History
The public swimming baths at Chadderton, Oldham were opened in 1937. The British freestyle Olympic swimmer, Henry Taylor was a frequent attendant at the baths, following his retirement from competitive swimming. The baths were permanently closed in 2006, following a structural survey which found faults in the concrete roof. The more modern sports centre, adjoining the baths eventually closed in 2010, with the opening of the Chadderton Wellbeing Centre. Due to damage by copper thieves, an application for the demolition of the building in 2011. In May 2019 work began to convert the baths as a training restaurant and business start-up centre.
The explore
Visited with Prettyvacant. We first went to scout the building at night but decided to return the next day, after visiting Lostock power station to have a quick look around at dawn, before the workers began to arrive. I was keen to visit Hartford Mill before it met the fate of many of the great northern cotton mills and so we stopped off here on the way. When we arrived we could see that one of the metal sheets on a door had been unscrewed and half a dozen builders were now inside. As we had come this far we decided to poke our heads in and at least try and get a couple of pictures inside before the building is converted. We got lucky and managed to get ourselves a 15 minute tour of the building but it was sad to hear of the heavy-handed conversion which will include the destruction of the stepped seating around the pool, all of tiled surfaces, and the staircase with the rubble used to fill the pool. Even the roof lights will be blocked off to prevent direct sunlight. Basically all internal features, with the exception of the roof and balconies is due to be swept away, obliterating virtually all evidence that this building was ever a pool. While I'm glad that demolition has been avoided, it seems stupid how a building like this, packed with character and careful detailing is getting scraped to a featureless shell when it had so much more potential. I was gutted that they'd only begun work 6 weeks previously but better late then never I suppose.
We were asked to avoid sharing any photos of the interior until work has been completed which is why I've put this in NP.
At least for now it still resembles a swimming pool
Tiling and signage- going
Staircase- going
Thanks for looking
The public swimming baths at Chadderton, Oldham were opened in 1937. The British freestyle Olympic swimmer, Henry Taylor was a frequent attendant at the baths, following his retirement from competitive swimming. The baths were permanently closed in 2006, following a structural survey which found faults in the concrete roof. The more modern sports centre, adjoining the baths eventually closed in 2010, with the opening of the Chadderton Wellbeing Centre. Due to damage by copper thieves, an application for the demolition of the building in 2011. In May 2019 work began to convert the baths as a training restaurant and business start-up centre.
The explore
Visited with Prettyvacant. We first went to scout the building at night but decided to return the next day, after visiting Lostock power station to have a quick look around at dawn, before the workers began to arrive. I was keen to visit Hartford Mill before it met the fate of many of the great northern cotton mills and so we stopped off here on the way. When we arrived we could see that one of the metal sheets on a door had been unscrewed and half a dozen builders were now inside. As we had come this far we decided to poke our heads in and at least try and get a couple of pictures inside before the building is converted. We got lucky and managed to get ourselves a 15 minute tour of the building but it was sad to hear of the heavy-handed conversion which will include the destruction of the stepped seating around the pool, all of tiled surfaces, and the staircase with the rubble used to fill the pool. Even the roof lights will be blocked off to prevent direct sunlight. Basically all internal features, with the exception of the roof and balconies is due to be swept away, obliterating virtually all evidence that this building was ever a pool. While I'm glad that demolition has been avoided, it seems stupid how a building like this, packed with character and careful detailing is getting scraped to a featureless shell when it had so much more potential. I was gutted that they'd only begun work 6 weeks previously but better late then never I suppose.
We were asked to avoid sharing any photos of the interior until work has been completed which is why I've put this in NP.
At least for now it still resembles a swimming pool
Tiling and signage- going
Staircase- going
Thanks for looking
