Bath Spa firm is to lay off staff

Customers at the Pig & Fiddle started the Spa petition

The company which will run the troubled Bath Spa project when it opens, Thermae Bath Spa, is to lay off three staff.

The firm is blaming the continued delays in the opening of the centre for the staff losses.

Bath and North East Somerset Council recently agreed to plough another £3.5m into the project which has sparked protests from some locals.

One city publican is now leading a campaign to end the public financing of the project.

Thermae Bath Spa had previously taken on the necessary staff to run the project.

Tabloid farce

As the delays mounted over the last few years, it was forced to cut back on staff numbers and reduce the remaining employees' hours.

Customers at the Pig and Fiddle pub claim the local council should stop wasting public money.

The petition asks "...that the council cease any further investment of funds in to what has already become a local and national tabloid farce.

It added: "It has become a drain on resources that could have been invested in more worth causes."

Landlord Shaun Bentley said: "It has to be strong words, they had the chance to stop this. They haven't done that, they have made this city look a bit silly in the process."

He added that several shops in the city centre had asked if they can run the petition alongside the pub.