Derry's William Street City Baths reopening update after 3 year closure

The long-awaited reopening comes following a £1.2m programme of maintenance works required to the building to ensure its safety before reopening.

When asked for an update, a spokesperson for Derry City and Strabane District Council said that members of its Health and Community Committee were recently provided with an update on the completion of the essential Health and Safety works at the City Baths.

“Members were advised that the facility is expected to reopen to the public in late November.”

The Council said this allowed several weeks to prepare for this “following a full handover of the site and completion of the maintenance works”.

“Members at the meeting were also provided with details of the varied programme of activities that will be available for everyone when it reopens. It is anticipated that the facility will reopen on a phased basis, with key stakeholders and user groups getting an opportunity to preview and use the facility ahead of it fully reopening to the wider public. An exact date has not yet been agreed but will be confirmed soon,” the Council spokesperson said.

The Baths have not reopened since they were closed at the start of the pandemic back in early 2020.

Back in October 2022, members of Derry City and Strabane Council voted by majority to scrap a planned deferment and to proceed with appointing a contractor to refurbish the City Baths.

The move was proposed by Sinn Féin Councillor Emma McGinley after Councillors agreed to bring elements of a report into the deferral of work at the City Baths out of ‘confidential’ into the public domain for discussion.

Advocating the works go ahead at the time, Colr, McGinley said: "There are residents contacting us as members to find out what is going on, who use it not just for their physical health but their mental health as well.

"The people in this community have waited too long. It has been delayed far too many times.”

Following on from this, in April this year the Council approved a contingency budget for the works programme, leading to a revised overall project budget of £1.278 million.