On Monday the 16th of February 2026, our team commenced soft strip and asbestos removal works at one of Lancashire’s most historic community pools, Kirkham Baths.
As a family business that lives and works in Lancashire, and went to Kirkham Baths many times as children, this project was close to our hearts. Learn all about the uncertain history of the baths, as well as the exciting plans for its redevelopment, and how our team is helping play a part in its new lease of life, below.
About Kirkham Baths
One of the county’s longest-standing public swimming pools, Kirkham Baths was built in 1908, established through a bequest from William Segar Hodgson.
A little about William Segar Hodgson…
Hodgson was a prominent, 20th-century benefactor in Kirkham, best-known for his charitable contributions to the local community. Examples include Hodgson Academy, a coeducational secondary school in Poulton-le-Fylde, and the William Segar Hodgson Pavilion, used as a community centre for events, meetings and training courses.
Unfortunately, after over a century of serving the community with swimming lessons, clubs and family events, Kirkham Baths was forced to close down due to significant and costly structural damage caused by Storm Arwen in December of 2021. There were plans to reopen the facilities, but they were not financially viable for the management company at the time.
However, Fylde Council, who officially took over the facility’s management in 2025, is now investing £9.3 million into the well-loved leisure centre. Continuing Hodgson’s community-focused legacy, this is one of the most ambitious investments in the Council’s history, which has been highly celebrated by Kirkham’s residents. Here’s what the Council and their selected redevelopment partner, Places Leisure, had to say about the project:
“Today marks the end of a long journey and is a proud day for Fylde. Our residents told us how much swimming matters to them, and we have listened. […] This investment shows what can be achieved when we put our communities first, and I am thrilled that families across the borough will have modern, high quality leisure facilities on their doorstep.” – Councillor Karen Buckley, Leader of Fylde Council
“Both St. Annes Pool and Kirkham Baths have always been much-loved leisure facilities within the local community. This investment will see both sites transformed into stand-out modern facilities for all to enjoy whilst also improving access for the community to be physically active.” – Dan Walker, Business Development Director at Places Leisure
What’s Kirkham Baths Turning Into?
Kirkham Baths will be getting:
- A fully reconditioned pool
- Refurbished changing rooms
- A new fitness suite
- An indoor splash pad
- Modern studios
St Annes Pool will be getting:
- A new gym
- Spa facilities
- A new cafe
The Scope of Our Works
Work Type: Soft Strip Demolition & Asbestos Removal
Project Duration: 4 weeks
Soft Strip Demolition
- An enabling strip out package to strip elements of the building back to their original state, allowing for further surveys and designs.
- The removal of ceilings in various rooms, including the main ceiling over the main pool and redundant M&E installations above the pool.
Asbestos Removal
- Licensed and non-licensed asbestos removal works to the internals of the building, including the removal of:
Soft Strip and Asbestos Contractors For the Public & Private Sectors
Reddish Vale’s fully qualified team has been serving Lancashire, and the rest of the UK, with ISO 14001 accredited Soft Strip Demolition, HSE-licensed Asbestos Removal and Remediation since 1985.
If you own or manage a public or private sector building, and you need a reliable partner to help with the refurbishment or redevelopment of your facilities, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team to discuss your project, or get a free, no-obligation cost estimate today.
Supporting organisations in our local community is very important to us, which is why, alongside the Kirkham Baths project, we are also proud to announce our donation to Kirkham Juniors FC‘s recent fundraiser. With our help, Kirkham Juniors can continue providing organised footall for children aged 5-18 in Kirkham and Rural Fylde.
