Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) the UK’s largest public service charitable social enterprise formally took control of the centre.
The historic building in the heart of the city centre had faced an uncertain future after Fusion Lifestyle Ltd announced on April 1 it had gone into administration after a period of financial pressures and a failure to find a viable way forward for the business at a national level.
The council pledged to work with Fusion Lifestyle Ltd’s administrators S&W Partners LLP to keep the building open while it found a new operator to run it.
Newcastle City Council’s Cabinet member for Culture and Communities, Cllr Rob Austin, said: “There has been a period of uncertainty for members of The City Baths and the Turkish Baths since Fusion went into administration.
“The council promised to do all that it could to protect the much-loved facility and I am delighted to announce that has now been achieved.
“GLL manage nearly 400 public services around the country such as pools, leisure centres, gyms and libraries. They already manage some of our existing facilities, so it makes perfect sense to strengthen our partnership with them.
“It’s good news that the future of this Grade II Listed building has been safeguarded, and members can look to the future with confidence and continue to enjoy great leisure services in the heart of the city.”
Tim Bestford, GLL Head of Service said: “We are delighted to be taking on the management of this important and historic community asset. GLL is already rooted in the city; operating five local leisure facilities on behalf of the City Council - while as a not-for-profit social enterprise our mission is to protect public services.
“Looking ahead we will be exploring ways to expand and improve the service offering and look forward to welcoming customers in the coming days.”
John Egan, of the Newcastle City Baths User Group, said: “We welcome the council’s decision to secure a new operator for this unique and much-loved facility. Members have been clear that they want to see the baths thrive and continue serving the people of Newcastle for generations to come.
“We look forward to working constructively with GLL as they take on the management of the pool and Turkish baths. Users bring a wealth of experience and passion for the facility, and we hope this marks the beginning of a new chapter focused on high standards, investment, accessibility, community engagement and a consistently excellent customer experience. We wish GLL every success and stand ready to support positive change wherever we can.”
Teresa Marshall of the Friends of the City Baths, Newcastle said: “We welcome the news that a new operator has been agreed for Newcastle City Baths, ensuring the continuing operation of this much-loved historic leisure facility.
“We hope to work closely with GLL/Better supporting the venue as an accessible, affordable, community facility, and celebrating the heritage of Newcastle’s wonderful Grade ll listed swimming pool and Turkish Baths.”
Nadeem Sweiss, Director at S&W and Joint Administrator of Fusion Lifestyle Ltd, said: “Following Fusion’s entry into administration in April, our priority was to maintain continuity of service at Newcastle City Baths while a long-term solution was secured.
“We are pleased to have worked closely with Newcastle City Council and GLL to enable a smooth transition that safeguards this much-valued community asset.
“Importantly, customers will continue to enjoy uninterrupted access to the facility, while all employees transfer to the new operator, preserving jobs and ensuring stability. This outcome provides a positive future for the Baths and its users.”
The city council granted Fusion Lifestyle Ltd the lease for the buildings in 2016 when they were in poor condition and in need of major refurbishment which the council said it could not afford to do itself.
Amid a residents’ campaign to save the City Baths from closure, Fusion Lifestyle Ltd, which had a successful track record of similar projects, came forward and was awarded the lease by the council to transform them.
They reopened in January 2020 after a £7.5m restoration project and went on to win the UK Pool and Spa Award in 2024. The building is considered one of the city’s best building refurbishment projects.
Although the council is unlikely to recover the £6.06m Fusion Lifestyle Ltd owes it in full - because it is an unsecured creditor - the investment saved an important city centre building which has operated successfully for six years.
The council hopes it can still recover income from the future running of the centre under its concession with GLL which operates under the brand Better.
As part of the agreement, staff working for Fusion Lifestyle Ltd at the baths will have their jobs transferred under TUPE arrangements to GLL. No redundancies are anticipated.
The Friends of Newcastle City Baths are a group of volunteers who campaigned against closure of the building in 2012. When it did close, they supported Fusion’s bid to take on the lease and collaborated with them throughout a period of extensive repair and refurbishment to reopen the facility. The Grade II listed building, an Asset of Community Value, originally opened in 1928, houses one of only 11 remaining Victorian style Turkish Baths still open in the UK.