Purpose

The Council owns the Fashion Museum Collection
and is one of the world’s great museum collections of
historical and contemporary fashionable dress. It is designated by
government as a collection of outstanding significance and contains
over 100,000 objects that have been designed, made, purchased,
enjoyed, worn and treasured by people. The Fashion Museum was
housed at the Assembly Rooms in Bath since 1963 until March 2023.
The Assembly Rooms are owned by the National Trust and have been
leased to the Council since 1938. The National Trust decided to
take back occupancy and management of the Assembly Rooms in March
2023 meaning the Fashion Museum had to close. Following an options
appraisal, the Council acquired the Grade II Old Post Office, 21-26
New Bond Street and 27 Northgate St, Bath BA1 1BA to house the new
Fashion Museum. This project is to transform the Old Post Office
into the Fashion Museum, Bath - securing the future not only of the
Fashion Museum collection but also of one of the few listed 20th
Century Buildings in Bath. This decision covers the development of
the new museum to RIBA Stage 3 (Coordinated Design).

Decision

To fully approve £1.923 million with
£1m from the approved capital budget “Fashion Museum
Renovation” for 2025/26,, the project inception fund
(£0.155m) and accept grant funding of £768k to develop
the scheme to RIBA Stage 3.