Moseley Road Baths, a community-led swimming pool in Balsall Heath, is open seven days a week for swimming sessions. Since its opening in 1907, generations of Brummies have learnt to swim here. But it faced permanent closure only a few years ago. Thankfully, as one of Britain’s oldest swimming baths and over 110 years of history, it was saved by a community campaign and recently re-opened (February 27) to the public.
A group of organisations came together to form The Moseley Road Baths Coalition to save the Grade II*-listed, Edwardian pool. This was made up of Birmingham City Council, which owns the building, Moseley Road Baths CIO, Friends of Moseley Road Baths, Historic England, World Monuments Fund, and National Trust.
Funding for the works included £657,000 from the World Monuments Fund, Historic England and Birmingham City Council. Before the pool then gained a multi-million pound Government and National Lottery Heritage Fund grant. £15.5m was granted from the government’s Levelling Up funding.
Some of beauty of the baths is that many of original striking features remain to this day. Including the 100ft Gothic renaissance terracotta façade of the building, ornate ceilings, an oak Edwardian ticket booth and tiled 21m pool. It is believed to be the only facility in the country built before 1914 to have continuously hosted swimming since it opened.
But while it might hold great historic importance, nothing can compete with the importance of Moseley Road Baths to the local community. As many of us might has similarly experienced, local schoolchildren are regularly learning to swim here again. And from aqua aerobics to adults-only lanes, toddlers to teenagers (even a swim class for those learning to speak English), there really is something for everyone on the weekly schedule.
To learn more head here.
How much does a swim cost at Moseley Road Baths?
An Adult swim costs £5, while a Junior swim (4 to 15 years old) is £2.80 and under-4s go free. If you’re a family of four, however, you can all go together for just £12. Of course, if you’re an avid swimmer, you’ll want to be taking advantage of these stunning swimming baths as much as possible. A monthly swim pass will cost you £28.50 for 30 days, while for students the same will cost you just £25.