If, like me, you have heard banging noises coming from within the old Mineral Water Hospital building in the city centre – your ears are NOT deceiving you.
I am pleased to confirm that a programme of interior works is underway – marking the preliminary stage of the historic building’s sensitive renovation to a luxury city centre hotel.
Bath Demolition Limited has been appointed by owners The Fragrance Group to undertake the interior “soft strip” works to the former Royal Mineral Water Hospital, otherwise known as The Min.
The works will see the removal of non-structural items such as partitions and false ceilings installed over more recent decades by the NHS to create wards and workspaces.
Martin Rogers, the Fragrance Group’s UK representative said: “The careful removal of these more modern additions to the interior of the building will allow us to gain further information to aid the development of the designs for the main works.
“The majority of the works are contained within the buildings so disruption will be minimal.”
The Min, a Grade II* building, was acquired by the Singapore-based Fragrance Group in mid-2017 following its disposal by the NHS. Services were relocated to a modern, centralised facility in Weston, Bath.
Planning permission was granted by Bath and North East Somerset in summer 2021 for the sensitive refurbishment of the historic building into a 167 bedroom hotel which is expected to boost the city’s economy by more than £35million.
The soft strip works began in August and are expected to be completed by Mid-November.
