Anniversary of baths occupation
IT is 20 years to the day since the Glasgow Times first revealed the city council’s plan to axe a popular South Side swimming pool. That decision would lead to the formation of the Save Our Pool Campaign – and what it thought to be the longest occupation of a public building in British history.
Kingston Swimming Club received notice of the closure, which was covered by the Evening Times on January 15, 2001.
Residents of the community took the article as a call to action.
Two days later on the 17th of January a meeting was organised and the now famous Save Our Pool Campaign was established.
On March 21, 2001, protesters entered the Calder Street venue and refused to move.
They would remain inside the building for 140 days until, in August, police – including mounted officers – were sent to physically remove the campaigners from the Baths.
Fatima Uygun, manager of Govanhill Baths Community Trust, said: “If there’s one thing I recommend to anyone, it’s occupy a building.
“It’s one of the most exhilarating things and you don’t realise how powerful you are, a handful of people saying, ‘No we’re not going to go’ just paralyses institutions.
“I’m really excited to be celebrating this in 2021 as the work is about to begin on the refurbishment.”
To celebrate the start of one of the most powerful stories of community action in Scotland’s history, Govanhill Baths Community Trust is hosting a series of projects to be held throughout this year.
Today, the Save Our Pool History Group, a Facebook group to bring together those who were involved in the original occupation, picket and demonstrations in 2001 will be launched.
On Our Streets: Protest and Celebration will use the 24-hour picket outside the Baths during the occupation as a starting point to explore the significance of
Glasgow’s streets as platforms for change.
This will take place throughout March with a major event planned for March 21 when local people will be encouraged to root out their pots and pans and make some noise for Govanhill alongside Save Our Pool songs from the original Save Our Pool campaign.
Occupy Occupy Occupy!!! is a project that will explore occupations as a powerful tactic in industrial, community, student and environmental disputes.
This year also marks the anniversary of a number of other notable occupations in the central belt of Scotland.
These include 50 years since the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders; Plessey’s 50th anniversary; Lee Jeans’s 40th anniversary; