Newcastle City Baths Saved After New Operator Confirmed

The future of one of Newcastle's most treasured historic landmarks has been secured after Newcastle City Council confirmed a new operator will take over the running of Newcastle City Baths and its famous Turkish Baths.

Greenwich Leisure Limited, better known as GLL and operating under the Better brand, officially assumed responsibility for the Grade II listed venue on Wednesday, July 1. The announcement ends months of uncertainty following the collapse of previous operator Fusion Lifestyle, which entered administration in April after experiencing financial difficulties across its national business.

For Newcastle residents, the decision provides reassurance that the much-loved city centre facility will remain open while protecting jobs, preserving its heritage and ensuring leisure services continue in the heart of the city despite Newcastle City Council being owed more than £6m by its former operator.

A positive new chapter for Newcastle.

Newcastle City Council said it had worked closely with administrators S&W to maintain operations while searching for a long-term solution. The appointment of GLL builds on an existing relationship, with the not-for-profit social enterprise already managing several leisure facilities across Newcastle.

Councillor Rob Austin, Cabinet Member for Culture and Communities, described the announcement as excellent news for members who had faced uncertainty in recent months. He said safeguarding the historic building had always been a priority and that GLL's experience managing hundreds of public leisure facilities made it the ideal choice for the future.

GLL says it plans to explore new opportunities to expand services while maintaining the building as a valuable community asset for people across Newcastle.

Historic landmark remains protected.

Originally opened in 1928, Newcastle City Baths has long been recognised as one of the city's most distinctive public buildings. Following years of campaigning by local residents and heritage supporters, the venue underwent a £7.5 million restoration before reopening in 2020.

Today, it is home to one of only 11 Victorian-style Turkish Baths still operating in the UK, making it a nationally significant heritage attraction as well as a popular leisure venue.

The restoration earned national recognition when the facility received the UK Pool and Spa Award in 2024.

Jobs protected and members reassured.

As part of the agreement, all existing employees will transfer to GLL under TUPE regulations, with no redundancies expected.

Representatives from the Newcastle City Baths User Group and Friends of the City Baths welcomed the announcement, saying they look forward to working with the new operator to improve accessibility, maintain high standards and ensure the historic venue continues serving future generations.

The council also hopes the new operating agreement will generate future income while protecting one of Newcastle's most recognisable public buildings.

Why public leisure facilities matter.

The announcement comes at a time when public leisure centres are becoming increasingly important across England.

According to Sport England, 64.6 percent of adults now achieve the recommended 150 minutes of physical activity each week, the highest level recorded by the Active Lives Survey.

Swimming participation is also recovering strongly. Nearly 4.2 million adults swam at least twice each month between November 2022 and November 2023, an increase of more than 400,000 people compared with the previous year.

Sport England has also reported that visits to public leisure centres increased by 5 percent during 2023-24, generating an estimated £890 million in social value through improved health, wellbeing and community engagement.

For Newcastle, preserving City Baths is about much more than keeping a swimming pool open. It protects a unique piece of the city's history while ensuring local people continue to benefit from accessible health and wellbeing facilities for years to come.

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