Report - Jubilee Swimming Pool, Newcastle Under Lyme - July 2015

GRONK · Jul 18, 2015

New Find on 28DL

The Jubilee Swimming Baths is (was) a large twin pool leisure centre located in the centre of Newcastle Under Lyme in Staffordshire. The pool was opened in 1906 and closed in December 2010. The building is made up of several different extensions to the original structure. The site also hosted a gym (Castle Gym) that was based on the top floor overlooking the swimming pool, and also a large waterslide. The building is currently partially demolished with the rest of the building due to be taken down over the next few weeks.

Finding access to the building wasn't really difficult as you can see from the second photo.

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In 1906 the King Edward VII Memorial Baths was opened in Brunswick Street at a cost of £15,574. The building comprised of two Swimming Pools 100ft x 35 ft; 50ft x 20ft, Turkish Baths, 12 Wash Baths. In 1935 Newcastle Baths were described as the finest in the district, with the water ‘aerated, cleansed and purified’ by an up-to-date filtration plant. However, during the winter season the main pool was emptied and used as tennis and badminton courts.

Alterations were made in 1921, 1938-9 and 1946, The building originally had two Cornish Steam Boilers that were replaced by Lancashire boilers in the 1960’s. The building was refurbished during the 1970’s and opened as Jubilee Baths in 1977. In December 2010 a new Swimming Pool and leisure centre 'Jubilee 2' was opened on the land next to the original swimming pool. The Jubilee Baths has remained empty ever since. In 2010 Newcastle Council preposed to demolish the site to make way for 6 new retail units and an apartment block. Plans were left un fulfilled until recently when demolition work has begun on the former pool and gym.