FORMER GLORY

Newcastle Turkish Baths have been restored reports Judith Wojtowicz…

NEW STATE-OF-THE- ART gym sits above the old pool with mezzanine fitness studio at the far end

The unique appeal of the award-winning City Baths in Newcastle upon Tyne lies in the hidden gem that is the original Turkish Baths, painstakingly restored and reopened in April. Closed for a second time in 2022, due to problems with the heating system, it is now one of just seven open to the public that remain in use in the UK.

This ambitious £8million project has transformed the entire baths complex into a fitness, health and wellbeing centre fit for the 21st century, after it was closed by Newcastle City Council in 2013. Overseen by Fusion Lifestyle, a visionary plan was drawn up to retain original features, preserving its historic grandeur and reinforcing its place in the local community.

Nowhere did this apply more than to the Grade II* listed Turkish Baths, located in the basement and in dire need of refurbishment. After extensive work to restore, upgrade and deep clean the facilities the Turkish Baths were opened briefly post-Covid and closed again in 2022 due to the heated chambers not reaching the correct temperature.

A FALSE FLOOR COVERS ONE of the two original swimming pool tanks, which could be removed in the future.

Richard Allan, director of operations at Fusion, explained that repairs to the original pipework had taken longer than expected, due in part to the discovery of asbestos which required specialist removal. Walls had to be broken to gain access, leaks repaired and pipes replaced which added about £250,000 to the total cost.

Now brought back to life, new mood lighting enhances the ambience of the four heated chambers and wood- panelled cooling rooms, while terrazzo floors and marble resting platforms have been restored. Alan Rees, director of Napper Architects worked with registered charity Fusion to prepare a proposal to sustain the heritage values and significance of the entire building.

He said: “Our aim was to restore and reinstate the fine architectural spaces and features above and below ground, and to remodel the facilities to deliver a contemporary version of the original Twenties intention and purpose of the building, as a sport and leisure venue.”

ORIGINAL: Cooling/relaxation room with booths separated by curtains Photo: Northumberland and Newcastle Society.

HERITAGE RETAINED
Historic materials were retained and repaired where necessary, without losing the age and character that such materials exhibit. For example, the glazed tiling to the swimming pool tank and terrazzo finish to the floor with long-forgotten star motif, an incongruous fake palm tree and poorly hung curtains separating changing booths. A decorative glazed dome allows natural light to flood in via a two-storey light well.

Vaulted plasterwork in the hammam rooms has been retained and a dated health suite from the Eighties replaced with new changing facilities and treatment rooms to create a complementary spa environment. With a team of beauty therapists already in place, an attendant is being recruited to offer a more authentic Turkish Bath scrub and massage option to enhance users’ experience.

Recognised in 2010 as a building of high architectural and historic significance by the North of England Civic Trust, the City Baths (then known as Newcastle City Pool) nonetheless faced closure in 2012 due to the city council having to make substantial budget savings. Among those protesting were users of the Turkish Baths, forming a dedicated group who refused to give up on a much-loved facility.

TOP PICTURE, BEFORE: Cooling/relaxation room with dated décor and fake palm tree. BOTTOM PICTURE, AFTER: Original terrazzo floor uncovered and restored in the cooling/relaxation area.

COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN
Opened in 1928, this imposing neo-Georgian building, with adjacent City Hall concert venue, reflected the social and civic pride of Britain as the country recovered from the Great War.

The Turkish Bath movement, started in the Victorian era, was nearing its zenith and the new facility, described as ‘an interpretation of a traditional Turkish Baths’ quickly gained a big following.

Cait Read, who spearheaded the campaign to Save the Newcastle Turkish Baths and then to re-open them, today heads the re-named Friends of The City Baths. She recalls widespread outrage when the council finally closed the doors in 2013.

“It was all a bit rundown as the building and facilities had not been well maintained and the council saw it as a liability,” she said. “I swam there regularly as well as using the Turkish Baths, and I had a great affection for the building, as did many others.

LONG-FORGOTTEN star motif previously hidden by carpet tiles.

COMMUNITY VALUE
“The council was adamant it would never re-open and was exploring other options, offering the building for sale, and inviting bids from developers for alternative use. As a group we focused our efforts on saving the Turkish Baths and were successful in having the whole building designated as an asset of community value (ACV), the first listing of its kind in Newcastle.

We needed 21 names to support the application and were overwhelmed by the sheer number of responses,” she added. The application for an ACV, which strengthened their case, led to a feasibility study funded by a £10,000 grant obtained with the help of Locality, a network of voluntary organisations offering advice, support and resources to help communities thrive.

