Historic Jollys Department Store in Bath Saved as Morleys Takes Over Lease

The Bath BID is delighted to welcome the brilliant news that Morleys are taking on the lease of Jollys after the closure of the House of Fraser store. Morleys is an independent department store which will continue the building’s role in Bath’s shopping landscape.

Bath is undergoing a very positive period on the high street, with retail vacancies low and long empty properties being extensively refurbished and brought back into use. The recent arrival of Sosander, the huge new experiential toy store My Small World, and a larger Pandora store, were proceeded by Zara, Mint Velvet, Monica Vinader, Albaray and Piglet in Bed on New Bond Street. Alongside these the perhaps more typical new hospitality openings of Beefy Boys, Bardacious, Eat a Pitta, Brasserie Beau  and the Green Street Wine Bar show a strong investor confidence. There are definitely changes afoot – who could have foreseen that a new ToniqLife Gym would open in the old Moles building? But the market is demanding new experiences and Bath is delivering.

Iain Nicholson of the Vacant Shops Academy, expert advisor to high streets throughout the UK commented on the Jollys news:

“In our work helping places to tackle vacancy on their high streets, we see many struggle with large former department or big brand stores and ex-bank units, especially where they are heritage buildings. Even in an historic city like Bath with a strong retail and hospitality offer, finding a new occupier keen to invest in a large heritage building has significant challenges. So this investment is a real positive for the city, its residents and existing businesses, and an example other tackling vacancy-focused ‘place partnerships’ will be watching closely.” 

So why are investors feeling confident?  The footfall recovery in Bath now takes us above pre-Covid levels which is supported by the diverse offer.  Home to the inspiring architecture, world class sporting events and the impressive array of events and festivals (book your tickets now for Curious Minds and the 7 Hills Music Festival over the next few days) and a strong and exciting blend of independents and favourite retailers. Our Debenhams store will have a new tenant over the next few months, we are anticipating a new Fashion Museum in the heart of the city centre and now the signature retail experience that is Jollys of Milsom Street is conserved and will be regenerated.

But none of the work will drive footfall unless the story is shared. The BID with our Welcome to Bath brand works closely with Visit West, one of the first Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) in the country. The team at Visit West is keeping Bath’s profile alive in the minds of tour operators and international visitors ensuring a steady stream of overnight visitors to fill the hotels and achieve the retail footfall that the population of the area alone could not possibly muster and ensuring that Bath maintains its popularity in an increasingly competitive market.

Here at the Bath BID, we are proud to do our part. The footfall measurement which we provide is a brilliant tool to engage potential investors and agents, and the work of our team of marshals and rangers ensures that the city is a safe, clean and welcoming place to do business.  This year, the BID is also representing the entire South West BID region at the Britain in Bloom competition, hot on the heels of the city category win achieved by the Bath in Bloom volunteer team in 2024.

Today’s news is a significant marker of confidence in the city of Bath, of both Morleys and B&NES Council who will be putting in major investment in the challenging roof of the building and its 40 pitches. If you haven’t visited Bath recently, it is a good moment to come and see the new openings and revisit your old favourites.