Jolly's Bath to reopen
The historic department store on Milsom Street will be run by London firm Morleys Stores
Bath's iconic department store Jolly's, which closed last month after more than 200 years of trading, is set to reopen, thanks to an agreement between Morleys Stores Ltd and Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) Council.
Jolly's had existed on Milsom street since 1823 and had been run by House of Fraser since the 1970s, but closed in February.
Already at the time the closure was announced, BANES Council said talks were at an "advanced stage" with a company which could take it over. It appears those talks have now concluded succesfully.
In a statement released this lunchtime a Council spokesperson said: "Bath & North East Somerset Council has been working hard to secure the future of the store and over the past 18 months has been in talks with Morleys to bring about an exciting new future for the much-loved store."
Councillor Kevin Guy, Bath & North East Somerset Council leader, said: “Morleys Stores will bring an exciting shopping experience to residents and visitors alike and I am delighted to welcome the business to our vibrant city and to one of the most loved stores in Bath.
“Milsom Street has always been a very special shopping destination and Morleys Stores is a fantastic fit for the area.
"Morleys’ decision complements the investment the council is making in the Milsom Quarter. The council has been working hard over the past 18 months to secure the future of this flagship store and a significant element of the plan is to make it once again the anchor store for Milsom Street.”
Morleys own several department stores across London including in Brixton, Tooting, Wimbledon and Enfield.
Allan Winstanley, Chief Executive of Morleys Department Stores, said: “We are thrilled to start preparations to open up in Jolly’s and restore this heritage store to its former glory for Bath.
"Our business treats all our stores as unique independent stores, designed to serve their local community with curated and considered product collections and store experiences.
"We will strive to provide an outstanding shopping experience for the community of Bath and its visitors and I’m sure people will be pleased to know we are keeping the name Jolly’s.”
A programme of works are currently under way on the building which is owned by the council. It's hoped Jolly's will reopen in Spring 2026.
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