Editing Bath, Somerset (section)

==Economy==

===Industry===
Bath once had an important manufacturing sector, particularly in crane manufacture, furniture manufacture, printing, brass foundries, quarries, dye works and [[Plasticine]] manufacture, as well as many mills.<ref name="bathchron-20110428">{{cite news |url=http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/s-integral-role-city-s-rich-industrial-heritage/story-11346714-detail/story.html |title=Mill's integral role in city's rich industrial heritage |newspaper=Bath Chronicle |date=28 April 2011 |access-date=2 October 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009040146/http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/s-integral-role-city-s-rich-industrial-heritage/story-11346714-detail/story.html |archive-date=9 October 2015 }}</ref> Significant Bath companies included [[Stothert & Pitt]], [[Bath Cabinet Makers]] and [[Portland stone#History of use|Bath & Portland Stone]].

During and after [[World War II]] Bath was a major location of [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] offices, with three major sites on the outskirts of Bath (Ensleigh, Foxhill and Warminster Road) and a number of smaller central offices including the [[Empire Hotel, Bath|Empire Hotel]]. After the [[Cold War]] staff numbers declined, and from 2010 to 2013 about 2,600 remaining staff were moved to [[MoD Abbey Wood]] in Bristol. In 2013 the three major sites were sold for the development of over 1,000 new houses.<ref name=bbc-20081001>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/7646368.stm |title=Abbey Wood expansion to commence |work=BBC News |date=1 October 2008 |access-date=27 August 2023 }}</ref><ref name=bbc-20130330>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-21975758 |title=MoD sells off sites in Bath for housing |work=BBC News |date=30 March 2013 |access-date=27 August 2023 }}</ref>

Nowadays, manufacturing is in decline, but the city boasts strong software, publishing and service-oriented industries, and the international manufacturing company [[Rotork]] has its headquarters in the city.<ref>[https://www.rotork.com/en/contact-us Rotork] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240423215316/https://www.rotork.com/en/contact-us |date=23 April 2024 }} Head Office Contact Details</ref> The city's attraction to tourists has also led to a significant number of jobs in tourism-related industries. Important economic sectors in Bath include education and health (30,000 jobs), retail, tourism and leisure (14,000 jobs) and business and professional services (10,000 jobs).<ref name="jobs">{{cite web |url=http://www.business-matters.biz/site.aspx?i=pg64 |title=Bath in Focus |access-date=12 December 2007 |work=Business Matters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301081407/http://www.business-matters.biz/site.aspx?i=pg64 |archive-date=1 March 2012 }}</ref>

Major employers are the [[National Health Service]], [[Bath Spa University]], the [[University of Bath]], and Bath and North East Somerset Council. Growing employment sectors include information and communication technologies and creative and cultural industries where Bath is one of the recognised national centres for publishing,<ref name="jobs"/> with the magazine and digital publisher [[Future plc]] employing around 650 people. Others include [[Buro Happold]] (400) and IPL Information Processing Limited (250).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.business-matters.biz/site.aspx?i=pg46 |title=Economic Profile |access-date=21 November 2009 |format=PDF |work=Bath and North East Somerset |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301081414/http://www.business-matters.biz/site.aspx?i=pg46 |archive-date=1 March 2012 }}</ref> The city boasts over 400 retail shops, half of which are run by independent specialist retailers, and around 100 restaurants and cafes primarily supported by tourism.<ref name="jobs"/>

===Tourism===
[[File:Bath Abbey and Entertainer - July 2006.jpg|thumb|alt=Gray paved area with lots of people around brightly dressed performer. To the right is a yellow stone building and in the background the tower of the abbey. |right|Bath is popular with tourists all year round. An entertainer is performing in front of [[Bath Abbey]]; the [[Roman Baths (Bath)|Roman Baths]] are to the right.]]
One of Bath's principal industries is tourism, with annually more than one million staying visitors and 3.8&nbsp;million day visitors.<ref name="jobs"/> The visits mainly fall into the categories of [[heritage tourism]] and [[cultural tourism]], aided by the city's selection in 1987 as a World Heritage Site in recognition of its international cultural importance.<ref name="BANES-history"/> All significant stages of the [[history of England]] are represented within the city, from the Roman Baths (including their significant [[Celts|Celtic]] presence), to Bath Abbey and the Royal Crescent, to the more recent Thermae Bath Spa.

The size of the tourist industry is reflected in the almost 300 places of accommodation&nbsp;– including more than 80 hotels, two of which have 'five-star' ratings,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thecaterer.com/articles/310563/aa-listed-five-star-hotelsl |title=AA-listed five-star hotels |access-date=3 May 2015 |work=Caterer Search |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129053048/https://www.thecaterer.com/articles/310563/aa-listed-five-star-hotelsl |archive-date=29 November 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> over 180 [[bed and breakfast]]s&nbsp;– many of which are located in [[Georgian architecture|Georgian buildings]], and two campsites located on the western edge of the city. The city also has about 100 restaurants and a similar number of [[pub]]s and bars.

Several companies offer [[open top bus]] tours around the city, as well as tours on foot and on the river. Since the opening of Thermae Bath Spa in 2006, the city has attempted to recapture its historical position as the only town or city in the United Kingdom offering visitors the opportunity to bathe in naturally heated spring waters.<ref>{{cite web |title=Welcome |url=http://www.thermaebathspa.com/ |publisher=Thermae Bath Spa |access-date=2 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428224522/http://www.thermaebathspa.com/ |archive-date=28 April 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the 2010 [[Google Street View]] Best Streets Awards, the Royal Crescent took second place in the "Britain's Most Picturesque Street" award, first place being given to [[The Shambles]] in [[York]]. [[Milsom Street]] was also awarded "Britain's Best Fashion Street" in the 11,000-strong vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.google.com/landing/beststreetsuk/index.html |title=Google Street View Awards 2010 |access-date=8 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211140451/https://www.google.com/landing/beststreetsuk/index.html |archive-date=11 February 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8554388.stm |title=The Shambles, York, named Britain's 'most picturesque' |work=BBC News |date=8 March 2010 |access-date=8 March 2010 |archive-date=23 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123225452/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8554388.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>