Spa Project Hit by £100,000 Vandal Attack

[07/01/05 :: The Scotsman]

Vandals have attacked the troubled multi-million pound Bath Spa project, causing more than £100,000 of damage, it emerged today.

The ambitious £30 million scheme to restore the city’s historic thermal spas for public bathing has been plagued by problems since the unveiling of the plans in 2000.

Bath and North East Somerset Council, which has spent some £20 million on the project so far, said eight or nine glass panels had been damaged. Each panel costs between £12,000 and £15,000.

A council spokeswoman said the main contractor, Mowlem, was currently responsible for the building but the council and Mowlem would be putting in a joint insurance claim for the damage.

She insisted that the vandalism, the last incident of which took place over the Christmas period, would not delay the eventual opening date.

“This won’t delay the opening at all,” she said, but would not give an estimated opening date.

The spa was originally due to open in 2002 but in April 2004 a long-running row over flaking paint on pools led the council to bring in Dutch contractor Bovitec to restore the paint.

In September major leaks were discovered in the steam room floor.

Once finished, the spa will be the only place in the UK where visitors can bathe in natural, hot spring water.

Along with the contemporary building’s open-air rooftop pool with views across the city, the project involves the restoration of five heritage buildings.

The project, which is considerably over budget, is a partnership between the council, the Millennium Commission and Thermae Development Company.