Bath Record Office has achieved Archive Service Accreditation ­– the UK quality standard which recognises good performance in all areas of archive service delivery.

The official Accreditation shows that Bath Record Office meets national standards relating to management and resourcing, the care of its unique collections, and the service provided to its users.

The award comes as the Record Office prepares to reopen on 4 May after a period of closure due to the national lockdown followed by collection moves in April.

Councillor Paul Crossley, cabinet member for Community Services, said: "We are delighted that Bath Record Office has been awarded Accreditation status. This is well deserved and is testament to the team's dedication and hard work.

"Accredited archive services demonstrate that they meet the UK standard around collections management and access to collections, showing resilience and the ability to manage changing circumstances successfully. It is especially notable to have achieved this award during what has been a very challenging year for our services."

Based at the Guildhall, Bath Record Office collects and keeps safe documents and items relating to Bath and North East Somerset and its people. In the early days the archive contained just the Council's own records, but since 1967 archivists have collected many thousands of documents from local businesses, families, private and public organisations, all of which tell the story of life in Bath over the centuries.

The collections are Designated by Government as being of national importance and are recognised in the City of Bath World Heritage Site Management Plan as being the bedrock of knowledge about the fabric of the city.

Approximately 3,000 people use the service every year – from students studying a specialist topic, to people researching their family tree or the history of their home.

Bath Record Office is currently closed until 4 May, but staff are still replying to enquiries via email. For more information visit www.batharchives.co.uk.