Victorian Society urges: Keep Manningham Pool open

From: Katie Gunning (The Victorian Society) [mailto:katie@victoriansociety.org.uk] 
Sent: 23 February 2011 17:18
To: Katie Gunning (The Victorian Society)
Subject: National heritage group urges council not to close historic Bradford pool

For immediate release                                                                                23rd February 2011

National heritage group urges council not to close historic Bradford pool

Councillors in Bradford must vote to keep the city’s listed Edwardian swimming pool in use, according to the Victorian Society, the national charity campaigning for the Victorian and Edwardian historic environment. 

Plans to close the Grade II-listed Manningham Baths on Carlisle Road will be discussed at a Bradford City Council meeting tomorrow afternoon.  Council spending cuts mean that its future looks bleak. It is thought that closing the baths would save in the region of £120,000.

There are more than 50 listed Victorian and Edwardian pools in the country but only 14 remain in use and open to the public for swimming. One of those rare survivors is Bradford’s Manningham Baths.

They were designed by Bradford City architect, Frederick Edwards and opened in 1904.  The pool building remains remarkably intact and has its original changing cubicles, and the pool itself still has ceramic spittoons at regular intervals and a so-called scum channel down each side.

‘It would be a huge loss if Bradford couldn’t find a way to keep this important part of our heritage open and in use’, said Dr Ian Dungavell, Director of the Victorian Society. ‘I've been swimming in historic pools all around the country, but virtually none are left in this intact state.  It is truly extraordinary to swim in Manningham Baths. Historic pools like this are an endangered species, and we need to look after them.’

In July 2008 Dr Dungavell swam 105 lengths of Manningham Pool to commemorate its 105 years as a public swimming pool.

The full meeting of the City Council will take place at 4pm on Thursday 24th February.

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For further information please call:

Katie Gunning

Campaigns Officer

Direct line: 0208 747 5897

Notes to Editors:

1. In August 2008 the Director of the Victorian Society, Dr Ian Dungavell visited all 14 listed Victorian and Edwardian public swimming pools in England and swam a length for every year each pool has been open.

2. The Victorian Society is the national charity campaigning for the Victorian and Edwardian historic environment. It fights to preserve important Victorian and Edwardian buildings and landscapes so that they can be enjoyed by this and future generations. It provides expert advice to churches and local planning authorities on how Victorian and Edwardian buildings and landscapes can be adapted to the way we live now, while keeping what is special about them. It also advises members of the public about how they can help shape the future of their local Victorian and Edwardian buildings and landscapes. It provides information to owners of Victorian and Edwardian houses about how they can better look after their precious buildings. It helps people understand, appreciate and enjoy the architectural heritage of the Victorian and Edwardian period through its publications and educational programmes.

3. The Victorian Society, 1 Priory Gardens, LONDON W4 1TT
Telephone 020 8994 1019
Facsimile 020 8747 5899

www.victoriansociety.org.uk