Going to great lengths in baths plan

27 July 2005

A COMMUNITY might be able to swim again at an East End baths that was forced to close in 1986 because of high running and maintenance costs.

Campaigners fighting to bring back Poplar Baths held a community-planning weekend at the Salvation Army Hall in Kerbey Street, Poplar.

A consortium of the Poplar Baths Steering Group, SPLASH, Tower Hamlets Environment Trust and Swan Housing Association put together a proposal to rejuvenate the pool. The Town Hall is also involved in the partnership.

They have brought together a team of experts from architects to cost consultants who will be on hand to speak with residents from 11am to 5pm on both days. The group will put flesh on the outline plan for the reopening of the baths, said a spokesperson for the consortium.

Located in East India Dock Road, Poplar Baths opened as a swimming pool and vapour baths and served the area's population until 1986, when it was closed because of costs.

The Lib-Dem council of the time closed the pool, and in 1988 it allowed a change of use of the building to become a training centre - but that closed because of a lack of resources.

A draft scheme for the redevelopment of the £5 million facility comprises a 25-metre swimming pool, sports hall, gym and changing rooms plus affordable housing and workshops.

Cllr Kevin Morton said: "Poplar Baths is a huge site and with London winning the Olympics I envisage a range of potential leisure and educational activities there. Everything that can be done in bringing them back to Poplar should be done, and outside of a swimming pool as an issue, Poplar Baths will have a part in the continuing regeneration of the Chrisp Street area."

With grant aid available from the Housing Corporation and the European Regional Development Fund, the workspace element of the scheme will create an income of around £250,000 to subsidise the running of the pool. If the subsidy is not needed, the income would be used by the community for local regeneration projects, a spokesperson said.