Reopening Cleveland Pools
Swimming is at the heart of the future we’re working towards
Our aim is to bring the Pools back into use as an outdoor swimming pool and a welcoming community place that can thrive for generations. That means pairing repairs with a resilient operating model that fits the site’s scale, access and riverside setting.
This is an emerging direction, not a finished plan. Community input will be considered alongside the technical, financial and planning work needed to make the future deliverable.
What we’ve learned so far
Early conversations and consultation have been strikingly consistent.
People want to swim - The clearest message is that people want the Pools repaired and reopened, with a useful season and different ways to enjoy the water.
Community and access matter - People want a place rooted in Bath and open to a wider community. Price, transport, booking, physical access and whether people feel the Pools are “for them” all matter.
A broader offer can support swimming - There is appetite for refreshments, wellbeing, community activity, learning, heritage and nature — as complements to swimming, not replacements for it.
It has to work for the long term - Reliable operation and financial sustainability matter, while overcrowding, traffic, noise, neighbour impact and the site’s physical limits must shape the plan.
Our emerging vision
A historic riverside pool, reopened for swimming and brought to life as a welcoming place for community, wellbeing, heritage and nature – operated in a way that is resilient, affordable and built to last.
Swimming - Outdoor swimming at the centre of the experience, with an offer shaped around different people and seasons.
Welcome and access - A place that actively removes financial, physical, practical and social barriers to taking part.
Community - Space for local connection, families, schools, groups, volunteering and partnerships.
Wellbeing - Movement, recovery and simple ways to spend time by the water, whether or not every visit includes a swim.
Heritage and nature - The story of the Pools and their riverside landscape made visible, useful and relevant.
Resilient operation - A practical model that can withstand future challenges and care for the site properly.
What could a day at the Pools feel like?
This is a prompt for conversation, not a blueprint: swimming at the centre of a fuller experience of community, movement, learning, relaxation, wellbeing, nature and events.
The final mix of uses will depend on consultation, feasibility, cost and the physical limits of the site.
Where We Are Now
We’re currently in the first stage – listening to communities across Bath and eyond to understand what matters and to help shape the next chapter.
1. LISTEN - Hear from our community - We are currently here
2. SHAPE - Develop options together
3. PREPARE - Build the plans and partnerships
4. REOPEN - Bring Cleveland Pools back to life
Complete the work, bring the Pools back into use responsibly, and keep learning as the offer develops.
How the plan will be shaped
We will combine community evidence with technical advice, costs, planning requirements, resilience and operational realities. As options become clearer, we will explain the trade-offs and show how feedback has influenced the plan.
Shape it with us - Tell us what matters to you, what could make the Pools work better and what would make you want to visit, stay and return.