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Whats New?
AUTUMN 2006
Thermae Bath Spa
Thermae Bath Spa - Britains only natural thermal spa - is now open.
Set in the heart of the city, the complex offers the chance to bathe in the naturally warm waters, just as the Romans and the Celts did over 2000 years ago. The complex offers tree distinctively different bathing pools, steam rooms and private treatment rooms for a range of unusual complementary therapies.
The building is of a very modern design, but using the original georgian architecture in a fascinating way to blend the old and the new styles perfectly - and the view from the roof top pool across the city is a real 'must see'.
'Happening Bath' - Festival City
With its vibrant year-round calendar of events and festivals, dates still to look out for in 2006 include Bath Mozartfest (10th - 18th November), Christmas at Claverton (25th November - 17th December) and of course Bath's world-famous Christmas Market, which this year takes place from 30th November - 10th December.
Provisional dates for the 2007 calendar of events are now available at on the What's On section of the Visit Bath website.
Attractions News
Work is well underway at Prior Park Landscape Gardens to restore Alexander Pop'e Wilderness, after a Heritage Lottery Fund Grant was awarded for £483,000. Work will include excavating the Serpentine Lake and reinstating the 18th Century cascade. Paths around the gardens have been redirected so that work can be viewed by visitors - there is a great deal to see.
The American Museum in Britain has just been awarded a 450,500 Heritage Lottery Fund grant to develop a state of the art 3500 sq ft exhibition. The new exhibition in the museum's basement will aim to provide visitors with an orientation to the museum's decorative arts exhibits on the upper floors and to put them into a cultural context. Due to open in Spring 2007, this exciting project will feature a comprehensive interpretation of American history over a 200-year period from Colonial America to the 20th century, including Native-American and African-American collections.
The museum has also announced its major exhibition for 2007: "Dollar Princesses" will follow the lives of the American heiresses who travelled from the 'New World' in search of aristocratic husbands. The exhibition, which opens on the 17th March 2007, will detail the remarkable story of American heiresses who married into the aristocracy in late Victorian and Edwardian Britain, and will be illustrated by a number of theatrical presentations. Of particular note will be the display of extravagant costumes from the era, including dresses from recent film adaptations of novels by Henry James and Edith Wharton, worn by the likes of Nicole Kidman and Uma Thurman.
The Roman Baths has introduced a special audio guide for children aged between 7 and 11, which introduces young visitors to the museum to a host of Roman characters. The tour is included in the usual admission price and is accompanied by illustrations to bring the characters to life. The museum has also been named in a top ten poll of the UK's favourite landmarks, sharing 9th place with the Angel of the North, in a survey commissioned by photo printer manufacturer Lexmark.
The introduction of an audio guide in Mandarin Chinese to the Roman Baths in 2005 has now scooped Bath & North East Somerset Council the marketing category award in the 2006 Museums and Heritage Excellence Awards, which were presented on May 10th in London. The Roman Baths was the first visitor attraction in the UK to provide an inclusive audio tour in Mandarin. Since the guide was introduced in February 2005 more than 16,000 visitors have chosen to use Mandarin for their tour, rather than any other of the eight languages available.
The audio guide is included free with admission. In addition to the audio guide in Mandarin, printed information sheets are produced in Chinese to cater for all Chinese languages and dialects. The Roman Baths website is also available in Chinese.
Playback - A Celebration of American Toys and Games is the theme of the The American Museum's 2006 exhibition. Running until 29th October, this exciting exhibition shows some of the rare toys and games of the 19th and 20th century in America that have achieved worldwide popularity, including Barbie dolls, teddy bears, crayons and clockwork toys, as well as Mr Potato Head, the first toy to be advertised on American TV.
The latest exhibition at the Holburne Museum of Art is of work by Euan Uglow and Craigie Aitchison - two of the most important figurative artists of their generation. This unique exhibition run from 14th October - 28th January and presents one artist's tribute to another, allowing us to approach the work of the radical realist Uglow through the eyes of his friend and fellow-painter Aitchison. It also presents a substantial group of previously unseen works which have come to light since Euan Uglow's death and which are especially revealing about his methods of observation and pictorial construction.
