The campaign to bring the swimming baths back to Ashton

Three years ago the swimming baths in Ashton got shut down, despite a furious campaign from thousands of locals calling to halt the plans.

But now life has been injected into the idea for a new leisure centre in the heart of the Tameside town.

The former Active Ashton facility off Water Street was finally bulldozed last year – at a cost of just under £1m. Just an empty space resides where the baths once stood proudly.

A passionate campaign and a petition signed by 7,000 to stop the demolition fell on deaf ears following the shut down of the baths in September 2023. This was part of a wider set of closures that saw the Tameside borough lose Active Ashton’s two swimming pools and gym; Adventure Longdendale’s trampoline park, laser zone and soft play area for children; and Active Etherow’s dedicated indoor bowling centre.

The swimming pool in Ashton going was the biggest bugbear for locals though, with many saying it would adversely impact physical and mental health in the borough. Those sentiments are still being felt three years on, with Coun Kaleel Khan leading the charge to bring facilities back.

The closest public swimming facilities for residents in Ashton are Tameside Wellness Centre in Denton and Hyde Leisure Pool. Neither leisure centre is within reasonable walking distance from Ashton.

Although the old Active Ashton building is now gone, the empty plot of land where the old bus station used to sit has been eyed up as the ‘ideal location’ for a new facility.

“I promised my constituents that I would fight for it,” Coun Khan said. “The building is no longer there and it is in line to become housing but they aren’t going to get many there.

“I asked the council ‘how can residents live well when you’re taking away Ashton Baths’. The old bus station site is ideal as it’s in the town centre and is right next to all the transport facilities.

“We have been getting so much support from Ashton residents on this. Many have been saying they’re having to travel to Denton or Hyde for swimming but can’t because they don’t drive. 

“The council can’t say they want everyone to live well when they close facilities down. So why not give facilities to prevent issues that impact health in the long term.”

The independent councillor for the St Peter’s ward is due to table a motion at the next full council meeting, which will focus on affordability of a potential new swimming baths in Ashton. He feels that any new plans for the baths should make sure everyone gets a fair deal so those on lower incomes are not priced out. 

Coun Khan has been pushing his ‘Let Us Live Well’ campaign. He feels there is some genuine progress and is excited about the possibilities of bringing back swimming facilities in Ashton.

“I am really excited,” Coun Khan added. “I have been putting a lot of political pressure to change the council’s stance on this.

“People want Ashton baths back. People want to see plans and that this campaign is being taken seriously.

“We don’t want to wait 10 years for the baths to come back.”

Coun Khan believes a new leisure facility would bring money into the council’s coffers and boost the local economy. However, soaring costs was the reason behind the closure three years ago.

At the time Active Tameside, who ran the leisure facilities in the borough, said that the huge increase in energy bills took the cost of utilities at its sites up to £2m per year. As the building’s owner, Tameside council bosses insisted the state of their finances meant they could not afford to pick up the bill and rescue the sites – ultimately leading to the closure and the subsequent demolition of the sites.

Currently there are no official plans to bring swimming facilities and a leisure centre back to Ashton. However, all options for leisure are being considered as part of the council’s Ashton and Stalybridge Mayoral Development Zone regeneration programme, according to the council.

The local authority has explained that a wider piece of work for all leisure across the authority is being assessed. The idea behind this is to ensure they are maximising all opportunities alongside meeting the health inequalities of residents.