Jolly's revamp under way ahead of grand reopening

Work has begun on the historic Jolly's store in Milsom Street ahead of a 2026 reopening plan.

- Daniel Clark [e-mail]

Jolly's is one of Europe's oldest department stores and has been a Bath landmark and a cornerstone of the city's shopping scene for over a century.

The shop closed its doors for good in February this year but shortly afterwards it was announced that the iconic site had been saved and will reopen next year, after department store chain Morleys took on the store.

After essential restorative works, Morleys hopes to reopen the store with an initial launch in March 2026, followed by a grand opening in October 2026. A dedicated “heritage space” within Jolly’s will showcase the store's history and Morley’s plans for its future throughout the renovation.

Now, contractor, Bray & Slaughter, is carrying out a programme of restorative works to the building, which is owned by Bath & North East Somerset Council.

This first phase of the project is concerned with overhauling the external fabric of the building to achieve a weather-tight building and the work will include extensive roofing renewals, window repairs and rain water and drainage improvements. This will be followed by internal refurbishment work, carried out by Morleys, to create a vibrant new store to serve Bath.