image for illustration: Jacob Wells Baths Bristol by Samuel Loxton (artist), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) is delighted to announce that it has awarded a Project Development Grant to Trinity Community Arts to advance plans to transform Jacobs Wells Baths – a long-standing vacant heritage asset within Bristol city centre – into a multi-use hub for community, arts, youth and education.
The Architectural Heritage Fund writes:
This grant is among the first to be awarded through the AHF’s new Heritage Revival Fund, with £225,288 given in support of four different projects in April, ranging from a medieval chapel in Canterbury to a Victorian pub in Barnstaple. Delivered in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Historic England, this exciting programme has been created to help communities rescue and repurpose neglected historic buildings, with a specific focus on town centre locations, transforming them into vibrant spaces that meet modern needs.
Built in 1889 to serve the working poor, Jacobs Wells Baths (originally known as the Hotwells Public Baths) is a Grade II-listed building situated within the Clifton Conservation Area in Bristol City Centre. The Victorian building holds within its walls a wealth of architectural and social heritage from its time as public swimming baths to its 30-year history as the only dedicated dance space in the city. But, due to its poor condition, this local gem closed down in 2017 and has been inaccessible to the public ever since.
Trinity Community Arts is an inclusive arts charity that promotes creativity, diversity, and engagement, playing a crucial role in Bristol’s cultural landscape. Since the start of 2023, the organisation has been on a mission to repair and restore Jacobs Wells Baths and bring it back into use as a vibrant and accessible multi-purpose cultural and community hub. Plans for the restored building include three zones: a youth-focused north wing; a two-floor south wing with a café bar and studios; and a versatile main hall. A new entrance will also be created for public drop-in access. Weekly events will encompass dance, fitness, free youth programmes, and self-led community activities. Additionally, there will be 10 anchor tenants in the building, encompassing dedicated youth services and dance provisions.
Trinity Community Arts is currently nearing completion of a first phase of emergency repairs to Jacobs Wells Baths, funded by grants from the Community Ownership Fund and Historic England, and is now planning Phase 2 renovations and improvements to reinstate the building for public use. The AHF Heritage Revival Fund grant, made possible with support from DCMS, will provide match funding for The National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported Development Phase of this project, contributing towards professional fees to help finalise the building’s detailed design and inform the final phase of capital and conservation works.
In addition to this award to Jacobs Wells Baths, three more grants were awarded through the Heritage Revival Fund in April. The other projects in receipt of support are:
- North Devon Community Women’s Hub, Barnstaple – Encompass South West
- The Marlowe Kit (Poor Priests’ Hospital), Canterbury – The Marlowe Trust
- Alice Billings House, Stratford – Creative Land Trust
Matthew Mckeague, Chief Executive of The Architectural Heritage Fund, said: ‘We are delighted to have awarded the first grants through the Heritage Revival Fund, providing support to four inspiring projects seeking to breathe new life into neglected historic buildings and repurpose them for a range of new uses – from affordable creative studios to a women’s community hub. These include Jacobs Wells Baths, a long vacant and significant heritage asset in the centre of Bristol. We are so pleased to support Trinity Community Arts with a grant to help them transform the building into an important hub for community, arts, youth and education, which will deliver a range of social and economic impacts within the area. A big thank-you to DCMS and Historic England for their support to this new programme.’
Heritage Minister, Baroness Twycross, said: ‘The Heritage Revival Fund is rejuvenating abandoned treasures up and down the country. I’m delighted that we have been able to support this through our Arts Everywhere Fund and I look forward to seeing the results of these first fantastic projects, including Jacobs Wells Baths being transformed into a community hub for arts, music and education. By restoring these loved buildings, we’re ensuring these local assets can thrive for future generations.’
