The historic Roman Baths and Pump Room has been shortlisted for three prestigious awards at this year’s Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism Awards, it has been announced.
Visiting the Roman Baths | Photo © B&NES Council
The site has been shortlisted for Large Visitor Attraction of the Year, Accessible and Inclusive Tourism, and Wedding Venue of the Year.
The winners will be announced on Friday 1st December at a ceremony at the Winter Gardens in Weston-super-Mare.
Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council said: “We are delighted to have been shortlisted for these three prestigious awards.
“The Roman Baths is one of the finest ancient sites in Northern Europe and gives visitors the opportunity to explore the world of Roman Britain.
“Earlier this year the Roman Baths was ranked 1st in Britain and 8th worldwide in Tripadvisor’s ‘Best of the Best Things to Do.’
“It’s fantastic to know that we are providing an award-winning experience for all of our visitors and guests.”
The past 12 months have seen many developments at the Roman Baths, improving the experience for guests and visitors.
In October 2021, the Roman Gym was opened, a new area of the historic site, including excavations never before seen by the public.
The Gym allows visitors the chance to explore how the Romans kept fit and healthy, the fascinating world of Roman medicine, and the remains of an ancient sauna.
Earlier this year, the Roman Baths launched a new Learning and Education Programme, including the opening of the Clore Learning Centre.
The new building gives students the opportunity to learn the history of Roman Britain where it happened.
The innovative Investigation Zone allows children to have a go at being archaeologists themselves, excavating replica Roman remains in a mock-up archaeological trench and recording their findings using an app.
Every effort is made to ensure that the Roman Baths is as accessible as possible to disabled visitors. Ninety percent of the historic building is accessible to wheelchair users.
Deaf people, people with disabling hearing loss, blind people and people with sight loss can enjoy the site using the British Sign Language or fully descriptive audio tour and tactile models.
Information is also provided for autistic visitors and visitors experiencing potential claustrophobia. The Baths also offers quiet evenings throughout the year, where neurodiverse visitors can enjoy a quieter experience.
The Roman Baths and Pump Room gives couples the opportunity to celebrate their wedding in unique surroundings and exchange vows in one of the world’s greatest ancient monuments.
Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Heritage Services department works closely with contracted caterer Searcys to deliver events for a wide range of customers, with a strong focus on local sourcing and sustainability.
Eligible winners from the Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism Awards will be entered into corresponding categories of the South West Tourism Awards.
Winners from the South West awards will then be selected to represent the region in the national VisitEngland Awards.
