Govanhill Baths

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Govanhill Baths is a historic Edwardian public bathhouse in Glasgow. It is a Grade B listed building at 99 Calder Street, Govanhill, designed by A.B. McDonald and opened between 1912 and 1917. External refurbishment was finished in 2023. The building is currently closed for refurbishment and a reopening date hasn’t been announced yet.

Govanhill Baths Community Trust (GBCT) runs an office at 126 Calder Street, just across from the baths.

The campaign to save the baths began in 2001. There was an occupation of the building from 17 March to 7 August 2001—the longest occupation of a public building in British history. The baths are Glasgow’s last surviving Edwardian public bathhouse.

Inside, the building had hot baths on the upper floor and three pools on the ground floor. One pool had a seating gallery around it for events like galas. The wash house at the back became a launderette in 1971.

The foundation stone was laid on 3 July 1914 by Sir Daniel Macaulay Stevenson, the Lord Provost of Glasgow. In the early years, the baths provided clothes-washing facilities for local people because many homes lacked such amenities, and most had no bathing facilities.

There was a local rumor that the baths were used as a temporary mortuary during World War II. The 2001 closure was announced by Glasgow City Council, which said the baths had too little use and were too costly to refurbish. The campaign to save them continued with protests and support from the community.

GBCT was formed in 2005. Since then, it has campaigned to reopen the baths as a Wellbeing Centre, helped by external funding and subscriptions. The trust runs community well-being projects and publishes a newsletter.

Even while closed, the site has hosted events to raise awareness, including theatre, music, art, and a skate park. In 2012, the smallest pool was reopened for a National Theatre of Scotland production Lifeguard. A three-step plan proposed adding Turkish and sauna suites, an allotment, a community café, and a music venue, with tests to check the pool’s viability.

The baths have hosted other events, such as the Big Huge Poetry Splash in 2012 and a marriage ceremony in 2013. Artists have exhibited there, including Anthea Hamilton and Nicholas Byrne in 2014 as part of Glasgow International. In 2019, portraits were created for the Govanhill Women’s Suffrage Project. GBCT was featured in OURS, a film about community land ownership, which premiered on 21 March 2021 as part of Occupy! Occupy! Occupy!, celebrating 20 years of the occupation.

External refurbishment was completed in 2023. The Baths remain closed for refurbishment while plans for reopening are developed. GBCT continues health and wellness work and runs several programs, including the People’s Pantry, The Deep End arts space, and Govanhill Youth Club.