Buxton is considered as the Bath of the North, with warm springs enjoyed by the Romans, who called the town Aquae Arnemetiae. It was the fifth Duke of Devonshire who put Buxton on the map with development in 1780s – the centrepiece being the Georgian Crescent. The Victorian masterpieces include the single span domed Devonshire Royal Hospital – now the Buxton campus for the University of Derby; the Pavilion Gardens, with 23 acres of gardens and lakes, and the internationally renowned Opera House.
Thermal springs have risen since records began. The flow has been fairly consistent, in both quantity (250,000 gallons per day) and temperature (82°F both winter and summer), and Buxton water and new international Spa development – due to open April 2011 – take advantage of this natural gift.
Buxton remains one of most popular tourist destinations in the High Peak, hosting more than one million visitors each year, providing over 64 per cent of Peak District bed spaces and drawing in high percentage of the £73million tourist income spent in the High Peak each year. An effective town centre partnership has been established to improve the town by promoting a multi-million-pound enhancement programme.
Buxton Opera House was built in 1903 – designed by Frank Matcham, one of Britain's finest theatre architects – and was fully restored in 2001. Each summer, the Opera House is home to the Buxton Festival, which has developed into one of Britain's largest opera-based festivals, and the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival. The Opera House also presents its own annual live music festival Four-Four Time, featuring a mixture of jazz, blues, folk and world music, attracting world class artistes, such as Jools Holland, Elvis Costello and Courtney Pine.
Buxton is a thriving market town of 24,000 people, which is attracting new investment in both its retail and knowledge based industries. Buxton residents are highly qualified - with over 21% having University degrees or equivalents - 4% above the regional average.
A significant Knowledge and Cultural Industries Cluster has developed over the last few years with the proportion of the working population involved in creative industries, more than double the regional average (10%). Key employers such as the National Health and Safety Laboratories mean that the knowledge-based economy is of national importance, while retaining strong links to Manchester, Sheffield and Derby Universities. Buxton is at the heart of the Peak District; the world’s second most visited national park. In recent years the heritage refurbishment of Pavilion Gardens, Buxton Opera House and the Cavendish Arcade ensure Buxton remains a vibrant town. More recently the University of Derby has restored the Devonshire Royal Hospital to form a new Buxton Campus, home to their school of Tourism and Hospitality and lead on a number of initiatives which encourage use of local suppliers within the tourism sector.
Due to shortly start on site, the £32m restoration of the Buxton Crescent and Spa will see the re-use of this landmark building as a thermal spa hotel, the first in the county. Additional investment by the Derby and Derbyshire Economic Partnership is being pursued including the creation of wireless mesh technology to support e-commerce for the 21st century.