The Building Today
The historic exterior of Woolton Baths after more than a decade without public swimming.
Community-led restoration campaign for the historic Grade II listed Woolton Baths.
Woolton · Liverpool
16 years closed.It's time to bring Woolton Baths back.
We are building a community-led plan to secure the historic Grade II listed Woolton Baths through a Long Term Lease from Liverpool City Council, restore it in achievable phases and return this important building to active community use.
Grade II listedClosed since 2010Community-led
Our mission
Protect the building. Reopen the doors. Bring back the water.
Our Proposal
Charity ownership Community led with a practical restoration plan.
Woolton Baths has been closed to the public since 2010. Our aim is not simply to campaign for somebody else to save it. We want to create a viable community organisation capable of taking responsibility for the building and bringing it back into use.
We intend to seek a Long Term Lease from Liverpool City Council and Establish an appropriate community-focused social-enterprise structure.
Rather than attempting to fund every element of the restoration at once, the project is designed around a phased programme. The building can first be protected, then progressively reopened and used to generate revenue while the expensive swimming-pool infrastructure is restored.
Woolton Baths Today
This is the building we want to save.
These photographs document the current condition of Woolton Baths. They are also the starting point for the restoration vision we want the community to help deliver.
The Pool Hall
The heart of the building and the space we ultimately want to return to community swimming.
Inside Woolton Baths
Years of closure have left a significant restoration challenge, but also an opportunity to preserve something irreplaceable.
Our Vision
Not just what Woolton Baths was.What it could become again.
Our concept imagery helps communicate the direction of the campaign: restore the building's character, reopen it to the community and ultimately return the pool to active use.
A Restored Entrance
A welcoming historic community facility brought back into active use.
Swimming Returns
Our long-term ambition is simple: bring the water, swimmers and community life back.
More Than a Swimming Pool
Community events and suitable dry uses can help the building generate income during its phased restoration.
Concept visualisations: Proposed restoration imagery is illustrative and is intended to communicate the campaign's vision. Final designs will be subject to professional surveys, heritage requirements, statutory approvals, technical specifications and consultation.
The Restoration Roadmap
Five phases. One clear destination.
Bringing Woolton Baths back cannot happen overnight. Our plan breaks a significant heritage restoration into practical, achievable stages.
01
Secure & Protect
First PrioritySurveys, roof repairs and weatherproofing
The first priority is protecting the building. We intend to commission appropriate structural and heritage surveys, assess the roof structure and complete the essential repairs required to make Woolton Baths secure and weatherproof.
02
Open the Doors
Temporary community use and early revenue
Once the building is safe and suitable for limited occupation, we plan to introduce appropriate temporary community uses, events and activities. This creates a route to generating early income while the wider restoration continues.
03
Restore the Facilities
Reception, changing rooms and internal spaces
The next phase focuses on the areas people will use every day: reception, changing facilities, toilets and supporting internal spaces, restoring them sympathetically for modern community use.
04
Rebuild the Infrastructure
Plant room, heating, filtration and services
Swimming pools depend on major mechanical and electrical infrastructure. We intend to rebuild the plant room and install suitable pumps, filtration, heating, controls and building services in a cost-conscious phased programme.
05
Bring Back the Water
Pool restoration, commissioning and reopening
The final major phase is the restoration of the pool basin and associated systems, followed by testing, commissioning and the moment the campaign is ultimately working towards: swimming returning to Woolton Baths.
Trade Led · Community Powered
We want to build differently.
A major part of the proposal is to build a coalition of skilled local tradespeople and professionals prepared to contribute labour, experience, advice or materials to the restoration.
By combining professional volunteer support with supplier partnerships, donated materials, recovered equipment and carefully targeted fundraising, we believe the project can reduce the cost of restoration dramatically compared with a conventional fully outsourced programme.
Any projected savings remain estimates until detailed surveys, specifications and cost plans are complete. The principle, however, is straightforward: use the skills already present within our community.
Local residents and community supporters
Plumbers, electricians and mechanical trades
Roofers, builders, plasterers and joiners
Structural and heritage professionals
Pool engineers and leisure-sector specialists
Materials manufacturers and suppliers
Businesses and corporate sponsors
Universities, colleges and student programmes
Phase 2
The Dry Reopening
Restoring the swimming pool infrastructure is likely to be one of the most expensive stages. Our proposal therefore considers suitable temporary community uses before the water returns.
The building should not need to stay closed while every phase is funded.
Once safely weatherproofed and suitable for occupation, parts of Woolton Baths could potentially support community events, activities and other appropriate temporary uses, subject to the necessary approvals.
This allows the building to start serving Woolton again while also creating an early revenue stream. The intention is for income generated by the project to be reinvested into the next stages of restoration, particularly the costly mechanical plant required to operate the swimming pool.
Initial Funding Estimate
Approx. £125,000
Our current working estimate for the first major stage of protecting and weatherproofing Woolton Baths.
Protect the building first
Our first crowdfunding campaign will focus on Phase 1.
We are preparing a city-wide crowdfunding campaign around an initial working estimate of approximately £125,000. This is not a confirmed final funding requirement, and this first funding round is not intended to pay for the entire restoration.
The final amount will be confirmed and announced once the necessary building surveys, structural assessments and professional reports have been completed. In the meantime, we are actively working to reduce the amount of funding required through donated materials, equipment, professional services and other in-kind support.
Roof materialsTimberSlateLime mortarStructural works
View Crowdfunding PageLong-Term Lease
A long-term future for Woolton Baths.
We intend to seek a Long Term Lease arrangement with Liverpool City Council that enables an appropriate community-focused organisation to take responsibility for the building and its restoration.
Secure a long-term Long Term Lease arrangement.
Establish an appropriate community-focused social-enterprise structure.
Protect the future use and community benefit of the building.
Reinvest operating revenue into restoration and long-term sustainability.
Work with elected representatives, professionals, suppliers and residents.
Campaign status: Discussions with Liverpool City Council are ongoing regarding the future of Woolton Baths and the most appropriate route for Future of Woolton to secure and operate the building. Detailed restoration and operational proposals continue to be developed, but no tenure arrangement or formal approval has yet been agreed.
Get Involved
You don't have to donate money to help save Woolton Baths.
Support can mean giving your time, professional skills, materials, equipment, advice, sponsorship, funding or simply adding your voice to the campaign.
Register Your Support
Volunteer, pledge professional labour, offer materials, discuss sponsorship or funding, provide technical advice or simply tell us that you support bringing Woolton Baths back.
Support the campaignCrowdfunding Coming Soon
Our Phase 1 crowdfunding campaign is being prepared around an initial estimate of approximately £125,000. The final funding requirement will be confirmed once the necessary surveys and professional reports have been completed.
View campaign informationProtect it. Restore it.Bring the water back.
Woolton Baths has already spent 16 years behind closed doors. We believe a community-led, trade-powered restoration can give this historic building a future.
Join Save Woolton BathsThis means no campaign donations or community fundraising money are being spent on building or hosting this website. Every pound raised can go towards helping restore Woolton Baths.