Plans submitted in the summer of 2022 for a roof terrace at the iconic Bear pub and hotel in Bath have been withdrawn this week.
The Bear Inn on Wellsway in Bath | Image © Google Street View / Google 2025
The Bear on Wellsway has a history stretching back more than 250 years. The original building was part of a popular inn and brewery which served one of the main routes into Bath.
The current building was built after the Second World War after the original premises were irreparably damaged.
The large white polar bear over the entrance has become the emblem of the Bear Flat Association.
The roof terrace plans submitted to Bath & North East Somerset Council had included a seating area, metal-framed pergola shelter, a bar counter, timber-clad fixed seating and planter boxes, festoon lighting, infra-red and portable gas heaters, metal railings around the perimeter and a new metal staircase.
The operators had said they were “mindful” that concerns might be raised about a potential increase in noise or anti-social behaviour from the roof terrace and that they had always ensured that a “robust and strictly enforced noise management policy” be in place at all times.
At the time of the application, they said the proposed alterations would help to ensure the long-term viability of the business.
