Bath Spa to open in April

When the £23m Thermae Bath Spa opens in April, the people of Bath will be able to bathe in the water of the city's natural hot springs for the first time since 1978.

Though the date of completion for the project has been repeatedly pushed back, when it finally opens in late Spring it will be the only place in the UK where you can bathe in the natural thermal waters which have been used for healing and relaxation for over 2,000 years.

The Spa, which received a £7.78m grant from the Millennium Commission, £8.8m from Bath and North East Somerset Council and £5.3m from Thermae Development Company - which will operate it - as well as various smaller grants, will have an open-air, rooftop natural water pool which will be open all year round.

Covering five heritage listed buildings plus a new building which has been described as 'a stone cube in a glass envelope', further facilities will include a main spa bathing pool with whirlpool, seven massage rooms, exercise space, four circular glass steamrooms, plunge shower, open-air terrace, solarium and 12 treatment rooms.

There is also a restaurant, shop and meeting room. There are no membership or joining fees. Details: www.thermaebathspa.com or +44 (0)1225 477051