Bath Rugby's Farleigh House loses wedding venue permission

Bath Rugby's Farleigh House headquarters can no longer host new weddings due to planning restrictions. Somerset Council has approved a certificate of lawfulness allowing corporate events but explicitly excluded weddings for non-connected parties under the original 2010 permission.

Farleigh House will no longer accept new wedding enquiries but will honour existing confirmed bookings for 2026. The venue's website states it is not accepting new wedding or corporate event enquiries, but will honour all existing confirmed bookings scheduled for that year.

Planning permission limits club's use of site

Somerset Council planning officer Ed Winter said the lawful use includes the site as the headquarters and training facilities of Bath Rugby Club, together with club-connected activities. This includes sponsor functions, stakeholder engagement, hospitality, meetings, member events, player and staff events, community rugby activities and other functions directly connected with the club's operation.

Winter stated the authority was happy with the site being used as Bath's HQ. He added, "were not satisfied weddings or other functions 'held for persons unconnected with Bath Rugby Club' was covered by planning permission granted in 201." The use of the site as a general wedding venue, or for wedding receptions and celebrations for persons unconnected with the club, is not authorised.

The club will no longer be able to hold weddings at the venue unless it obtains separate planning permission for this purpose. The council approved the certificate through the delegated powers of its planning officers.

Local residents raise concerns over wedding events

Somerset County Councillor Adam Boyden, whose Frome North ward includes the complex, objected to the certificate being granted. He said he had received a number of complaints from several local residents living close to the house about noise from recorded and live music from some of the wedding parties.

Boyden said traffic management of wedding guests’ vehicles has been an issue. He cited many cars leaving the venue late at night, deliveries in the early hours, and taxis with engines running waiting outside residents' homes. Noise from weddings has awoken or prevented children from sleeping, he contended.

Club's long-term use and investment in heritage site outlined

Bath Rugby has its official base at Farleigh House on Church Farm Lane, just outside the small village of Farleigh Hungerford. The site has been the club's headquarters since 2010. Tim Burden, representing Bath Rugby as senior director at Turley, said significant investment has been made at Farleigh House to regenerate and enhance this important heritage asset.

Since 2010, the club has funded the restoration and upkeep of the Grade II-listed house and estate. The site includes several ancillary buildings, extensive gardens and lawns, sports pitches and large amounts of car parking.

Farleigh House has been used to stage weddings, corporate events and private functions, including erecting temporary marquees within the grounds. Since the summer of 2010, between 44 and 87 events have been held at Farleigh House every year, except during the coronavirus pandemic. Of these events, the majority were corporate events. Twenty-nine weddings were staged at the venue in 2025.

Operational restrictions on site use confirmed

Under the club's existing licence granted in June 2023, specific operational limits are in place. The club cannot host events on Mondays, Tuesdays, Christmas Day, or Boxing Day. No firework displays are allowed on site.

Boyden contended that Bath Rugby had informed local residents in January that it would no longer be taking bookings for any weddings or corporate events from October. The venue will honour all existing confirmed wedding bookings scheduled for 2026.