Every day, our Rangers are cleaning the city centre. Today we offer you to meet the team, and discover what their days look like.
Meet Kyle
- Tell us more about you?I joined the team 10 months ago. I already worked there for a few months in 2019 and liked it.
- What is an average day? It varies between deep cleaning, waste removal, and taking stuff away.
- What do you prefer the most? I like removing waste, removing stuff, lifting, and helping businesses. The team is great; we help each other. It is nice to benefit from the others’ experience; Alan has worked there for years, which is helpful for us all.
- What are the skills required? You need to be a problem-solver and a handyman, willing and able to help businesses. You can have to change a lock or hang frames, for instance. You must also have good communication skills, talk with the businesses and relay essential information to the office.
- What was the most unexpected task you were asked to do? To remove pigeons from shops probably.
- What is your favourite place? I like the Royal Crescent, I enjoy the view there, and it is a lovely spot to sit with friends and have a cider. There are many young people there; it is lively and dynamic.
- What do you like to do in your free time? I like PC gaming at home. I also like going to The Gym at South Gate. I also like going out for meals. I fancy Bare Grills.
Meet Gary
- Tell us more about you. I joined the team one year and a half ago. I started two weeks before Jonno. Before that, I was working as a lorry driver for a Suez. I also worked at the Council for 12 years. I used to work with our boss Roland there and really liked it.What’s a typical day? Coming here and getting the vehicles is the first thing, then cleaning the shops’ doorways, sometimes some scheduled deep cleaning. It does vary. Every day is different.
- What do you prefer in your job? I love graffiti removal; it was my speciality when I worked at the Council. The stones in Bath are like sponges; you must use specific chemicals in precise quantities and mix them properly to get a perfect cleaning result. If not, there will still be a shadow or mark on the stone after you clean them. We have a great team. We all get along well together, and it is like a family.
- What are the skills required? My colleagues already quote lots of them. I will add a good knowledge of the streets.
- What is the most rewarding in your job? To see the before and after when the place is shiny.
- What is your favourite place in Bath? I enjoy Parade Gardens during summer.
- What do you like doing in your free time? I play bass guitar in a punk band called the Sex Bristols; I also like collecting stuff from WW2. My grandfather fought in Dunkirk and passed on to me his hobby when I was a child.
Meet Alan
He has been working for Bath BID for nearly seven years as a ranger, making him our longest-serving team member.
- Tell us more about you? I am 63; I was born and bred in Bath. I love this city. I used to work as a carpet and floor specialist. As I had back pain, the doctors advised me to change. I looked at the positions available… and that’s how I arrived at the BID.
- What does a day of a ranger look like? Some days, it starts with deep cleaning of specific areas. For example, on Mondays, we clean the Southgate area, James Street West, and Walcott Street. Then we drive around the city centre and stop whenever cleaning is needed. Our colleague Roland starts his day by walking in the city. He thus tells us if some area needs special care.
- What do you like in your job? I like deep cleaning and jet washing because you see the difference between before and after. It is the most rewarding! After a deep cleaning – everything is shiny.
- What are the skills required to be a ranger? There are some technical skills: you need to be jet-washed trained, a first-aider, and have a height path licence to be able to drive a cherry picker. You also need many personal skills, be polite, respect people and understand the businesses. If you are cleaning and the shop staff arrive, you stop and let them in. It is common sense, but we are working for them.
- What is your favourite place? I would say the Martini. The food is excellent, and I know someone in the staff. One thing to know about Alan is that he is very well-connected. You always find someone who knows him in the city!
- What do you like doing during your free time? Taking care of my grandson, who is 7. I like watching rugby, playing bowling, eating out, and my favourite movie is “Saturday Night Fever.”
Meet the team! Today, as part of our Great British Spring Clean Highlight, meet Jonathan (Jonno), one of our rangers. Jono joined the Bath BID team 18 months ago. Previously working as a ranger at Kingston BID, he brought his experience and understanding of how British BIDs work and operate benefiting local businesses.- What do you like in your job? The variety, no day is the same! It is also rewarding to see the result of your work, how it was before and after your intervention.
- What qualities does this job require? You need to have handyman and good people skills, a personnality, and to like diversity. You must be ready to pick up pigeons or dog poo or get rid of baby seagulls. I was already working for a BID before but never had a single call to get rid of baby seagulls before! It was a surprise when I started working in Bath.
- Your favourite place in Bath? I would say the Pultney Bridge, and the view you have from The Boater.
- What do you like doing in your free time? I like going to the gym and caring for my two children.
Meet Roland, the BID’s Operations Manager
- A bit about yourself? I was born and bred in Bath. I was in the Army for 9 years. I went all over the world: to Germany, Canada, Iceland and The Falklands and came back in 1986. I then worked for B&NES council. At first, I drove waste lorries and then got promoted to supervisor and area manager. I have also been a manager in the horticulture and then waste enforcement teams. I already worked closely with the BID team, and when a job came up 2 years ago, it was time to move on to new challenges.
- A typical day? I start with a city centre inspection on foot. I look out for areas which need cleaning or fixing and security breaches in business premises. I link with several partners: B&NES Council, Julian House, the Police, property landlords and shop managers. With a clear picture of the state of the city, I pull together a list of jobs for the rangers and we meet at 7.00am to set the tasks for the day.
- What do you like in your work? I enjoy all aspects! Every day is different. Businesses are always grateful for our support. We also contribute to keeping the city safe and as clean as we can.
- Do you have any particular projects you are working on? I run the Trade waste project with Grist Environmental. The BID negotiated a reduced price for waste collection for all our business levy payers, including all waste streams. I am particularly proud that the new contract includes a 7 days a week twice a day food waste collection which means that businesses save money on their general waste bill, and it is good for the planet.
- The most rewarding part of your job? Helping our businesses and the city to show their full potential. Even when you do some work for only one business, it creates a wider positive impact and spreads to the whole street. I love Bath; I am trying to improve it continuously for everyone to enjoy.
- What are the essential Skills for your job? Good comms skills, knowledge of how the city works and its requirements, health and safety and waste management, and understanding of the different aspects of the work. I work on the ground with the rangers when needed. Everything I ask them to do, I know how to do it! I don’t expect them to do jobs I won’t do.
- What do you do in your free time? I love gardening, relaxing, and spending time with my family.
