Olympic champion Adam Peaty and his fiancée, Holly Ramsay, are at the centre of a growing controversy as they prepare to exchange vows at the historic Bath Abbey this weekend. The couple has been labelled "selfish" by some locals after it emerged they have booked the entire venue for the whole day of December 27, effectively barring the public from the popular tourist site.
Full-Day Closure for a 90-Minute Ceremony
While the wedding service itself is scheduled to last approximately 90 minutes, Bath Abbey will be closed to visitors for the entire duration of Saturday. The abbey's official website confirms it is "closed for visiting" on the date. Reports suggest that, although the standard hire fee for a wedding is around £2,500, Peaty and Ramsay have paid a significantly higher sum to secure exclusive access.
"It seems rather selfish to be hiring the abbey for the whole day when your wedding service only lasts for an hour and a half or so," a source told The Sun. The publication also claims a security team will be deployed to prevent members of the public from taking photographs or videos of the celebrity couple and their guests.
Family Drama and A-List Guest List
The wedding plans have been shrouded in personal drama, following a very public fallout between Adam Peaty and his family. His mother, Caroline, was notably not invited to Holly's hen party at the exclusive Soho Farmhouse, an event attended by Peaty's sister Bethany, Lady Victoria Beckham, and Holly's mother, Tana Ramsay.
It is reported that Bethany will be the only member of Peaty's family present at the ceremony. In a recent emotional plea, Caroline Peaty expressed her heartbreak but extended an olive branch to her son, stating: "Please know I love you, your dad loves you, you can come home and talk to me at any point... I hope your marriage is a good one."
Despite the family tensions, the event is expected to be a star-studded affair. Around 200 guests are anticipated, including close family friends Sir David and Lady Victoria Beckham, owing to the Ramsay family's connections.
Questions Over Abbey's 'Qualifying Connection' Rule
Marrying at Bath Abbey comes with a specific set of conditions. The venue requires at least one half of the couple to have a "special connection," such as being a parishioner, a regular member of the congregation, or having another qualifying link to the abbey. It remains unclear what connection Adam Peaty or Holly Ramsay has to the historic church, raising further questions about the booking.
As final preparations are made, Holly Ramsay was recently spotted enjoying a luxurious pre-wedding meal at her father Gordon Ramsay's Mayfair restaurant, Lucky Cat. A dinner at the chef's table there can cost up to £180 per person.
The couple's representatives have been approached for comment regarding the closure and the criticism from local residents and tourists who will be unable to visit one of Bath's most iconic landmarks on Saturday.
