founder Greg Barden calls himself the Chief Explorer. Pixie gave each journalist £20 to spend on the app on the day, a reward for coming!
Rachel Demuth of Demuth’s cookery school and her team made farinata and hot cross buns to welcome the guests, Thoughtful Bread served salted caramel and popcorn macarons with rhubarb cordial and mint tea, Society Cafe served cascara with mint and lime and basil shortbread biscuits, Acorn Vegetarian treated the party to an amazing three course lunch {we took over their entire ground floor!} and No 15 Great Pulteney laid on an enormous high tea, replete with cut finger sandwiches, patisserie, tiramisu cups, chocolate mousses, jammy cream scones and cake.
So many businesses gave goodie bag treats – we are really fortunate to have such a collaborative group of individuals who really understand the importance of media trails to raise awareness of independent businesses and their role in sustaining the micro-economy and vibrancy of the city. At the end the journalists and bloggers headed back home with two filled Independent Bath goodie bags each – little treats of gratitude.
Very sadly we were unable to visit every business on the itinerary list – we simply ran out of time, because so many journalists wanted to interview the business owners and find out more about them and their goods. Who can blame them? We could have stopped for hours at each point – the range and diversity of skills in the city are enormous.
The day was such a success that everyone wanted more – another independent media trail for Bath featuring different businesses? Watch this space!
If you would like to organise a media trail for your street, town or city, I have written another blog post here listing my top twelve tips for organising it. Good luck!
Itinerary The Independent Bath Trail 30th March 2017
10.00 am
Welcome Teas and Thoughtful Bread artisan pastries in The Foodie Bugle, 2 Abbey Street, Bath BA11NN
10.45 am
Trail walk starts
Abbey Green – Georgian Tearooms and The Bath Bun, Carole Waller & Gary Woods Gallery, Timber Treasures, No 3 Abbey Green, San Francisco Fudge Factory etc, etc.
North Parade – Charlotte Brunswick Chocolates, Sally Lunn’s, Acorn Restaurant etc, etc
Terrace Walk – Demuths Cookery School, Independent Spirit etc, etc
Kingsmead Square – Society Café, Grace and Ted etc, etc
Barton Street – Thoughtful Bread etc, etc
John Street – Mr. Bs Emporium of Reading Delights, Paxton & Whitfield etc, etc
Queen Street – Spotty Herberts etc, etc
Milsom Street – Brissi, Hunter & Sons etc.
12.30 / 12.45pm – LUNCH– Acorn Restaurant – North Parade
2pm Trail continues
Parade Passage – The Makery etc, etc
Green Street –Maze etc, etc.
Broad Street – Rossiters, Magalleria, Grace & Mabel, Make Up Little Lab, etc, etc
Walcot Street – Melanie Giles, Katherine Fraser, The Fig Store, Yarn Store, Graham and Green, Didi Cakes, Meticulous Ink etc, etc ,
Bartlett Street – Article Bath, David Simon Contemporary Gallery etc, etc
Argyle Street – Found etc, etc
3.30pm –BUFFET TEA at No 15 Great Pulteney Street
5pm – End of the trail– Goodie bag collection with gifts from #independentbath.
Attendees of the Independent Bath Media Trail
Journalists and Magazine Editors
Sarah Baxter
Freelance journalist – The Sunday Times Travel Magazine – The Guardian – Twitter and Instagram @sarahbtravels
Sarah Feeley
Associate Editor – The English Home magazine – Twitter @EnglishHomeTeam
Rhiannon Batten
Travel Editor for Olive Magazine – Twitter and Instagram – @olivemagazine and @rhiannon_batten
Gilly Smith
Podcast producer for delicious magazine on Instagram and Twitter @foodgillysmith and @deliciousmag
Veronica Henry
Bestselling author published by Orion – her next novel is based around food in Bath – Instagram @veronicahenryauthor and Twitter @veronica_henry
Felicity Spector
Deputy Editor of News at Channel Four and also writes for delicious magazine Twitter and Instagram @felicityspector
Jo Fairley
Founder of Green and Black’s Chocolate and The Perfume Societry – Journalist for The Daily Mail, YOU magazine, Red, Waitrose Magazine – Instagram @jofairley and Twitter @jojosams
Hannah Gresty
Editor of Director Magazine – Instagram @directormagazine
Emma Lewis
Photographer Elle Decoration, Country Life, House & Garden, RED mag etc Instagram @emmalewisphotographer
Lisa Evans
Editor of Bath Life Magazine Instagram and Twitter @bathlifemag
Georgette McReady
Editor of The Bath Magazine Instagram and Twitter @thebathmagazine
Jess Carter
Editor of Crumbs – Instagram and Twitter @crumbsmag
Miranda York and photographer Ross Turner
At The Table magazine – Instagram and Twitter @__atthetable__
Robin Savill
Editor of Somesuch magazine – Instagram @somesuchmagazine and Twitter @somesuchmag
Emma Frayling
Head of PR and Communications for Visit Bath – Instagram and Twitter @visitbath
Travel-food-lifestyle bloggers- social media wizards:
Caroline Davis
Trend Daily @carolinedavis.stylist
Rowena Scott-Campbell
Grain and Feather – Instagram and Twitter @grainandfeather
Lou Archer
Little Green Shed – Instagram and Twitter @littlegreenshed
Laura Pashby
Circle of Pines – Instagram and Twitter @circleofpines
Caroline Peel
Food Pr and Marketing – Instagram @carolinepeel and Twitter @CarolineCharles
Kym Grimshaw
Instagram and Twitter @kimgrimshaw
Lucy Brazier
Country Calling Blog – Instagram and Twitter @countrycalling
Greg Barden and Brie Attwood
Pixie App – Instagram @pixie.app and Twitter @pixieapp
Paolo Ferla
Photographer – Instagram and Twitter @FerlaPaolo
