Warrender Baths
{{Short description|Swimming center in Edinburgh, Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}
File:Warrender Baths, Edinburgh.JPG
Warrender Swim Centre – traditionally known as Warrender Baths – is a swimming pool and fitness complex that opened in 1887 in Marchmont, Edinburgh.{{cite web |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/retro/in-pictures-edinburghs-victorian-swimming-pools-and-where-to-find-them-3216358 |title=In pictures: Edinburgh's Victorian swimming pools and where to find them| publisher=Edinburgh Evening News |access-date=28 December 2022}}
It consists of a pool {{convert|25|yd}} in length, a sauna, and an assortment of fitness equipment. It is notable for its Victorian architecture with bright interior and its old-fashioned poolside changing facilities. The baths is a Category B listed building.{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB30607|desc=Warrender Baths including Boundary Walls and Entrance Piers, Thirlestane Road, Edinburgh|cat=B|access-date=27 March 2019}}
History
In 1886, some Edinburgh residents and members of the Bellahouston Private Baths Club, Glasgow, decided to build a swimming club in Edinburgh. Frank Y. Henderson therefore formed the Warrender Private Baths Club Limited which bought some land from Sir George Warrender, 6th Baronet,[http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst16889.html Gazetteer for Scotland - Warrender Swim Centre] Accessed 31 October 2011 and, using the local architect Robert Paterson, had the baths built. The original cost was £11,000 and the baths were opened on Saturday 17 December 1887 by Sir George.[http://www.swimwarrender.com/pages/43/Club_History.html Warrender Baths Club, History] Accessed 5 April 2010.Gilmore, J., editor (1990) "A Hundred Years of Warrender Baths Club 1888-1988" Warrender Baths Club, Edinburgh {{ISBN|0-9516787-0-1}}
Warrender Baths differed from many similar facilities in Edinburgh in that they were originally built privately with the emphasis on fitness and leisure. Many of the city's comparable swimming pools were part of a much wider scheme to build public baths to promote cleanliness and hygiene amongst the working classes, who did not have routine access at the time to sanitation. Warrender Baths also sported a billiard room and a reading room.
Initially the facilities were a success, but by 1906 were no longer viable and were closed. They were bought by the city for £3000, where they joined the city's portfolio of similar pools.
Periodically suffering further closure threats, they were refurbished in 2005 and in 2020{{Cite web|last=Maishman|first=Elsa|date=21 September 2020|title=£2.3 million upgrade planned for Warrender Baths|url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/whats-on/things-to-do/ps23-million-upgrade-planned-warrender-baths-2976951|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-23|website=Edinburgh Evening News|language=en}} and are now secure.
The baths are home to the Warrender Baths Club which is said to be the oldest, most famous and most successful swimming club in Scotland. David Wilkie the Olympic gold medallist swimmer,[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417055330/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wi/david-wilkie-1.html David Wilkie Biography] Accessed 5 April 2010 Ellen King and Keri-Anne PayneMagnay, Jacqueline (29 December 2012) [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9770763/Keri-Anne-Payne-considers-switching-to-the-pool-after-the-pain-of-fourth-at-London-Olympics.html Keri-Anne Payne considers switching to the pool after the pain of fourth at London Olympics] The Telegraph, Retrieved 24 January 2013 both silver Olympic medallists, bronze medal Olympic swimmers Paul Easter, Gordon Downie and Alan McClatchey, bronze Paralympic medal winners George Simpson and Sean Fraser{{cite web |url=http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/London-calling-as-Fraser-nets.4481126.jp |title=London calling as Fraser nets bronze in 100m clash |work=Edinburgh Evening News |date=11 September 2008 |accessdate=2013-05-22}} and Olympic finalist Jean McDowell swam and trained with Warrender Baths Club.
In November 2009, a swimming customer at Warrender Swim Centre was hit with glass due to a glazing fault, resulting in an injury to his arm and requiring the closure of the centre as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of customers.[http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinburgh/Pool-shut-after-glass-panel.5802126.jp Pool shut after glass panel falls on swimmer] 6 November 2009, Accessed 28 June 2010 The baths were opened again in June 2010.[http://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/list-115 The wait over - Warrender swimming pool is open again!] 21 June 2010, Accessed 28 June 2010
The baths were closed for refurbishment on 24 December 2020. The work involves updating the changing rooms, re-tiling the pool side, opening up the spectator area, installing air-cooling, adding a new sauna and general redecoration.{{cite news |last1=Swanson |first1=Ian |title=Edinburgh's Warrender baths to close for nine months for major refurbishment |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/environment/edinburghs-warrender-baths-to-close-for-nine-months-for-major-refurbishment-3064909 |access-date=13 April 2022 |work=Edinburgh Evening News |date=11 December 2020 |language=en}} The centre reopened to the public on Tuesday 23 May 2023.{{Cite web |title=Warrender Swim Centre - Pool, Gym and Classes - Edinburgh Leisure |url=https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/venues/warrender-swim-centre |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=www.edinburghleisure.co.uk}}
See also
- Edinburgh Royal Infirmary – one of the oldest swimming baths in Edinburgh was at the first purpose-built site of the hospital
- Drumsheugh Baths Club
References
- [http://living.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=181092006 Article in The Scotsman about Warrender Baths]
External links
- [https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/venues/warrender-swim-centre#joinus]
{{Culture and leisure facilities in Edinburgh}}
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Category:Sports venues in Edinburgh
Category:Swimming venues in Scotland
Category:Category B listed buildings in Edinburgh