A DRAMATIC meeting of the city council took place this week, the fate of Carlisle’s Turkish Baths was discussed in detail, bringing protests, cheers and impassioned speeches.

Friends of Carlisle’s Victorian and Turkish Baths attended the Civic Centre on Tuesday for the last meeting of Carlisle City Council before the election.

Volunteers were daubed in bathrobes and shower caps, they lobbied the city council to save their beloved heritage asset.

The Turkish Health Suite on James Street is currently set to close in September when the adjacent 1970s pool building is demolished, facilitating the expansion of Carlisle’s railway station.

Once the redevelopment of Carlisle’s Sands Centre is complete, the venue will become the new home of the city’s swimming provision, leaving the baths without an operator.

Leader of the campaign group, Julie Minns spoke at the meeting calling on the council to give certainty on the fate of Carlisle’s Turkish Baths.

She said: “It is now clear that the long-term future of the baths will be decided by Cumberland Council and we aim to inform their decision with our viability study on developing James Street Baths as a centre for health and wellbeing.”

“But there is one decision the new authority cannot take, and that is to keep the Turkish Baths open after the new pools become operational.”

In response to the group’s recommendations, the city council leadership proposed a number of recommendations which were agreed by members cross-party.

The recommendations include that GLL continues to work with campaigners on interior refurbishments to the baths; that city council covers utility costs after GLL staff leave and that progress on the railway station redevelopment is monitored.

If there are any delays to the train station development, the council will work with the friends to consider if the Turkish Baths can continue operating in the meantime.

Culture, Heritage and Leisure Portfolio Holder Stephen Higgs told the council that more detail is needed on the Cumbria County Council led refurbishment works at Carlisle Railway Station before the city can know more about the baths’ future.

Uncertainty around the future of the health and wellbeing facility has become a point of political gamesmanship for both sides.

Opposition groups put pressure on the leadership to commit to the future of the baths, Labour’s Ruth Alcroft said “I appreciate there must be caveats to this, we can never fully know what will happen, however, you are the executive. I would like to see fewer ‘if, if, ifs’ and more ‘we will.’”

Former leader of the council Colin Glover said: “There is a tremendous amount of opportunity there, some of the things that have been built in to the vision that has been developing, it will add things to this city. It could be, not just heritage, it would support health and wellbeing in the city.

“Let’s not just throw it away or pretend it’s not going to be our problem anymore because the new council will take it over. This council can take the decision to keep the Turkish Baths open.

“There is nothing to stop that happening. So let’s serve people, it’s not very often we get huge representation in our council chamber or scrutiny meetings. We were elected to serve we weren’t elected to govern, let’s make sure we serve people who have come to us with a clear request and a clear reason to do it.”

Green Party councillor for Belah and Kingmoor Helen Davison said: “What I’d really like for the executive to commit to tonight is to work to do what the group have asked this evening and work to look to keep it open at the point that the Sands Centre opens and GLL’s contract as it stands moves over there.

“The minute that the facility closes, the risk is it starts to deteriorate.”

But leader of the city council John Mallinson said: “It sounds to me as though this debate tonight is circling around and everybody’s getting agitated about it and actually, we all want the same thing.

“I’m really pleased that Cllr Glover is now so supportive. We’ve had a look to try and find anything that was said about the Turkish Baths before I became leader of the council when Cllr Glover was.

“We found a report here on the Sands which refers to the Turkish Baths: ‘potential alternative use of the pools site to be considered although Turkish Baths are to be retained, this does not mean that it must be operational.

“I’m really pleased that we’ve come along from that.”

Addressing concerns that the Turkish Baths may be at risk of demolition, he said: “It is a Grade I Listed building, the building will be remaining there. If there is a will and a way to keep the Turkish baths operating, then fine, I would be really delighted.”

A report prepared by officers to explain the council’s current position on the baths revealed that a period of closure may need to take place in September but the Friend group’s spokesperson said that it was the first she had heard of the deadline.

The Labour opposition asked why the baths’ custodians had not been properly consulted on this.

Leisure portfolio holder Cllr Higgs said: “We’ve established during the discussion, we don’t know yet whether they will close in September, that is still to be decided by some people not in this room.”

Following the meeting, Ms Minns said that the executive’s comments were promising but: “If Cllr Higgs isn’t clear on the extent of the work required relating to the Station Gateway Project, convene a meeting and get the answers city council need in order to keep this important facility open for the people of Carlisle.”