How Leeds Edwardian wonder Bramley Baths managed to stay afloat in a difficult year

Jennie Ashton is pictured swimming in the baths at Bramley, which reopens today. Picture by Simon Hulme.

It is an Edwardian gem that has provided its proud patrons with health and happiness for more than a century.

But Bramley Baths, the community-led Grade II-listed fitness attraction in west Leeds, has had to fight for survival in recent years.

Now those who run the service have praised locals for their loyalty after seeing it through another rocky year - as it reopens today.

During the pandemic the community has rallied by joining the Friends of Bramley Baths scheme, buying T-shirts, supporting staff fundraisers, continuing to pay memberships and donating unused swimming lessons.

Meanwhile, the Baths has also managed to secure a number of grants to help support it from organisations such as Power to Change, Sport England, Leeds City Council, National Lottery, European Social Fund and the Bramley and Stanningley councillors.

Chairman John Battle, former Leeds West MP for Labour, at an annual meeting said: “I’d like to thank the whole Baths team – our staff, trustees and supporters – who have made sure that the Baths is still going through the worst of the pandemic. We can look to the future with confidence.

“Sadly we have seen other organisations going to the wall during this pandemic but we are still standing.