Work to restore Moseley Road Baths in Balsall Heath is well underway, with contractors removing original Stourbridge glazed bricks for cleaning and repairs as part of a project that aims to make the Edwardian leisure centre fully accessible for the first time in its history.
The bricks were seen stacked outside the back entrance of the baths, along the route behind the Masjid to the security point. The construction work, being carried out by Galliford Try, is focused on bringing the treasured space back to life rather than creating something new, according to a tour of the site during Birmingham Heritage Week.
Campaign success after 20 years
For 20 years, campaigners had been calling for the reopening of Moseley Road Baths. The Friends of Moseley Road Baths worked not only to secure funding for renovation, but also to find ways to keep water in the pool so local children would not miss out on the vital service that has defined the building since it opened in 1907.
Now, after years of talking, fighting, and begging for acknowledgment, the group can see the upgrades they dreamt of coming to fruition. The restoration is part of a wider effort to preserve a building that was nearly lost forever.
Heritage details preserved
In every nook and cranny, little details have been preserved perfectly. Stained glass has been restored, and the beautiful steel beams that span the ceiling have been stripped back and painted a 'heritage green' sagey colour, which looks as it might have done on the day they were first painted.
Some doors have been widened, and infrastructure is being installed to allow for hoists to lift those who need support into the water. The gala pool's water level will rise right up to the brim, making entry easier. In the light of the cathedral-like windows, the old archways will feature viewing areas, including accessible viewing areas.
Where water will eventually be is currently a makeshift workshop, where the Galliford Try team are storing materials that will bring it all back to life.
Functionality and community use
Lucy Reid, chair of the trustees of Moseley Road Baths CIO, explained that every single element in the building has to be more than just nice to look at – it has to be functional and of worth to the people who use it. This means, for example, taking out the cubicles in one of the sets of slipper baths to accommodate a new gym.
Back in the early 1900s, when Birmingham houses didn't have baths of their own, people would flock to Moseley Road for a weekly soak. These days, there's less of a need for that, though there will still be baths as part of a wellness offering for spa retreat vibes.
"The architects on this project live just up the road. There's deep respect for the place, and an understanding of its history, but we have to make sure it's useful and that it earns its keep," Lucy insisted.
Swimming lessons to cinema events
When it's open, there'll be swimming lessons for local schools, cinema events, community activities, and more to go alongside the gym and wellness space. The wall has been knocked through to allow visitors to walk from the swimming baths into the library, a next-door neighbour that predates the pools by 12 years.
While its old parquet flooring looks worse for wear, with wooden blocks torn up in places as restoration takes place, the vision for it is already visible. Around the edge of the room, beautifully sculptured decor hearkens back to a time when things were more than just functional in Birmingham.
Even on the outside of the baths, the old drainage system is decorated with little gargoyles and roses, fine details that tell of when pride was put into every little detail. Boards are going up over heritage wood simply to protect it from knocks while craftspeople work on intricately leading glass windows that will spill pretty light down on the families who wait to pay at the old kiosk for their swimming session.
After wandering out behind the old baths and marvelling at its old water tank, Kevin McCloud, host of Grand Designs who had joined the tour, remarked of what a 'wonderland' we had in Balsall Heath. As someone who has seen some of the most spectacular buildings in the country, he spoke about Moseley Road Baths with reverence, noting its status as a World Monument, as precious as the Taj Mahal or the terraces of Machu Picchu.
Moseley Road Baths are not just a relic of Birmingham's past, but a testament to the power of belief of the people that live in it today. It is a beacon of hope that Birmingham's neighbourhoods can, with work and collaboration, relight the sparks of community that the decades have dampened. And it's a really wicked swimming baths.
