Restoration - The Story So Far

We have been working to save Victoria Baths ever since it closed in 1993. Even having won £3.5million through BBC’s Restoration series, there are many stages which we have to go through before work can actually start. Here you can see these stages and how we are progressing.

LATEST NEWS - May 2008

Work finally started on Restoration Phase 1 in March 2007. The project has progressed well and we are now in the last few months of the contract. We expect to be allowed back into the front block of the building in August. It has taken us a long time to get to this stage and there is still a long way to go before we can actually use the original facilities of Victoria Baths - the swimming pool and Turkish Baths. Below is a summary of the many stages we have had to go through:

Stage 1 The community campaign

Ever since the building closed, local people have been campaigning to save Victoria Baths and return it to public use. The Friends of Victoria Baths and the Victoria Baths Trust were both established by local residents with the aim of re-opening at least one of the swimming pools and the Turkish Baths for everyone to use. You can help support the campaign to save this building by joining the Friends. THE CAMPAIGN IS ONGOING

Stage 2 The Restoration win

In SEPTEMBER 2003 Victoria Baths captured the hearts of hundreds of thousands of people throughout the UK and won the BBC’s landmark series Restoration. Victoria Baths received a massive 282,018 votes. As a result of the win, the Heritage Lottery Fund earmarked £3million and the BBC’s Restoration Fund raised nearly £500,000 for the restoration of the Turkish Baths at Victoria Baths. Since this time English Heritage have awared a grant of £450,000 towards the first phase of restoration.

For a personal account of the Restoration Final visit BBC My Manchester

Stage 3 Project planning work

All through 2004 work was carried out to prepare for the restoration of Victoria Baths and in particular the Turkish Baths. A team of 12, led by architects Austin-Smith:Lord, produced:

• a detailed condition survey
• a conservation plan
• a measured survey
• Turkish Baths plans
• an enveloping repair scheme
• a cost report
• a market study on the options for the full building

For more details of the highlighted plans follow the links. THIS WORK WAS COMPLETED IN 2004.

Stage 4 Approval of plans

Before funding is released all the plans for Victoria Baths had to be approved by:

• The Heritage Lottery Fund
major funders of the restoration
• English Heritage
who advise on listed building consent
• Manchester City Council
as building owners and the planning authority
• The Restoration Fund
who oversee the Restoration prize money

All these bodies have contributed to the project planning work. Our plans received the final approved in SEPTEMBER 2005.

The Victoria Baths Trust has also consulted with the public on its plans for the building, at Open Days at the Baths and through this website.

Stage 5 Appointment of design team and contractor

The final design contract and the building contract for the restoration of Victoria Baths have to be advertised openly. This is a requirement of the major funders and ensures that the best value is obtained. The tenders will be assessed on both quality and price. We will be appointing the design team in October/November 2005 and the contractor in 2006.

THE DESIGN TEAM WERE APPOINTED IN FEBRUARY 2006 AND THE CONTRACTOR IN APRIL 2006

Stage 6 Start of restoration

We expected the restoration to begin in October 2006.

THE CONTRACTOR WAS ON SITE CARRYING OUT INVESTIGATIVE AND TRIAL WORK IN JUNE AND JULY 2006 AND STARTED RESTORATION PHASE 1 ON 19TH MARCH 2007

Stage 7 Full building scheme

The restoration of the Turkish Baths must be a successful part of a scheme for the whole building that is financially sustainable for years to come. Work is now proceeding to develop plans for the restoration of the full site at Victoria Baths. We expect this to include a mixture of uses for different parts of the building. We are advertising for development partners to work on the overall restoration of the site.

A SHORT-LIST OF PROSPECTIVE DEVELOPERS WERE INTERVIEWED IN DECEMBER 2006. ARTISAN SHIP CANAL DEVELOPMENTS HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO TAKE FORWARD THE FULL RESTORATION OF THE BUILDING. THEY ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THEIR PROPOSALS.

Stage 8 Raising the money and completing the restoration

The overall restoration of Victoria Baths will cost around £20million. On top of the £4m which has already been raised, we expect the remainder of the money to come from both private and public sources. We are very keen for the public to remain directly involved in the restoration of Victoria Baths, and its future operation and invite you to join the Friends, make a donation or become a Restoration Supporter.