The campaign was galvanised further, when Cait returned from a meeting of Historic Pools of Britain, with inspirational stories of similar campaigns that have led to pools being saved and re-opened thanks to community action. “I came back reinvigorated after speaking to people who had overcome even more challenging circumstances.”

While the group considered their next steps, rescue came in the form of two senior executives from Fusion Lifestyle who were visiting Newcastle for an unrelated event and spotted the mothballed site. In the words of operations director Richard Allan, it was ‘something of a lightbulb moment’ for them both, an opportunity they duly snapped up with a 125-year lease, with the support of the campaign group.

BEFORE: HAMMAM massage room looked tired and unloved DURING: HAMMAM ROOM during construction.

“They realised pretty quickly they could do something really special with the site and bring the building back to life,” he said. An independent charity which evolved out of a local authority trading company, Fusion invests heavily in creating, restoring and transforming local facilities, especially those of cultural significance.

“As a pool and leisure operator we want to be known for our commitment to conservation and sustainability, saving historic buildings that might otherwise go to ruin. We consider the Newcastle project to be our flagship site,” he added. The four heated chambers in the Turkish Baths, starting at 40C degrees and rising to 70C remain constant 24 hours a day which clearly impacts the energy costs in a complex of this size and scale.

Elsewhere, modern technology and the very latest building management systems help to monitor and control energy use, part of a company-wide sustainability strategy to reduce carbon footprint and seek out external funding options in line with today’s growing focus on a greener environment.

Here in Newcastle, some of the below-ground costs can be offset by the modern facilities above where a new gym, sauna and fitness studio is attracting a whole new generation of users. This diversification required innovative design solutions, explained architect Alan Rees.

COLD WATER BUCKET SHOWER for when things get too hot!

CONTEMPORARY FEEL
One example is the creation of a mezzanine ‘pod’ to accommodate a fitness studio overlooking the gym. This contemporary addition occupies the area where one of the original two swimming pools was situated. Partly due to its Grade II status, rather than filling in the pool tank, the simplest and less-costly option, it was decided to preserve the space so it could be reversed in the future if necessary.

Said Alan: “Concrete foundations were cast on a membrane in the pool tank with its tiles left in place. Blockwork walls were built off the concrete to allow for a ‘beam and block’ floor to be installed. The intention is that in future the tank could revert to its original use by removing all these elements.” He went on: “This was a demanding and challenging project, not least due to the length of time the Baths had been closed.

By the time work began in 2018, with main contractor Createability, the fabric of the building had further deteriorated and there were signs of vandalism. “As local architects, this was ultimately also an enormously rewarding project, seeing such a well-known and well used building brought back to life.

I believe one of the fundamental elements in the success of our proposal was understanding the community’s emotional connection with the building, and how that has developed over time.” Now transformed for the 21st century, the historic City Pool and Turkish Baths is once again the pride and joy of Newcastle city centre.

AFTER: HAMMAM room gleaming thanks to restoration of vaulted arches and marble platforms.

It was recognised as winner of the heritage category in last year’s Hadrian Awards from the Northern Architectural Association. The leading role taken by the campaign group to re-open the building was also recognised earlier in the process, when Cait Read was presented in 2016 with the People and Place Local Campaigner Award by the Sheila McKenchie Foundation.

Architect Alan acknowledged the campaign group’s role and stressed local support should never be underestimated: “With local authorities’ ongoing need to balance restricted budgets the refurbishment of the City Baths complex has shown the role that community campaign groups and non-profit organisations can play in reinstating much-loved community assets back into use.”

Last word must go to Cait, one of seven campaign group core members whose tenacity and commitment played such a huge part not only in saving this iconic building but the much-loved Turkish Baths which might otherwise have been turned into a VIP bar for concert goers! She said the intervening 12 years had brought a whole new audience to enjoy the Turkish Baths, part of a fantastic new facility for the city and its surrounds.

“From the start we passionately believed the City Pool and Turkish Baths could be saved and restored to its original intended use for health and wellbeing. We are thankful Fusion saw its potential and were collaborative and appreciative of the campaign group, valuing the opinions of the local community. “We are grateful for their vision and investment in sensitively restoring the building, bringing it back to life to be enjoyed by many while celebrating its heritage and history.”

COMPANY CONTACTS

www.fusion-lifestyle.com
www.city-baths.co.uk
www.napperarchitects.co.uk