Edinburgh Today

Infirmary Street Baths

History

Infirmary Street Baths is one of several public swimming pools that the Victorians built in Edinburgh in order to combat cholera.

Others were built at Warrender, Glenogle, Dalry, Leith and Portobello.  Infirmary Street Baths closed in 1995., Infirmary Street runs to the east from South Bridge, near Chamber Street,

Proposals - 2005

Negotiations between Edinburgh Council and developers, with a view to turning the building into artists' studios and flats have been ongoing for the past ten years.  The Council has set a three-month deadline, from May 2005,  for conclusion of these negotiations. 

If this deadline is not met, the Council propose to put the building on the market again.

 Edinburgh Evening News,  20 May 2005,  p. 17

Update

The developer, Buredi, failed to reach agreement with the Council within the three-month timescale.

Proposals - 2006

Architects Malcolm Fraser, who designed Dance Base and the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh's Old Town have now announced a plan to convert the former Infirmary Street Baths into workshops, exhibition space, offices and a shop for the tapestry company Dovecot Studios.

Dovecot Studios, was established as the Edinburgh Tapestry Company in 1912.  The company is currently based at Donaldson's School for the Deaf but will soon have to find new premises for its looms as Donaldson's School is to be converted to housing.

Edinburgh Evening News:  August 1, 2006:  p.21

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