The West of England mayoral authority has approved £7m more for Fashion Museum Bath and the Milsom Quarter. Building starts in 2027 for a 2030 opening.

The new Fashion Museum Bath has secured another £7 million of public money. The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority approved the investment, which covers both the museum and the wider Milsom Quarter around it.

Bath and North East Somerset Council announced the funding on Monday. It said construction is expected to start in 2027, with the museum opening in its new home in 2030 (B&NES Council, 26 October 2026).

The museum is moving into the Old Post Office, a Grade II listed building on Northgate Street. It received planning permission and listed building consent earlier this year.

Where the money is coming from

The council named these funders, though it did not give a total cost or every figure:

  • £7 million from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, announced this week
  • £3.25 million the combined authority had already put in towards development and delivery
  • £7.2 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, announced on 4 August (B&NES Council, 4 August 2026)
  • “significant investment” from the council itself, amount not stated
  • a grant from the Clore Duffield Foundation, amount not stated

That puts the combined authority’s share at £10.25 million so far.

What the council says it will deliver

The museum will be built around a collection of 100,000 objects covering more than 400 years of fashion. Arts Council England designates the collection as being of outstanding national importance.

The council projects:

  • more than 250,000 visitors a year once the museum opens
  • at least £111 million in economic and social value across the West of England
  • placements, apprenticeships and work experience in creative, heritage and technical jobs

These are the council’s projections, not independent estimates.

The Milsom Quarter part

Some of the money goes beyond the museum. It will help pay for the Milsom Quarter Public Realm scheme, the council’s plan for the streets around the new museum.

The council’s masterplan for the area promises greener streets, better walking and cycling links, and a new public square. The release says the first phase is still in design development and needs statutory approvals. It gives no start date for that work.

What they said

Councillor Kevin Guy, the council leader, called the funding “another major milestone”. He said the museum “will be a catalyst for regeneration, bringing new opportunities for local people, supporting businesses, creating jobs and attracting visitors from across the UK and around the world.”

Helen Godwin, the Mayor of the West of England, said the investment would “create new learning and skills opportunities for local people” and “open up more job opportunities in hospitality and retail”.

What it means for you

  • No museum to visit for now. The new building is not due to open until 2030.
  • Expect building work on Northgate Street from 2027. The council has not yet said how long it will take or how it will affect the street.
  • Milsom Quarter street works will come later. Any road changes will need traffic orders, which are published for comment first. We list them on our Bath roadworks and travel page.

The collection still names a Dress of the Year each year; the 2025 choices are in our story on the Givenchy and Giorgio Armani picks. Other city centre schemes are on our Bath planning news page.