Sell-off plan pulls the plug on historic swimming pool

historic swimming baths in Leith are to be sold by the city council after lack of maintenance left the roof in a dangerous condition.

Dr Bell's swimming pool is part of a former school built with a 10,000 endowment from educationalist Dr Andrew Bell.

In 2006 much of the school building was converted into flats and a family centre by Port of Leith Housing Association. The pool building was retained by the council, and was used for swimming classes by seven local primary schools, two private swimming class firms and a community group.

However, it had to be closed in June 2009 when the council discovered that the fittings on the skylights above the pool had deteriorated so badly they could fall into the water.

Now, with the cost of ceiling repairs standing at 47,000 and a further 150,000 of work needed on the building over the next five years, the council has decided it cannot afford to keep it on and is advertising it for sale to developers.

Among the problems with the building are steelwork corrosion, leaks from the pool, poor condition of the decoration and poor disabled access.

It is Grade-B listed, but the council says it would consider applications for extension and conversion of the building to different uses including retail, food and drink, office or leisure.

Stanwell Nursery, which occupies part of the former school building, will be unaffected by the sale.

The school classes that once used the pool have all been moved to Abbeyhill Primary School pool, and the other groups have also been relocated to other pools in the Capital.

However, Leith councillor Gordon Munro said he was sad to see the landmark pass out of public ownership. He said: "It's a real shame that we haven't been able to give this building the care and attention it has needed over the years.

"Its loss will be keenly felt by people in Leith and beyond. Thousands of Leithers have learned to swim in Dr Bell's Baths. I suspect that some folk will shed a tear at its loss."

His thoughts were echoed by chairman of the Leith Local History Society, Jim Tweedie, who said: "Generations of kids learned to swim there, it was always Dr Bell's. It will be a loss, I'm sad to see it go, although I don't think it's a fighting issue."

A city council spokesman said: "The former Dr Bell's is a stunning example of Victorian architecture, which we hope can be brought back into use as soon as possible."

Dr Bell served at a military school and orphanage in Indian and founded the Madras schooling movement, in which clever older pupils tutored younger students. By the time of his death in 1832, more than 10,000 schools were using his methods.

He endowed the school with 10,000 in 1831 but it was not completed for another eight years. The pool was added in 1896.