Editor's choice November 2006

Moseley Road Baths Update

While from the outside the Moseley Road Baths look as if they are no longer in use, nothing could be further from the truth. In the winter of 2004 and spring of 2005 £1 million was spent by the City Council to make much-needed repairs to safe guard one of Balsall Heaths most cherished buildings. Since then work has carried on to find a means of funding further restoration work and the single pool, which was restored, is constantly in demand by local schools, groups and swimmers.

As part of the work behind the scenes to save the baths consultants were brought in to conduct survey into the building. This has generated two options, which will be examined in great depth prior to applying for Heritage Lottery money in 2007.

Option one is a suggestion to restore the baths back to the way they originally were. This option would involve creating better-disabled access and turning the former boiler house room and slipper baths into modern changing facilities. Included in this option is a mezzanine floor to be installed in the Library at one end of the building. This option would cost an estimated £17 million.

Option two would involve restoring pool one back to a functioning swimming pool and creating modern changing facilities within the boiler house room and slipper baths. In contrast to option one this option would see pool two converted from a swimming pool into another use. As per option one the library would still benefit from a mezzanine floor at one end. The cost for this option is estimated at £20 million.

A public meeting is to be held on November 27th and will provide supporters of the Moseley Road Baths with an opportunity to join a proposed Friends of Moseley Road Baths group. It is hoped that such a group would then be able to support any bids for funding that will be made in the future.