The Roman Baths has again been recognised for the outstanding welcome it offers visitors with disabilities in the tourist sector’s top national awards scheme.
The historic attraction won Gold in the Inclusive Tourism category of the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.
And in a double celebration for the Baths, owned by Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) and which last year attracted a record 1.3m visitors, it also claimed the Silver title for Inbound Tourism.
Earlier this year the Baths scored a hat-trick of accolades at the South West Tourism Excellence Awards, including Gold in the Access & Inclusivity and International Visitor Experience categories along with a Bronze for Venue and Business Tourism.
The accolades were among 16 presented to tourism businesses and venues in the South West – reinforcing its position as England’s top region for quality in the industry.
Also among the VisitEngland Award winners was Lucknam Park, the five-star, 42-bedroom hotel at Colerne, which landed Gold in the Hotel of the Year category while its Restaurant Hywel Jones secured the Taste of England award.
B&NES cabinet member for economic and community regeneration Cllr Paul Myers said: “Many efforts have been made to ensure that the Roman Baths can be enjoyed by all of its visitors, including those with disabilities, for example through staff training, information provision and adjustments to the building.
“It’s great that the Roman Baths has been named as the best in the whole of England for inclusivity, as well as receiving a second award for Inbound Tourism. The Roman Baths & Pump Room receives more than 1.3m visitors every year, which in turn benefits the economy of the whole area.”
Thanks to recent major redevelopments, 90% of the Roman Baths can now be accessed by wheelchair users. Visitors with hearing or visual impairments can explore the site using British Sign Language guides and tactile displays, and visitors on the autism spectrum can find detailed guidance about what to expect on the Roman Baths website.
Approximately 40% of visitors to the Roman Baths come from overseas. Free audioguides are available in 12 languages and printed information leaflets are also provided in more than 30 additional languages. In 2017, Mandarin was the most popular non-English audioguide, with a record-breaking 108,000 visitors selecting Mandarin, an increase of 7% on the previous year.
Last year, the East Baths area next to the famous Great Bath was revamped to include the latest modern interpretation. Work is now starting on the Archway Project, which will provide the new Roman Baths ‘Clore Learning Centre’ and a World Heritage Visitor Centre. The project will also open up new areas of the Roman Baths to visitors, including a laconicum (sauna) and exercise courtyard.
The
VisitEngland Awards for Excellence were held at Bath’s Assembly Rooms.
Pictured: Visitor Services manager Katie Smith and Roman Baths and Pump Room manager Stephen Clews with the Gold Award for Inclusive Tourism
