Local charity, The Friends of Carlisle Victorian and Turkish Baths, have issued an update on their work to reopen the baths. 

The Turkish baths, which first opened in 1909, closed their doors on November 12, 2022 after executive members of the former Carlisle City Council voted to close them. This was despite growing usage and in the face of opposition from over 6,000 people who signed a petition to keep them open. 

Up until their closure Carlisle Turkish Baths were the last still operating in the North West and one of only 12 left in the UK from hundreds built during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Their uniqueness and their proximity to the new Southern Gateway entrance to Carlisle station is what gives the charity confidence that the Baths can reopen and operate sustainably as a community facility.

Alan Lindsay, who co-chairs the Charity's sustainability sub-committee, explained what the group has been doing to achieve this.

"Since the new Cumberland Council came into being, we have held a series of meetings with council officers to progress a potential community asset transfer, and are now at the point of agreeing draft heads of terms.

"This would mean the Baths would be leased to our Charity and would enable us to progress our vision of a new Wellbeing Centre with treatment rooms, a cafe bar, expanded aqua thermal facilities, and of course a fully restored Turkish Baths."

Grant funding from the Architectural Heritage Fund enabled the charity to undertake an initial viability study last year, the findings of which showed that the group's proposals to develop the building would enable the Baths to operate sustainably and without ongoing revenue funding from the local authority.

Chair and founder of the Friends, Julie Minns, said: "None of this is quick, but it is important. It took 25 years for the City Corporation to agree to build the Turkish Baths, and even then some councillors objected to the cost.

"Others argued that the Turkish Baths were important because 'The health of the people was the city's best asset'. I think that still holds true today."