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04
Feb
Harrogate’s Turkish Baths bids to turn jacuzzi room into laundry area
Harrogate’s well-known Turkish Baths is seeking approval to convert a redundant jacuzzi room into a laundry area.
North Yorkshire Council, which owns the grade two-listed Victorian Baths, has submitted a listed building consent application to itself to make internal alterations to the room at the rear of the building.
According to planning documents, The Turkish Baths currently relies on external laundry services, which “incurs significant ongoing costs” due to the volume of towels and linen generated at the site.
The council believes an in-house laundry service would reduce costs and “improve day-to-day efficiency”.
It proposes to convert an unused jacuzzi room into the laundry area, which would include commercial washing machines and dryers, large laundry carts, a washer-dryer and shelving units.
The plans say:
As the Royal Baths is a Grade II listed building with inherently high running and maintenance costs, creating an on site laundry represents a practical and sustainable measure that supports the long-term viability of the Royal Turkish Baths. The ability to manage laundry internally will streamline operations, reduce reliance on external contractors, and provide a more resilient service for the spa.
A layout of the proposed laundry room.
The former jacuzzi room, which is currently used for storage.
As part of the project, the council seeks approval to remove the existing jacuzzi, shower, a bench and sauna fittings. It would then infill the jacuzzi area with a beam and block flooring, with tiles matching the existing flooring to finish.
Planning documents add:
New 1.1 m high internal partitions are introduced to discreetly enclose and protect the ornamental wall features while accommodating necessary cabling and services. A ceiling mounted heat detector will be installed, and additional wall mounted lighting will be provided to ensure suitable illumination for the new use.
The installation of laundry equipment and associated ventilation is arranged to minimise visual impact, with ductwork routed through the existing corridor ceiling void.
Plans add the proposal is “modest, largely reversible and focused on upgrading essential services within an underused space”.
The council believes it is “balanced and appropriate”, and will help deliver “clear operational benefits within minimal impact on the historic fabric”.
The authority will issue a verdict on the plans at a later date.
Royal Baths
The Turkish Baths, Britain’s oldest operation of its kind, is part of the council-owned Royal Baths complex.
Dubbed the authority’s “under-performing trophy asset”, the grade two-listed Victorian building was supposed to bolster the council’s commercial investment portfolio.
Instead, it has been dogged by poor investment returns and vacant units, and remains a thorn in the council's side eight years after buying it.
The former Viper Rooms unit, which the council repossessed from operator Paul Kinsey in December 2022, remains vacant despite the council previously suggesting new life was imminent.
But the prospect of a new tenant seems distant, as the former Viper Rooms unit is still being advertised as 'To Let' by agent Savills, with a £150,000 asking rental price.
To make matters worse, the unit formerly occupied by The Wicked Wolf – which was one of a flurry of new venues that opened in Harrogate in late 2024 – has remained empty since operations ground to a halt last April.
In addition, Harrogate’s Tourist Information Centre on Crescent Road shut its doors in February 2024 before it relocated to the nearby Royal Pump Room Museum.
It has stood empty since and is still listed as 'To Let' on LoopNet.
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