Roman Baths wins National Training Award
October 2008
Bath & North East Somerset Council-run Roman Baths have won
a prestigious National Training Award 2008 for the best
medium-sized business in the South West.
At the awards’ ceremony on Thursday 16 October in Bristol, Katie
Smith, Visitor Services Manager, and Stephen Bird, Head of
Heritage Services for Bath & North East Somerset Council were
presented with the award by former Olympic athlete, Colin Jackson.
The Roman Baths was the only local authority-run business and the
only visitor attraction in the final.
Staff at the 2,000 year-old Roman Baths have undergone a major
training programme to ensure the Council-run ancient monument
remains one of the UK’s leading visitor attractions, and it was
this programme that was put forward for the award.
“The training was intended to equip staff with the skills to
develop and deliver the Roman Baths Development Plan,” said Katie
Smith, Visitor Services Manager. “The plan aims to improve
accessibility to the site, both physical and intellectual, and
maintain the Roman Baths as one of the UK’s leading visitor
attractions in a climate of increasing competition and a decline in
overseas visitor numbers.
“The Roman Baths Development Plan was completed and, so far work
has been brought in on time and on budget with very few complaints
during the project work."
Training over the past two years to support the Roman Baths
Development Plan has included project management training for
managers and an induction programme for all new staff, advanced
customer care, disability awareness, marketing and corporate
hospitality.
Cllr David Hawkins, Bath & North East
Somerset Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development,
said: “The training programme recognised that the visitor
attractions industry is a fast-moving and competitive environment
in which it is essential to keep skills honed and to continue to
motivate staff to develop themselves.
“With 840,000 daytime visitors, 150,000 restaurant customers and
25,000 evening corporate guests, this is a very public-facing
service. Training is an essential investment in the business of
meeting customer needs and reflects Bath & North East
Somerset Council’s commitment to developing its staff.”
The judges said: “The training is really making a difference,
especially to the staff. Judges especially liked how the staff were
involved in the evolvement of the training and this has engendered
a real enthusiasm, it is very impressive, inclusive
training."
The judges’ summary states: “The training is embedded as part of
the culture at the Roman Baths, and judges could see that it is
being used to equip staff not just for their current jobs but also
for the changes needed to meet the Roman Baths Development Plan.
The results benefit staff, the organisation and the visitors, and
are a fine example of how training can be used to benefit all
concerned (especially in a local council organisation).
Congratulations!”
More information on the Roman Baths Development Plan can be
found at www.romanbaths.co.uk/develop
ENDS
Attached photo: Katie Smith, Visitor Services Manager at the
Roman Baths and Stephen Bird, Head of Heritage Services for Bath
& North East Somerset Council, being presented the award by
Colin Jackson.
For more information contact: Stephen Bird, Heritage Services,
Bath & North East Somerset Council, tel: 01225 477750. Email
stephen_bird@bathnes.gov.uk
For photographs contact: Maggie Bone, Museums Publicity Officer
on 01225 477736, maggie_bone@bathnes.gov.uk
National Training Awards, UK Skills http://www.nationaltrainingawards.com/