Roman Baths wins award

Roman Baths picks up excellence award

May 2010

 

The Bath & North East Somerset Council-run Roman Baths have won a national Museum and Heritage Award for Excellence.

 

The awards recognise and celebrate best practice within the world of museums, galleries and heritage visitor attractions.

 

The Roman Baths won the Classic Award, beating off stiff competition from four other organisations. This is a reward for demonstrating continued growth, development and visitor interest through the Roman Baths Development Plan which is improving accessibility to the Baths and improving visitor experience through new interpretation.

 

Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Cabinet Member for Tourism, Leisure & Culture Cllr Terry Gazzard (Conservative, Abbey); along with Stephen Bird and Stephen Clews from the Council’s Heritage Services team were presented with the winners’ trophy at the awards ceremony in London on May 12.

 

Cllr Gazzard said: “Bath & North East Somerset Council is very proud to receive this award. Tourism is key to our local economy and the Roman Baths are the jewel in our crown, so I’m delighted to see all the hard work which goes in to keeping them interesting and relevant to visitors being rewarded. Only last week we received the Chinese Welcoming Tourists Award 2010.”

 

Stephen Bird, Head of Heritage Services at the Council, said: “Implementing the development plan is making a huge difference to our visitors. Work has involved extensive conservation of Roman and Victorian stonework and better accessibility, including two lifts and the British Sign Language tour.

 

“We have also changed our approach and moved towards people-led interpretation, using actors to bring to life the stories of the people who lived, worked or visited here in Roman times. This has made the experience of visiting the Baths much more family-friendly which is reflected in the positive feedback we are getting.”

 

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