The barriers have come down at the Stall Street end of York Street today as works to improve the surface and complement the new state-of-the-art Bath World Heritage Centre have been completed.
The public realm improvement project by Bath & North East Somerset Council has seen the area around the World Heritage and Clore Learning Centres resurfaced and pedestrianised in a high-quality natural stone and the street raised to create a level and more accessible surface throughout.
Later this year a new bench will also be installed at the junction of Stall Street and York Street, along with a bin store for the bottom of Swallow Street.
The part of York Street at the entrance of the new Bath World Heritage Centre, which opens on May 9, remains open to pedestrians only. A Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) has been in place there since 2017 to protect the vaults below the street.
The section of York Street that was temporarily closed for the works has now been reopened to traffic.
Proposals to permanently restrict vehicle access to the rest of York St, between 10am-6pm for the purpose of anti-terrorism and between 6pm and 10pm for preserving or improving the amenities of the areas through which the road runs, are dependent on the outcome of a public inquiry held on April 26.
The Bath World Heritage Centre celebrates Bath’s unique cultural offering as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and gives an insight into what makes the city so special.
Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the centre will be a springboard for visitors to Bath and local people to engage with the city’s culture, history and heritage and explore popular Bath landmarks as well as lesser-known places around the city.
The centre will feature a host of interactive exhibits and displays designed to inspire, excite and inform, as well as free walking trails and guides to help the public explore all the city has to offer. Once established the centre will attract 100,000 visitors per year.
Councillor Richard Samuel, Deputy Leader and cabinet member for Economic Development and Resources, said: “I’m delighted to see how the new paving has transformed York Street in keeping with the historic streetscape. It’s going to make a welcoming and accessible area for people enjoying this part of the city and for visitors from all over the world when they arrive at the Bath World Heritage Centre. The completion of the project and the opening of the centre is an exciting time in the celebration of the internationally renowned heritage of Bath.”
