Highlights in Bath in 2009

12th December 2008

Bath Tourism Plus is highlighting the many reasons to pay a visit to the beautiful World Heritage City of Bath in 2009 including the inaugural Comedy Festival which will bring cheer to the streets of Bath in April, the first phase of a much awaited new shopping area opening its doors after 2 years of development, new entertainment venue Komedia showing performances of cabaret, comedy and music and relaxing treatments to enjoy including the new 'watsu for two' at the Thermae Bath Spa. And added to this is the winning formula that has attracted visitors to Bath for over 2,000 years - history, heritage, great food and attractions, and a cosmopolitan atmosphere.

Bath - City of Festivals
Bath will welcome a new festival to its busy and diverse year-round programme of events in 2009. The Bath Comedy Festival will start on April Fool's Day and finish on the 12th April. There will be an exciting line up of performances and entertainment with street theatre, stand-up comedy, film, plays, competitions and caricature spilling out onto Bath's historic streets and taking place across a selection of venues - all celebrating the art of making people laugh! Well-known comedians Paul Merton, Dave Spikey, Count Arthur Strong and Jenny Éclair will feature with more names yet to be announced. The festival joins a long list of events that Bath hosts every year including the Bath Literature Festival (28th February - 8th March), Fringe Festival (22nd May - 7th June), International Music Festival (22nd May - 6th June) and the Jane Austen Festival (18th - 27th September). More details including a full listing of events can be found on www.visitbath.co.uk/whats-on.

Boutique Bath
Bath has been a fashionable place to shop since Georgian times, when fashionistas flocked to the city to purchase the latest styles and trends. Today it still offers visitors that 'something special' with a city centre that is packed with small, independent shops, alongside all the usual high street names. Shopping in Bath has undergone exciting developments at both ends of the city. Milsom Place, formerly known as Shire's Yard, has been completely refurbished into a chic shopping area housing several cafes and restaurants as well as boutique and independent shops. At the other end of town, Bath's high street shops will be boosted next year with the opening of the first phase of the much awaited new shopping area in Southgate. In 2007 a major development started in the city with the demolition of ill-fitting 1970's buildings in place of a brand new bus station and shops in Georgian-style architecture which will blend perfectly into the cityscape.

Twilight Bath
Bath comes alive at night with a fusion of music, food, theatre, film, comedy, dancing and relaxation taking place across historic and modern venues. A recent addition to Bath's nightlife is brand new entertainment venue Komedia. Opened in November in the former Beau Nash Cinema which has been completely renovated, Komedia offers an exciting and diverse programme of national and international touring acts including stand-up comedians, cabaret and bands. Following in European style, at many performances customers can also enjoy a meal while watching a show. Or, for a pre-show dinner choose from one of the many restaurants that line the streets of Bath serving food to suit all tastes. The newest addition to Bath's food scene is Jamie's Italian - Jamie Oliver's flagship Italian restaurant which opened in Milsom Place in October. Nightlife in Bath is diverse with a huge choice of things to do; from cinema to theatre, pubs to clubs and walking tours to spa culture. See www.visitbath.co.uk/site/things-to-do for further information.

Bath Spa
Feel good in the New Year and take advantage of Thermae Bath Spa's new treatments. The Spa's signature treatment, 'watsu' (a Shiatsu massage in the natural thermal waters), was previously only performed one person at a time, but now couples or friends will be able to enjoy this relaxing treatment together in the historic Hot Bath with the new 'Watsu for Two' option. In addition, Thermae will be offering new body wraps, vichy showers, manicures and flotation treatments and a new product range called Ligne Tropicale - beautifully zesty and fruity fragrances designed to leave your skin looking healthy and rejuvinated.

Head out of Bath to the luxurious Lucknam Park Hotel and experience a spectacular spa complex complete with a 20 metre indoor swimming pool, an indoor-outdoor hydrotherapy pool and an outdoor saltwater plunge pool. Newly opened in November this impressive spa also has 9 treatment rooms, extensive thermal cabins as well as an open kitchen with a wood-fired oven serving healthy and nourishing dishes.

Although an historic city, Bath is not trapped in time - there is so much to see and do with lively evening entertainment, festivals to enjoy and a range of interesting shops to explore, so make Bath a date in your diary for 2009! The official tourism website www.visitbath.co.uk is the perfect guide to plan a visit to the city.

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Notes to Editors:
For further information or images to illustrate this information, please contact Lucy Weaver at Bath Tourism Plus on 01225 477441 or email: lucy_weaver@bathtourism.co.uk.

Bath Tourism Plus
Working with the public and private sectors, Bath's destination marketing organisation, Bath Tourism Plus, takes full responsibility for co-ordinating the work of a busy tourist information centre, the marketing of Bath and the surrounding area to leisure and business travellers, PR activity to attract the nation's top travel writers, a conference office, and development of Bath's official destination website www.visitbath.co.uk

For more information about the services that Bath Tourism Plus offers to meetings, conference and incentive travel businesses, see www.bathconference.co.uk

Bath Christmas Market
Bath Tourism Plus is the company responsible for the marketing and operation of Bath Christmas Market, which attracts approximately 200,000 visitors per year to Bath.

For more information about Bath Christmas Market, visit: www.bathchristmasmarket.co.uk.

Travel to Bath
Bath is easy to access from all over the UK and the world.

High speed, direct train services operated by First Great Western link Bath Spa train station to London and its major airports. Bath Spa train station is well situated, just 5 minutes level walk into the city centre's main shopping and tourist areas. See: www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk

Bristol International Airport is just 15 miles from Bath and operates direct flights from New York and Orlando in the USA, as well as most major European and UK airports. An express bus service to Bristol Temple Meads train station operates throughout the day, and Bath is just a 20 minute train journey from there. See: www.bristolairport.co.uk

Bath is also easy to access by car, from junction 18 of the M4 motorway which links Bath to Bristol, London and South Wales. There are 3243 pubic car parking spaces in Bath with the main long stay car parks at Charlotte Street and Avon Street.

There are three Park & Ride services on the outskirts of the city which operate fast, frequent services into the city centre, offering a hassle free, cost effective way of reaching the city centre. There is also a Park & Ride service that operates on Saturdays only from the University of Bath.