Ripon City Council is to consider bidding to buy the city’s Spa Baths as part of the campaign to keep the building in community use.
Harrogate Borough Council plans to sell the Grade II listed building when Ripon’s new pool opens at the end of the year.
It has identified an unnamed preferred buyer but last month’s decision to list the 116-year-old building as an asset of community value has put any sale on hold to give the community chance to raise funds to launch a bid.
Ripon City Council is now taking the first steps towards pursuing that option after taking part in an initial meeting with the preferred bidder.
At Monday’s full city council meeting, leader Andrew Williams said:
“We had a constructive discussion with the bidder and will continue to work with them and look at any proposals they have for community uses as part of redevelopment of the site.
“However, to ensure that we keep our options open, following Harrogate Borough Council’s agreement to list the building as an asset of community value, we need to take the process to the next stage.”
Ripon City Council is to request to be treated as a potential bidder.
Councillors agreed to a motion put forward by Cllr Williams to “submit a written request to Harrogate Borough Council to request to be treated as a potential bidder under the provisions of the Localism Act”.
Councillor Stuart Martin, who seconded the motion, was among the councillors who attended the meeting with the preferred bidder. He said:
“We will continue to talk with the bidder, but must take every step to secure Ripon City Council’s position, without putting unnecessary obstacles to further discussions in the way.”
Housing fears
The future of the Edwardian building has been uncertain since owner Harrogate Borough Council put it on the market in February, saying it would be surplus to requirements when Ripon’s new multi-million swimming pool opens.
This sparked fears the baths could be sold for housing.
The campaign to retain it for community use, led by Ripon City Council and Ripon Civic Society, received a boost last month when the building was designated an asset of community value.
The baths were converted from a spa to a public swimming pool in 1936 and has the distinction of being the only English spa to be opened by a member of the royal family.
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Display focuses on Ripon’s Spa Quarter regeneration
An exhibition organised by Ripon Civic Society (RCS) emphasises the importance of the Spa Quarter to the city’s heritage and future regeneration.
The outdoor display panels at Spa Baths, the adjacent gardens, Spa Park and close to the Spa Hotel, will remain in place for the rest of the summer.
Richard Taylor, vice-chair of RCS, told the Stray Ferret that the panels are:
“Designed to spark interest in this important area of Ripon at a time of change in store for the Spa Baths and Spa Hotel.”
The baths , a Grade II listed building, were put up for sale by Harrogate Borough Council in February and are being marketed by property agents Sanderson Weatherall.
In June, after being closed for 16 months since the first covid lockdown, the 40-bedroom Spa Hotel was sold by the Hutchinson family to The Inn Collection Group, which has plans to refurbish and reopen.
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At the time of its royal opening in 1905, the ornate spa building, was launched as a health resort.
However, its attempt to rival Harrogate’s famous spa facilities, did not materialise and it was converted to a public swimming pool in 1936.
With Ripon’s new £10million plus pool and refurbished leisure centre, scheduled by HBC to open within three months, the future use of the Edwardian Spa building remains in doubt.
At the time that Sanderson Weatherall’s sale boards went up, RCS pointed out that the Ripon Neighbourhood Plan identified the baths as ‘an important and accessible location for Ripon’s NHS facilities.’
The Stray Ferret understands that the NHS has no interest in the site. Ripon City Council has subsequently applied to HBC to have the spa building designated as an asset of community value.
The final panel in the display, raises the question ‘what does the future hold?’
The sixth panel in the society’s Spa Quarter sequence, says:
“As the baths site is nationally recognised as a listed building, the expectation is that it will remain.
“But what use or uses would be best for it?”