A £7.2 million grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund will play a crucial role in returning the renowned Bath Fashion Museum to the city centre.
Forced to close in 2023 when the National Trust reclaimed the Assembly Rooms, the museum’s world-famous collection-spanning four centuries of fashion history-has spent the last three years housed in a glove factory in Wiltshire.
Bath and North East Somerset Council plans to reopen the museum in a modernised setting at the historic Grade II listed old Post Office building on New Bond Street. Once operational, the museum is expected to attract around 250,000 visitors annually.
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Stuart McLeod of the National Lottery Heritage Fund said, “This is a once-in-a-generation project that will transform the Grade II listed old Post Office, ensuring its heritage is conserved and reimagined for future generations. Thanks to National Lottery players, this investment will not only restore a historic building in the heart of Bath but create a world-class home for one of the most significant fashion collections in the UK.”
Council leader Kevin Guy added, “At a time when many places are scaling back ambition, Bath is investing in its future-combining heritage, culture, economic growth and public realm improvements to create a more vibrant, inclusive and prosperous city.”
He continued, “This grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund marks a transformational moment for Bath and comes hot on the heels of the recently secured planning permission for the new museum.”
Planning approval was granted in May for the conversion, which includes purpose-built galleries upstairs to showcase the collection, and a foyer with a café and shop on the ground floor. The development also complements plans to create a new public square at the bottom of Broad Street, featuring outdoor seating for the museum café.
Work is scheduled to commence in late 2027, with the museum targeting a reopening date in 2030. Once operational, it is expected to generate around £100 million annually for the local economy through increased visitor spending, employment opportunities, and enhanced community health and wellbeing. Similar to the Roman Baths, which is also managed by the council, Bath and North East Somerset residents will have free entry with a discovery card.
The museum’s collection includes historic pieces such as the silver tissue dress-a rare surviving matching bodice and skirt from the 1660s-as well as items from celebrated designers like Alexander McQueen.
This lottery funding secures three-quarters of the total £39.5 million refurbishment cost. Additional contributions come from the council and the West of England Combined Authority. The council plans to finance £20 million of the project through borrowing but anticipates that museum revenues will cover £17 million of this debt over time.
The old Post Office building is one of the few 20th-century structures within Bath’s historic city centre to hold Grade II listed status. It should not be confused with another “old post office” located near the opposite end of Broad Street, recently converted into the city’s new Wetherspoons pub.