Edinburgh's Warrender baths to close for nine months for major refurbishment

The Victorian Warrender swim centre, home to the Warrender Baths Club - said to be Scotland’s oldest, most famous and most successful swimming club - will be shut for nine months, due to reopen in September 2021.

With a 25-yard pool, sauna and a 20-station gym, Warrender, in the heart of Bruntsfield, retains many of its original features but also has the modern facilities required for an active, healthy life.

The revamp will see the swim centre redecorated throughout, including updating of the changing rooms, both wet and dry, and retiling of the poolside. The spectating area will be opened up, air-cooling will be added and a new sauna installed.

During the refurbishment, customers will have their memberships upgraded to enable them to use any of the 50-plus other Edinburgh Leisure venues across the city, so they can continue to keep active.

Stephanie Kelly, leisure manager at Warrender, said: ‘Edinburgh Leisure is unique in having five B-listed Victorian pools in our portfolio but from time to time, these historic venues need some ‘tlc’.

"At 133 years, the investment will future-proof the building so that customers can continue to enjoy its facilities for many years to come, as they have done for previous generations. We will, however, still maintain certain characteristics of Warrender Baths to ensure they keep their charm, which is so loved by the people of Bruntsfield, Marchmont and, indeed Edinburgh.”

Leith Victoria and at Dalry swim centres have recently undergone similar refurbishments.

Other changes will include new easy for customers with the simple swipe of their membership card or fob and new air handling throughout the building including the gym.There will also ne maintenance work carried out on the sandstone structure and roof, both in keeping with the building’s listing, and upgrades to the mechanical and electrical works, including improvements to the ventilation system, new lighting and installation of venue draining and a new pool plant, which will ensure the building is more energy efficient.

Edinburgh Leisure said customers had been informed of the impending renovations and updates on every stage would be posted on its social media channels and website during the closure. .