Kirkham Baths: A Community Asset Left to Rot – And Why I’m Still Fighting for It

If you’ve lived in or around Kirkham for any length of time, chances are you’ve got memories of Kirkham Baths. Whether it was the first place you learned to swim, where your kids had their lessons, or just a familiar, reliable part of our town’s fabric—it meant something.

And now?

It’s a shell.Boarded up, water damaged, vandalised, and neglected.

Let’s not pretend this happened by accident.

The Timeline of Avoidable Decay

In 2021, a storm tore the roof off Kirkham Baths. A disaster, yes—but one that should’ve been immediately addressed. Insurance was meant to cover repairs, and there was still time to save the building.

But instead of acting, the Conservative-led council hesitated. Then they delayed. Then they did… nothing.

That failure to act triggered a chain of consequences that we’re still paying for—literally.

I proposed a basic fix at the time: cover the building with a protective tarpaulin to stop water damage and vandalism while a long-term solution was explored. They voted it down. No alternative offered. No urgency shown.

They simply let it rot.

What Did That Inaction Cost Us?

Let’s talk figures.

💰 £150,000 will now be needed just to make the building weathertight and assess the damage.

💰 £75,000 per year is being spent on security and monitoring—money that could have gone to fixing it.

💰 The estimated refurbishment cost was £3,001,845 in 2024—but thanks to additional damage caused by lead theft and more water ingress, that’s now risen by another £290,000.

All of it avoidable. All of it caused by indifference and delay.

And for what? A community without a pool. Families forced to travel miles for swimming lessons. A historic building falling further into ruin.

This isn’t just mismanagement—it’s neglect, plain and simple.

Misplaced Priorities, Forgotten Communities

What angers me most is the quiet shift in priorities. While Kirkham was crying out for investment, £33,921 originally allocated for Kirkham Baths was redirected to support St Annes Pool instead.

It says everything about how this administration views towns like ours. Rural areas get left behind. Decisions get made without transparency. And when it comes to fixing the mess, they start scrambling for grants and lottery bids with no guarantees of success.

There’s no long-term plan. No secured budget. Just wishful thinking and more delay.

Let’s Be Honest About the Risks

Leaving the building in this state doesn’t just waste money—it creates real danger.

The site has been broken into. Lead has been stolen. The roof continues to deteriorate. It’s not a question of if something worse will happen—it’s when.

And if it does? The council will face legal liability and public backlash, all because they refused to take reasonable precautions when it mattered.

So Where Are We Now?

The council has now agreed to buy back Kirkham Baths for £1. On paper, that sounds like progress.

But let’s be honest—it’s not. There’s still:

❌ No secured funding.

❌ No clear plan.

❌ No timeline for refurbishment.

❌ No guarantee this won’t be kicked further down the road.

We’re being offered recommendations, not action.

What I’m Fighting For

I’ve been involved in this from day one—not because it’s a political football, but because it matters.

Because community facilities like this define the character and strength of a town. Because a generation of young people have lost access to local swimming lessons. Because we shouldn’t be forced to accept decline as inevitable.

Here’s what I’m demanding:

✅ A full, transparent audit of how the insurance money and original funding was handled.

✅ Immediate works to prevent further damage and loss of the site.

✅ A proper business case to support refurbishment—with community involvement, not just backroom deals.

✅ Long-term protection for Kirkham Baths as a public facility.

This Isn’t Just About a Pool

It’s about how we’re governed. About accountability. About whether local voices matter or not.

The Conservatives have had their chance. They ignored it, and they failed.

On 1 May 2025, you have a chance to send a message: our towns deserve better. Our assets matter. Our voices will be heard.

I’m not tied to a political party. I’m not interested in playing games. I’m here to fight for Fylde East—and that includes fighting for Kirkham.

Let’s bring Kirkham Baths back—and make sure this kind of failure never happens again.

🗳 Vote Peter Collins – Independent for Fylde East