Half a million people have visited the attractions at Leamington’s historic Pump Rooms in the year since it reopened.

Visitors these days take a book, rather than take the waters, in the listed building that reopened in three stages last summer.

The library, which relocated from nearby Avenue Road, has brought in about 300,000 people. 

Some 130,000 have gone in to the art gallery and 120,000 to the museum and the tourist information centre, plus a few thousand in the assembly rooms.

Staff have just celebrated the first anniversary of the first phase – the opening of the cafe, tourist information centre and assembly rooms. The library and art gallery opened in stages acorss August.

Jeff Watkin, heritage and arts manager for Warwick District Council, said:

“These figures are better than we could have hoped for. They are certainly at the top end of figures we were thinking about.

“People who have come have said very complimentary things, and Leamington people seem very proud of it.

“We have visitors from across the world and local people bringing family and visitors to have a look.”

It may have a bitter taste, but some try the Spa water, which is fed from an underground pipe - and a reminder of the building’s original purpose.

The water was ‘off-line’ for some time after flooding in Leamington, but visitors can once again decide for themselves on the merits of the claims about its ability to heal.

The supply is now monitored weekly by the council’s own environmental staff, who can’t improve its taste, but they do ensure it is safe to drink.

The museum recounts a lot of the history of the town and the Spa water, and tells of the figures responsible for the rapid growth of the former Leamington Priors into Royal Leamington Spa in the last century.

Opened in 1814 as the Royal Pump Rooms and Bath, the building on the banks of the River Leam became famous for its waters.

Facilities were added over the years, with a Turkish bath and later a swimming pool, which was in use until 11 years ago.  The building was decaying and was closed by Warwick District Council that owns it. 

A bid for lottery funding failed, and a £7 million rescue package was put together by the council so the building could live on as a library and art gallery.

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