Moseley Road Baths, England

Permission visit kindly granted by the “Friends of Moseley Road Baths”

Moseley Road Baths is a stunning example of an Edwardian gala swimming pool. This unique and extraordinary building was opened in 1907, and cost £32,924 to build (equivalent to £3-4 million today, depending on which calculations you use). This time capsule is a Grade II listed building, and one of only three baths of this kind still in operation in the UK. This building was in the Victorian Society’s ten most at risk buildings in Britain in 2007.

Interestingly, over its 100-year history, Moseley Road baths have retained almost all its original features. Virtually no significant structural change or alteration has occurred over the last century.

The exterior is a 98ft long Gothic Renaissance facade, made of red and buff brickwork. Inside there are two swimming pools; this larger first-class gala swimming pool, and a smaller second class swimming pool (reflecting the class divisions of the time). The smaller second class swimming pool is still in use today, it was refurbished in 1900s and is now known as “Pool 2”.

The impressive Gala (or First Class) swimming pool was mothballed in the summer of 2003 due to structural safety concerns. The pool is 81ft long and 32 ft wide, with a graduated depth of 7 foot 2 inches at the deep end to 4 foot 6 inches at the shallow end. The pool is flanked by 63 arched, white and green-tiled dressing cubicles. One side of the pool was for the men, with the female cubicles on the opposing side. Overlooking the pool on three sides are spectator galleries, on cast iron supported balconettes.

It is planned to repair the roof sometime this year, and to use this space for movie nights and art gallery space. Hopefully this amazing and historically important swimming pool can get a new lease of life as a quirky arts and film venue.