Ambitious plans to convert Bath’s Royal Mineral Water Hospital into an upmarket hotel and spa are to go on show to the public for the first time.
Singapore-based hotel investor Fragrance Group acquired the redundant Grade-II*-listed Min, pictured, from the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust in January last year for £21.5m. 
The group, which owns five UK hotels and has five more in the pipeline, said its conversion of The Min would take its heritage and distinctive architecture into account, including its historic links to Bath’s world-famous thermal waters.
The Fragrance Group said it has liaised closely with officers from Bath & North East Somerset Council and Historic England – the public body looking after the country’s heritage buildings – as well as other planning experts to bring forward its proposals.
The two 18th century buildings on Upper Borough Walls were originally opened to cater for people who came to the city for the healing properties of its mineral waters and are connected by a two-story bridge link and basement tunnel.
Health services based on the site are being transferred to Bath’s main Royal United Hospital.
Plans to convert the hospital into a high-quality hotel, spa and restaurant have been drawn up by the Bath office of architects Stride Treglown and will go on display for the first time on Monday at a drop-in exhibition in the Great Octagon in the Assembly Rooms. The session runs from 2pm to 7.30pm.
Martin Rogers of Global Hotels & Leisure Consultancy, which is working with the Fragrance Group, said: “We’re breathing new life into these redundant buildings to ensure they can continue to play a vibrant role in the city centre, bringing new jobs for the people of Bath and increased revenue for the city as a whole.
“Our teams have spent many months working on these proposals and we are now ready to share our ideas with the people of Bath.”
No details of the number of rooms in the hotel or the size of the spa or restaurant have so far been disclosed. The new hotel – which also
The plans will also be available online at www.theminexhibition.co.uk for those unable to attend.
Fragrance Group was founded in 2000 by Koh Wee Meng, one of Singapore’s richest businessmen with a fortune of around $1.9bn (£1.54bn), according to Forbes magazine. The group owns budget chain Fragrance Hotel, which has 21 properties in Singapore, and a number of outlets in Australia.
Its UK portfolio includes the Imperial Hotel in Blackpool, the Crown Hotel in Harrogate, and the Townhouse in Manchester.
Opening The Min will put Fragrance Group up against Malaysian conglomerate YTL’s hotel operations, which opened the five-star, 99-room Gainsborough Hotel in Bath three years ago. The multi award-winning hotel has access to Bath spa water. YT: also owns the nearby Thermae Spa as well as Bath-based Wessex Water.
