Written by Ross Chalmers
AN EDINBURGH leisure facility is set to advance its refurbishment plans following a public consultation where 91% of respondents expressed support for the investment.
Portobello Swim Centre‘s consultation, conducted independently between May and June this year, gathered views from 875 customers, user groups, and local residents.
The findings revealed that 95% of participants consider the site an important community asset.
Edinburgh Leisure and the City of Edinburgh Council will now progress to the design development stage.
Portobello Swim Centre has been recognized as an “important community asset”
The appointed design team is tasked with using the consultation feedback to improve changing facilities, layout, cleanliness, and accessibility, while ensuring the preservation of the building’s natural light and sea views.
As the project advances, addressing the temporary closure of the venue remains a priority, with over 80% of customers indicating they would be affected by the disruption.
Edinburgh Leisure intends to develop a customer support plan providing alternative facilities, adjusted swimming lesson arrangements, and flexible membership options.
Claire Rusack, Operations Director at Edinburgh Leisure, said:
“We would like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation and shared their views. The message from the community was clear – people strongly support investment in Portobello Swim Centre, but they also want to protect the features that make it such a special place.
“The design team will now use that feedback to finalise a design for approval. This will ensure the next stage focuses on improving changing facilities, accessibility and the overall customer experience, while taking account of the natural light, sea views and heritage character that customers told us they value most.
“Portobello Swim Centre is one of Edinburgh’s most iconic leisure facilities and this investment will help safeguard its future, ensuring it continues to support active, healthy communities for many years to come.”
Subject to final approvals, the next phase will involve finalising the design, appointing contractors, and confirming the timelines for the construction works.
The planned works will mark the latest chapter in the history of the Category A listed building, which has stood on the Portobello Promenade for over a century.
Designed by City Architect Robert Morham and completed in 1898, the red sandstone structure originally served both locals and tourists during the Victorian era’s boom in seaside bathing
The centre first opened its saltwater pools in 1901 and remains a rare survivor of Scotland’s early public bathing culture
It currently houses Edinburgh’s only authentic and publicly available Victorian Turkish baths, which are among just three still operating across the country.
A City of Edinburgh Council spokesperson said: “Portobello Swim Centre is an important part of Edinburgh’s sporting and cultural heritage, and we welcome the high level of public interest in shaping its future.
“The consultation has provided clear and valuable feedback which will help inform the next stage of design development.
“We’re committed to working closely with our partners and the local community to breathe new life into this much-loved landmark space in a way that protects the building’s historic character while creating modern, high-quality facilities for future generations.”
Over the decades, the facility has undergone several adaptations to maintain its operational status.
The Edinburgh Corporation modernised the site in 1934 by installing a filtration system for the seawater pool. A subsequent refurbishment in 1967 brought significant changes to the indoor pool and changing areas.
More recent investments include a major modernisation in 1998 and a £2.5 million upgrade announced in 2019, which delivered improved changing rooms and a refurbished fitness suite while introducing energy-saving technologies.
The forthcoming refurbishment aims to secure the future of the venue, balancing the delivery of modern leisure amenities with the protection of its historic civic architecture.
Regular updates are expected throughout the design process, catering to the 95% of consultation respondents who requested ongoing communication regarding the project’s progress.
Ross Chalmers is a journalist focusing on local Edinburgh news, transport, the environment, the arts, and housing.
He graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a degree in journalism in Summer 2025 and began working at Deadline News as a reporter in August.
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