'Tourist toytown' image hits growth

Bath's portrayal of itself as a "tourist toytown" is restrictingits economic g rowth.

That's according to Greg Ingham, the chair of networking groupCreative Bath and chief executive of publisher MediaClash.

Mr Ingham says Bath's creative and technology industries are indanger of being outstripped by Bristol unless there is urgentaction.

In a new monthly column in today's Chronicle, Mr Ingham appealsfor a creative hub to be created in the city which would allow start-up businesses and freelancers to interact, and calls for more to bedone to retain graduates.

"Unless Bath gets serious about its creative and tech sectors,not only will it not gain new businesses but it will lose some(many?) of its existing companies to Bristol," he warns.

Mr Ingham complains that the absence of a hub means creativebusinesses in Bath continue to be "dotted in and around townhousesand above shops, splintered through the city, gaggled together incoffee shops". But Mr Ingham, a former chief executive at Bathpublisher Future, also strikes a note of optimism.

"There is enough enlightened thinking on the council and in itsofficers to give hope," he says.

"They know that the creative sector contributes more to the Batheconomy than retail and tourism combined.

"They know that it's a growth sector with high value jobs."

Greg Ingham's column, page 39; Comment, page 40