Bath has the potential to boost its economy by being a ‘fun’ city with a strong emphasis on wellbeing and health built on its spa heritage, the launch of its first wellness festival heard.
It could take lessons from places as diverse as Iceland, with its tradition for thermal bathing, and Singapore’s emphasis on trees and the environment to enhance its World Heritage status, the event was told.
Fun and healthy activities such as mass yoga could take place alongside ‘living’ walls, vertical farms and new fountains around the city while a new public bathing pool in Parade Gardens could make use of the 30-degree water as it drains into the River Avon.
The ideas, which would complement Bath’s World Heritage status and its Roman and Georgian history, were outlined by speakers at the launch of ReBalance Bath.
The festival, which got underway this week, aims to underpin Bath’s heritage as the UK’s No 1 spa city, with more than 150 events organised by 36 businesses.
Activities include early morning sessions of Aquasana – a therapy combines classic yoga postures with gentle tai chi and invigorating karate moves – in Thermae Bath Spa’s mineral-rich waters and energy-rebalancing yoga at the Gainsborough Bath Spa Hotel.
There will also be motivational talks with Bath Rugby Foundation, cold water therapy at Cleveland Pools, teen yoga, dog walks and life drawing, a Kintsugi workshop and Chado tea ceremony with Japanese restaurant Robun, and a talk by ReBalance Bath ambassador and Olympic gold medallist-turned-personal trainer Amy Williams.
Speaking at the launch, which took place at Walcot House, Amy Williams said the festival had something for everyone.
“I’ve lived nearly all of my life in Bath and it’s a fantastic city. Wellbeing and fitness have always been important to me, which is why I’m looking forward to attending as many events in the festival as possible,” she said.
“But you can take it at your own pace. You don’t have to do it at crazy levels like I do!”
The festival is being staged by Bath Business Improvement District (BID), whose chief executive Allison Herbert told the launch there was huge potential for the city to become a centre for wellbeing, which was a rapidly expanding segment of the tourism industry.
“We’re the original wellbeing city,” she said. “Bath has always been about mind, body and spirit.”
Bath Preservation Trust chief executive Alex Sherman said the city had 2,000 years of experience of being a wellbeing tourist destination, pointing out that in Georgian times the well-off flocked to Bath for their health but also for fun.
Architects Rob Delius from national firm Stride Treglown – which has an office in Bath – and Hrólfur Karl Cela of Icelandic firm Basalt, which was behind the country’s famous Blue Lagoon thermal bathing attraction, spoke about how Bath could harness its spa heritage to become a world-class wellbeing city.
Rob outlined 10 ideas ranging from introducing relaxing areas for ‘urban napping’ and building sensory gardens to promoting slow food and staging free festivals and film shows.
“Some of these things may seem far-fetched, but they’ve all been done in other places,” he told the event.
The festival runs until 26 February. For more information click here
