A leading councillor has clarified why the cost to reopen Bath’s new Fashion Museum has risen to £54 million, emphasizing that expenses are under control and funding is firmly in place.
Previously estimated at £37 million, the project to renovate the old post office on New Bond Street now has a £54 million budget. Bath MP Wera Hobhouse revealed last week in the House of Commons that Bath and North East Somerset Council is securing £54 million for the new museum. In response, the council cabinet member for resources, Mark Elliott (Lansdown, Liberal Democrat), detailed the reasoning behind the revised figure.
Mr. Elliott confirmed that the £54 million figure has been consistent for the past two years. He stated at a council cabinet meeting on March 12: “We have a strong grip on the project, the costs are not over-running, and we have solid, well planned funding routes for the whole project.”
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Breaking down the budget, £8 million covers the purchase of the old post office building itself, funded through the sale of surplus council assets. An additional £7 million is allocated for public realm improvements around the museum. This includes transforming the end of Broad Street outside St Michael’s Church into a new pedestrianised public square called Northgate Square, with support from the West of England Combined Authority (WECA). The square will feature outdoor seating extending from the museum’s cafe.
The remaining £39 million will fund the renovation and conversion of the old post office into an exhibition space. The museum will feature two semi-permanent galleries on the second and third floors, plus a flexible exhibition area in the 2005 building extension. The historic large foyer will be restored to its original grandeur, housing a cafe, display cases, and access to the museum shop. Additionally, an extension at the back of New Bond Street will be demolished to reinstate a courtyard, creating a new garden space.
Nearly half the renovation cost will be covered by grants and donations from WECA, the National Lottery, and other sources. The council will finance £20 million through borrowing, with plans for museum profits to cover £17 million of this debt. Only £3 million of borrowing will impact the council’s operational budget.
Mr. Elliott expressed pride in the project’s scope: “To deliver a world-class museum and improved public spaces for £54 million is a remarkable achievement. This museum will be an international cultural and heritage landmark that fosters civic pride, drives social and economic progress, supports learning and skills development, and enhances Bath’s visitor economy and regeneration.”
The museum is expected to attract around 250,000 visitors annually once it opens. After vacating its previous home at the Assembly Rooms in 2022, the collection has been stored at the Wiltshire site of glovemakers Dents, costing £150,000 annually due to the specialized facilities required.
The planning application for the new Fashion Museum was submitted in January, with a decision expected in April. The museum aims to open by 2030.
Note: The New Bond Street post office, the future museum’s site, is distinct from another old post office on George Street, which recently reopened as Bath’s second Wetherspoons pub after a different refurbishment.