Listed Building consents for an iconic Bath hotel
Set in the historic Queen Square in the heart of Bath, the Grade I listed Francis Hotel is undergoing a multi-million-pound revamp of all 98 bedrooms and suites. A new restaurant and a dedicated spa are also being introduced, and the lobby/public spaces are being reimagined.
Acting as conservation architect for the project, we worked alongside the design architect and secured the Listed Building consents necessary for the alterations and changes to the historic fabric. This work included replacement windows (using thin, energy-efficient vacuum glass), roof and masonry repairs including alterations to railings and external surfacing.
Situated in the Bath Conservation Area and a designated World Heritage Site, this building occupies a prime position in a highly sensitive and historically significant setting. As a result of our team working closely with council conservation officers, The Francis Hotel was among the first historic commercial properties in Bath to gain permission for vacuum glazing.
For a hotel which combines a historic past with modern elegance, it was essential for our team to balance the functional requirements of a modern hotel without harming the significance of the heritage asset. On suitable windows, vacuum glass offers greatly improved thermal performance but with a slim profile, making it an ideal option for historic properties such as The Francis Hotel. With sash cords and wheels retained, these newly glazed windows perform much better from a sustainability perspective. As the glazing reduces both heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer, guests can enjoy year-round thermal comfort. The rooms with vacuum glazing also benefit from reduced external noise, so less disruption for guests in a busy urban area like Queen Square.
In November 2025, Nash Partnership was named ‘Consultancy of the Year’ at the Bath Property Awards. Judges commented:
“Blending conservation with innovation and experience, Nash Partnership’s work on the Francis Hotel exemplifies heritage consultancy at its most refined.”