This week sees the re-opening of No 1 Royal Crescent, John
Wood’s masterpiece of Palladian design. Following a £5million restoration
programme, which has taken 9 months to complete, the main house is now
reconnected to its original service wing.
I had a sneak preview last week, and
I can honestly say that the transformation is fantastic.
The house now showcases the lives and times of those who
resided there – above and below stairs – when it was first built. The
number of dressed rooms has been doubled, from five to ten, with many other
areas , including a well stocked gift shop, being extended and improved. The rooms present a wonderfully vivid
picture of fashionable life in C18th Bath. Each room is a fine example of
Georgian interior design with authentic furniture, paintings, objects and
textiles. From the elegance of the drawing and dining rooms, the bedrooms and
parlour, to the warren of servants’ corridors, kitchen, scullery and
housekeeper’s room, visitors will be intrigued by the stories the house
portrays.
Central to the success of the new attraction will be the way that visitor flows are managed. This is where the operators (Bath Preservation Trust) will need to be sharp: a new ticketing and visitor management system is being introduced and a small army of volunteer guides are on hand to assist. The success of No 1 Royal Crescent will be judged by visitors and their tour experience.
The main house at No.1 Royal Crescent will fully re-open on 21 June.
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