A call has been put out for someone to take on the restoration of the historic Jacobs Wells Baths. In a blog post, Councillor Craig Cheney said interested parties have until May 2 to send an outline of viable proposals to the council.
In January, leisure group Fusion withdrew from the project to restore it as a leisure, dance, arts and community centre, which saw the local community campaigning to save the building. It was last used as a dance studio and will require extensive work, with the dancefloor having rotted and the roof needing repairs.
Coun Cheney said in his post: “We shared the disappointment of local people, as it has always been our ambition to see this Grade II-listed building, first opened in 1889, and asset of community value restored to its former glory and back in active use.” He said the property was removed from the list of other council-owned properties which will be sold on the open market, as consideration was given as to the next steps for the building.
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“In the meantime, we have received some initial expressions of interest from a few parties, sharing their ideas for the future of the site on Jacobs Wells Road. Having considered their submissions with the property team and the mayor’s office, including the beginnings of funding plans, and after visiting the site, we have decided to open up a public expressions of interest process to formally select a preferred bidder to transform the former baths,” he said.
The Saving Jacobs Wells Baths campaign will host a meeting on Wednesday, March 22, from 10am to 11am at the Bristol Beacon (Terrace Bar), while a new community movement called The Bristol Commons is being launched to protect Bristol’s community assets with its launch event to be held on Tuesday, March 28, from 9.30am to 5pm at The Trinity Centre.
The Bristol Commons is a new initiative from Coexist, the group that started Hamilton House and transformed it into a vibrant community hub. After leaving Hamilton House, Coexist has been supporting community organisations across Bristol. The new initiative's goal is to bring individuals and organisations together to share resources, plan strategically using collaborative approaches rather than being in competition, and proactively work together to safeguard community assets.
The Jacob's Wells building was used as a community and dance hub for over 30 years until it was closed in 2016. A rosewood spring floor had been installed over the old swimming pool, but prior to that the baths were used until the 1970s.
Organisations have until 9am on Tuesday May 2 to submit a proposal outline. These will be scored out of 60 by the Community Asset Transfer Board using the following criteria:
Track record of managing community assets and understanding of all legislation applicable to managing the building (10);
Financial viability of the proposal: capital, future revenue streams, running costs (10);
Ability to preserve and restore a prominent, historic, listed building (10);
Clear vision for the building (5);
Range and level of local community and social benefits (5);
Ability to engage the diverse communities that make up Bristol (5);
Ability to make a significant contribution to the arts, culture and leisure offer in Bristol (5);
Capacity and capability to manage the asset to a high standard (5);
Track record and commitment to working in partnership (5).
To submit an expression of interest, ask to visit the site or enquire for further information, email here.
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