Walcot Street was an area of dense Romano - British occupation and it is probably the oldest commercial street in Bath. It was the main production area of the cloth industry in Bath up to early 19th century, with many weavers, tailors etc populating the area
With the arrival of the Great Western Railway [1840] Walcot Street was already beginning to lose its importance, becoming a decayed area of public houses, shops and light industry, and for around 130 years there were few changes. In 1965 there was a proposal which would have seen the construction of a tunnel under the historic heart of the city, starting in Walcot Street. With the announcement of the plan to demolish much of Walcot Street, property prices in the area plummeted. The cheap prices saw artists, artisans, musicians etc move into the area. Years later the tag ‘Bath’s Artisan Quarter’ developed from this. Walcot Nation Day, the Bath Arts Workshop, the Hat and Feather and The Bell. Home of live music and the arts - the alternative area of Bath. Community pub, live music venue and home of Bath Fringe Festival. Yep, it's The Bell
Plus there are restaurants, takeaways, a nightclub, cafes and coffee shops - Oh, and Ghettofunk records... the Shindig people.
