Jobs in Bath | Pictures of Bath

Though it sits just 12 miles to the east of Bristol, Bath has an entirely different look and feel, with an equally different history. Bath’s outward image is of beauty and elegance which is reflected in the city’s graceful crescents and impressive Georgian buildings that help to create a discordant, compact and complacent city that have conspired to make historic Bath a World Heritage Site. But appearances can be deceptive and behind the aesthetics lies a local economy that has been striving to detach itself from being reliant predominantly on tourism.

An inward look reveals that Bath may have over-traded on its World Heritage Site status in recent years without significantly reinvesting in its future like its Bristolian neighbour. Indeed, a number of policies that exist to protect and preserve the city’s historical attributes are now in danger of hindering its ability to progress and develop its economy.

Then and now
Bath owes its name to its three naturally-occurring hot springs that were treated as a shrine by the local Celtic population. But it wasn’t until the arrival of the Romans and their advanced technology that the springs were transformed into the baths that we are familiar with today. Upon the departure of the Romans in the fifth century the baths fell into relative decline until they were resurrected and reinvented by Bath socialite Beau Nash in the eighteenth century.Nash’s charisma and charm dominated Bath’s social scene for over fifty years and he is heralded as transforming the city into a fashionable spa resort and tourist destination.

With more than 1 million staying visitors and 3.8 million day trippers to Bath every year, the retail, restaurant and tourism industry accounts for around 20,000 (30%) of all jobs in the region.

The wider service industry is the key economic driver for the city. Public administration, health and education employs approximately 40,000 people, with the Royal United Hospital, Ministry of Defence, Bath & North East Somerset Council, and the city’s two universities – Bath Spa University and the University of Bath – being the main employers in the city.

There is also a growing information and communications technologies sector, creative industry, and banking, finance and insurance sector – the latter providing jobs for around 14,000 workers; Bath, it seems, is becoming a niche area for growth sectors. Future Publishing, Helphire Group Plc and Buro Happold are arguably Bath’s biggest private sector employers.

The manufacturing sector in Bath accounts for around 11% of total employment – significantly less than the national average. However, a number of key employers such as Cadbury Trebor Bassett, Wessex Water, Rotork Controls, and Welton Bibby & Baron maintain a significant presence in the city.

Key business districts
The city centre of Bath is the natural home for over 400 shops and more than 100 café bars and restaurants. Many of the business parks are located on the outskirts of the city between Bath and Keynsham to the north, and Midsomer Norton and Radstock to the west.

These include Pixash Business Centre, Midsomer Enterprise Park and Wellow Lane Business Park. Similarly, the main concentration of industrial estates can also be found in these two areas, such as Mill End, Coombend, Norton Hill and Somerdale – home to Cadbury Trebor Bassett.

However, although Midsomer Norton and Radstock boast the greatest amount of industrial floor space, Bath itself dominates the office market with 81% of the provision. Within the Georgian buildings lining the streets around the Circus and Queen Square area you can find the main finance and professional hubs.

If you're thinking of moving to the area, take a look at some of the current property available to buy or let in Bath.

Take a closer look
A picture is worth a thousand words. You can see some images from in and around Bath below.

Looking for local vacancies? See all current jobs in Bath or find out more information on the local area.