Health Hydro Welcomes Back Swimmers and Fitness Enthusiasts

Young swimmers made a splash this bright and early morning (19 Jan) as they became the first people to take a dip in the Health Hydro pool following its recent refurbishment.

Swindon ASC, the oldest swim club in Swindon and one of the first to originally swim at the pool, returned to the facility for the first swim since the first phase of refurbishment was completed.

Later in the morning, representatives from Swindon Borough Council, Better, Swindon Heritage Preservation Trust and other organisations visited the Grade II*-listed building for a small ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the reopening.

Since its closure in 2023, more than £8.5m has been spent on the first phase of restoring the historic Milton Road baths as contractor Beard improved the environmental aspects of the building (new insulation, new walls) as well as creating a new entrance, gym space and changing rooms.

Behind the scenes, new plant equipment has also been installed to ensure the building will be able to run efficiently in the future.

As is common with projects in Grade II* listed buildings, detailed early investigations highlighted challenges that required careful redesign to protect the Health Hydro’s heritage. The extensive safe removal of asbestos was also completed, ensuring the building is ready for future phases of restoration and continued community use.

Funding for the first phase has included grants from Historic England, money from the Government’s Towns Fund, Section 106 funding from developers and investment from the Council.

Councillor Marina Strinkovsky, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Placemaking and Planning, said: “It’s fantastic that the Health Hydro has reopened and it’s great to see swimmers already making their way back to the pool.

“Generations of Swindonians have grown up learning to swim at this historic building and I’m really pleased that this will continue in the years to come.

“The new gym looks great and the fact that getting to the pool is all on one level is a big improvement when enhancing the accessibility of the facility.

“There’s still more work to be done and I look forward to seeing the next phase of regeneration get underway in the future.”

Peter Bundey, Better’s Chief Executive Officer added: “Today’s reopening marks the first step of an exciting new chapter for the Health Hydro. We’re delighted that new plant and equipment means that the pool water and hall will now be much warmer than before, while new changing rooms and a gym packed with the latest Technogym equipment means that visitors will be able to enjoy a state-of-the-art facility within an historic setting.”

Now that the Victorian-era facility has reopened, visitors will be able to enjoy a wide range of activities and classes ranging from swimming lessons to group exercise sessions. There are a wide range of membership options available, including concessionary rates. Swindon Resident

Card holders will benefit from discounted access, while non-members will also be welcome and able to book ‘one off’ sessions via the ‘pay and play’ option on the Better website.

David Leoard, Head Coach at Swindon ASC, said: “The health hydro is not only an iconic pool in Swindon, it offers something unique that other local pools don’t – a longer distance to train over, which will particularly benefit our competitive swimmers.

“It feels fitting that we’re going to be the first club to train at the pool when it reopens, as Swindon ASC, the oldest swimming club in the town and the third oldest in the whole country, first trained at the pool on the day it very first opened in 1892.

“Both our swimmers and our volunteer coaches are equally excited to see the outcome of the refurbishment first hand. Whilst for some of our current club members it’s a return to a much-loved heritage pool, for some of our newer and younger swimmers the re-opening will mark their first taste of swimming at Milton Road.

“Being able to get back in the water at the Health Hydro is really important to the club. Not only does it mean our competitive swimmers can increase the frequency and duration of their training, something that will benefit them when they represent the town on a regional and national level, it also means the club has capacity to welcome new members whether that’s to try competitive swimming or simply to build swimming fitness and confidence within a friendly and welcoming environment.”

Future phases of restoration are planned. The Council has recently received planning approval and listed building consent for a second phase of works focused on the main pool hall, including improvements to the ventilation, accessibility and environmental performance, alongside further conservation of the building.

Although funding for this has yet to be secured, the Council is working hard to identify funding options.