Discover Your Backyard - Bon Accord Baths

Barry Pickard
Oct 23
7 min read

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Regardless of this, please be advised that all opinions expressed in this blog post are genuine and authentically my own.

Author: Barry Pickard

Hi, I'm Barry, the owner of Tailor-Made Itineraries and I have been designing bespoke self-guided tours for adventurous and curious travellers since 2015. I am a history graduate with a passion for travel.

I created this blog to show, through my own adventures, how you can have an incredible travel experience as an independent traveller, giving you the information to navigate the world with confidence.

What's it like to step through the doors of a building that's been locked away for over a decade? The musty scent of dampened concrete mingles with the faint echo of children's laughter that seems to still bounce off the Art Deco walls of Aberdeen's abandoned Bon Accord Baths. Dust motes dance through shafts of light filtering through boarded windows, illuminating the ghostly outline of diving boards that once launched countless kids into their first swimming lessons.

I'm Barry Pickard, and I've been exploring Scotland's hidden gems for independent travellers like yourself since 2015. As someone who actually learned to swim in these very pools back in the day, I'll give you the inside story on what it's really like to walk through this architectural time capsule—and why there's genuine hope for its future. You'll discover the surprising condition of the building today, learn about the passionate volunteers working to save it, and get practical tips for supporting their mission.

Trust me, by the end of this post, you'll understand why this isn't just another abandoned building story—it's a glimpse into Aberdeen's living history and a real chance to be part of its resurrection.

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I was excited to learn back in September 2020, that there was to be an open day at the Baths. Who, what, why? Questions needed answering! It turned out that a group had been formed – Bon Accord Heritage – which had, for a few years, been actively trying to preserve the building and looking to bring it back to its former glory for the use of the community.

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Needless to say I jumped at the chance to visit and attended the open day with my son. We saw some of the building’s ancillary rooms, such as the gym, and got to view the old swimming pool, but only from the balcony. The memories came flooding back. It was great to see how much Bon Accord Heritage had done to ensure the structural integrity of the building and the many hours taken to tidy it (over the years vandals had broken in and caused countless damage, even lighting a fire in the empty pool). I was also heartened to see their plans for developing the site.

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I contacted the group to congratulate them on their efforts and to see if there were any ways to help their campaign and they kindly invited me back to the Baths to see some more of the building that was not accessible during the open day.

Bon Accord Heritage are running a GoFundMe campaign in support of their ongoing efforts to reopen the building, and we would thoroughly encourage anyone wanting to see this proud building open again to donate to this campaign - https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-bon-accord-baths - or if you would like to get in contact with them directly - info@bonaccordbaths.org.uk

A closer look at the pool area simply confirmed to me the great potential of this building, as well as its latent beauty. There is much work still to be done and their £150,000 fund raising goal will be a challenge, but surely a worthwhile one.

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The History

(taken from Bon Accord Heritage literature)

Public bathing came to Aberdeen in 1898 with the opening of the Bathing Station at Aberdeen Beach. In the 1930s the search for a city centre site started and plans were drawn up by Alexander McRobbie of the City Architect's Dept. In 1936 the foundation stone was laid for the 'Uptown Baths'.

The Baths were completed in 1940 at a cost of £37,000 and opened by Lord Provost Sir Thomas Mitchell on 30 August 1940; a prestigious public event. The Baths were part of a trio of Art Deco buildings, along with the Regent Cinema (1932) and Capitol Cinema (1933).

In 1991, Historic Environment Scotland awarded Bon Accord Baths a Category B Listing describing them as...

"A rare surviving example of an inter-war public in Scotland and a good example of Art Deco architecture. The building has significant streetscape presence with an austere frontage achieved by articulating the Art Deco style in granite.

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The interior of the building is richly detailed with the austerity of the facade giving way to an entrance lobby with curved walls lined with blond ripple sycamore timber panelling and chrome fittings.

The vaulted roof of the swimming pool, elegantly supported by large concrete arches, allows for the walls to be punctured by large windows flooding the space with natural light. This space also retains many of its original fixtures and fittings including the raked timber seating and the sculptural concrete diving board platforms.

The underwater lighting along the length of the pool is believed to be one of the early examples of such lighting."

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Despite the building’s significance, the Baths were closed in April 2008 due to budget cuts and never reopened. In August 2008, the decision was taken to declare Bon Accord Baths as surplus to requirements and to put it on the market. The Baths sat dormant for a number of years while some attempts to utilise the building for other purposes did not materialise.

In 2015, the building was marketed for sale by Aberdeen City Council. This led to public protest and local campaigning to save the building as a community asset. A campaign group was formed, and market research of local residents and businesses returned a 99% approval rating for the Baths being saved, ideally as a community-run resource. A group of people keen on realising this vision came together, leading to the eventual formation of Bon Accord Heritage.

Unfortunately, the Baths had been unoccupied for some time and there were concerns that the structure of the building may not be in good condition. Investigation of this was required to see if restoration was a viable project. A DNA Structural survey of the building was completed in 2017. This returned far more positive results than had been anticipated and showed that in spite of having a number of issues needing addressed, the Baths - and in particular its domed concrete roof - was structurally sound.

A Memorandum of Understanding was subsequently signed between Aberdeen City Council and Bon Accord Heritage to allow for the exploration of restoring the Baths as a community-run facility.

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Conclusion

Walking through the Bon-Accord Baths today feels like discovering a sleeping giant. Yes, there's work to be done and funds to be raised but seeing the structural integrity that's survived over a decade of neglect gives me real hope. The passion of Bon Accord Heritage volunteers is infectious, and their vision for bringing this community treasure back to life feels entirely achievable with the right support. Whether you're an Aberdeen local with fond memories or an independent traveller who appreciates authentic heritage experiences, this building represents something special—a chance to witness history being preserved rather than demolished. The fundraising target might seem ambitious, but when you see what they've already accomplished with volunteer labour and limited resources, it starts to feel like the bargain it truly is.

Hotels in Aberdeenshire

If you are looking to stay in Aberdeenshire to discover its street art murals, there is a good selection of accommodation within the city of Aberdeen that will meet all tastes and budgets. At the luxury end, the Malmaison Aberdeen is an excellent choice, while the Inn at the Park offers a good, affordable night's stay near the Duthie Park, while the Copthorne Hotel is centrally placed, just a couple of minute's walk from Union Street.

If you are looking for a hotel further out into the countryside of Aberdeenshire, there are plenty to choose from, such as the Banchory Lodge Hotel, the Macdonald Pittodrie House, and the Douneside House.