''Fashion and Bath' is the 2006 exhibition at Bath's Museum of Costume. Exploring the city's past as a venue for procuring and for parading fashionable dress, the exhibition features more than 100 original objects drawn from the museum's collection, as well as images of maps, drawings, trade cards and advertisements referring to Bath from other collections in the city. I
From 14th July to 28th August the Museum of Costume will also be hosting a major fashion retrospective of the work of John Bates, who designed under the name Jean Varon from the 1960s to the 1980s. John Bates Fashion Designer will showcase 90 ensembles from the Empire line styles and daring see-through mesh dresses of the mid 1960s to the bright prints, floating chiffons and couture clothes towards the end of his career. For everyone, young and old, who is interested in fashion of the 1960s and 1970s, this is a must-see exhibition.
The Museum of East Asian Art will be opening a new educational facility within its Bennett Street Grade II listed Georgian townhouse in 2006. Awarded a grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund for this development, the museum has become one of the most extensive collections of East Asian art outside London since opening to the public in 1993.
Hotel and Accommodation news
The Bath Spa Hotel has opened a new 'Thermal Spa' in a Greek temple-style building, designed to complement the facade of the five star hotel. The new facilities include a hydro pool, Infra Red Cabin, Rock Sauna, Salt Infusion, Ice and Aroma Steam Rooms and experience showers. As part of its 10m development the hotel is also adding 24 additional bedrooms and a new beauty suite with 5 treatment and aromatherapy rooms, as well as refurbishing its existing pool and changing rooms.
Bailbrook House on the eastern outskirts of the city has been awarded 'Business Tourism of the Year 2005 ' in the South West Tourism Regional Excellence Awards. This is the second major accolade the venue has received, having been named 'Most Excellent Dedicated Conference Centre' by the national tour guide company, Conde Nast Johansens in 2004.
SACO Apartments are coming to Bath, with a new, high quality development in the heart of the City centre. SACO are converting an entire Georgian Terrace into a selection of individually designed studios and one and two bedroom apartments, which will be furnished to a very high standard with contemporary Italian designer furniture. Apartments of this type are a new concept in Bath - although they are popular in major cities all over the world - and offer a flexible alternative to Hotel accommodation.
The Wheelwrights Arms at Monkton Combe, a village inn with breathtaking views, has recently reopened after major refurbishment, which has created a stylish pub and restaurant and seven luxurious self contained bedrooms. Combining 18th Century charm with modern convenience,each room has an individual entrance, en suite bath or shower room, WiFi access and flat screen TVs.
Eating and Drinking
The Park, a new resort hotel under development in the Old Tracy Park Estate at Wick, 4 miles from Bath, has opened a new 30 cover restaurant. The Oakwood Restaurant is housed in an old Masonic lodge at the south end of the building and has its own private entrance. Executive Head Chef Mark Treasure, previously at Langans, the Capital and Mirabelle in London as well several fine country house hotels, has twice been awarded a Michelin star in his own right. Set in 240 acres of parkland with 2 golf courses, The Park is a fine Jacobean house with original stables dating back to 1856. Acquired by new owners in 2005 the hotel is undergoing major refurbishment.
Under Head Chef, Chris Horridge, the restaurant at the Bath Priory Hotel has been awarded a Michelin star for the 7th consecutive year in the 2006 Michelin Guide UK.
The restaurant at Lucknam Park and The Moody Goose restaurant in its new premises at the Old Priory Hotel in Midsomer Norton are both new entrants to the Michelin Guide in 2006, each achieving one coveted Michelin star.
A new cookery school, The Bertinet Kitchen, has opened in Bath. Owned and run by French chef and baker, Richard Bertinet, together with guest local and nationally known chefs, the school offers a range of relaxed and fun courses for food lovers of all abilities, including children's cookery classes.
The Cavendish Restaurant & Bar has opened at Dukes Hotel in Great Pulteney Street. With its secluded walled patio garden, perfect for summer alfresco dining, this stylish, relaxed restaurant is also open to non-residents.
The Wheelwrights Arms at Monkton Combe, a village inn with breathtaking views, has recently reopened after major refurbishment, which has created a stylish pub and restaurant and seven luxurious self contained bedrooms. The restaurant serves an imaginative range of of reasonably priced English food, taking advantage of the wide range of fresh West Country ingredients on the doorstep. Both the pub and restaurant offer a range of real ales, fine wines and champagne, served in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.
Shopping in Bath and Beyond
Bath's vibrant retail scene abounds with independent shops to suit all tastes. Now, a little black book, 'BEST - Bath's Exclusive Shopping Tour' pulls these together to help you seek out the best Bath has to offer.
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