Ripon - Sink Or Swim?

Ripon Spa Baths was opened in 1905 by the youngest daughter of Queen Victoria. The beautiful building, which has been Grade II listed by English Heritage, has an Art Nouveau-style interior with glazed tiles and stained glass windows, and is still used as the community's swimming pool.

Now Harrogate Borough Council is planning to obtain the necessary planning consents and:

- Demolish Ripon Spa Baths.

- Sell the site for "luxury" housing.

- Provide a new pool with fewer facilities.

- Build on the children's playing fields at Camp Close.

With your help we can stop this plan and buy enough time to apply some vision and imagination to the future of our city.

Under the current proposals:

We will lose the Health Suite facilities in the Spa Baths. The new pool will not be deep enough to be used by sub-aqua divers or for water polo. It will be too small forcompetitions. Jobs may well be lost.

HBC will override the covenant under which the playing fields were given to the city, without consideration being given to other sites.

The Spa Baths will become a ‘Wild West’ façade and the public will lose access to what is left of the building. There will be added traffic to the already congested Firby Lane.

Ripon must attract visitors to thrive. A new pool-based sports facility would bring new visitors and revenue. Building a new pool provides an opportunity to give the Spa Baths a new lease of life in the community. The possibilities are numerous – community hall, arts centre, theatre, indoor market, health facility….

By signing this petition you will help win time to find funding for an adequate water sports centre on a better site. You will also help to keep Ripon Spa Baths as one of the city's most beautiful assets and attractions. Please sign!