WHITEVALE BATHS
In an area that has experienced immense change during the building’s lifetime, Whitevale Baths has remained a focal point for the surrounding community for over a century. While the pool and baths are now sadly demolished, the category B-listed, red-brick facade still stands facing onto Whitevale Street, surrounded by a new housing development and emerging community. Glasgow Building Preservation Trust intends to support the regeneration effort of the remaining structure and help breathe new life into this East End landmark.
- Building End User: PEEK – Possibilities for Each and Every Kid
History
Whitevale Baths first opened its doors 1902 and featured separate women’s and men’s swimming pools, Turkish baths and a reading room. The building also provided a much-needed laundry with its ‘steamie’ wash-house and bathing facilities, including 42 slipper baths, to surrounding communities in the Gallowgate and neighbouring Camlachie. It was the second most popular baths in the city, with an average of 150,000 users per year. The building’s architectural merits were recognised in 1996 when Historic Environment Scotland granted listed status as Category ‘B’.
The swimming pools closed in 1978, followed by the washhouse and baths in 1986.The swimming pools closed in 1978, followed by the washhouse and baths in 1986. The building was reused as a venue for local youth clubs and job-seekers clubs for several years until it closed completely in 2004. Sadly, the pools were demolished in 2014/15. The eastern end of the Gallowgate has lost much of its original character, streetscape, and identity since the 1960s. However, Whitevale Baths has persisted, despite the cycles of demolition and renewal around it.
The Project
The Trust completed a feasibility study on the reuse of the building in 2022, which identified a viable future for the building as a resource for local communities and award-winning children’s charity Possibilities for Each & Every Kid (PEEK). The Trust is developing a project with PEEK which will transform the building to create new, welcoming accessible spaces offering places to gather, socialise and access services, activities, and resources.
PEEK is embedded in the community and was founded in the building 22 years ago. Owning its “forever home” will allow PEEK to create new opportunities and expand its existing programmes for children, young people and families whilst managing the building and links to partners and the community. We are grateful to Glasgow City Council for funding the feasibility study with Scottish Government Vacant & Derelict Land Fund.
Since 2022, we have attended local meetings and PEEK events to update on the project and have been developing funding proposals for Scottish Government Regeneration. In 2025, GBPT was awarded £15K from the Pilgrim Trust’s Preservation & Conservation grant towards the redevelopment of Whitevale Baths. The grant will go towards survey costs as part of the early development phase works.
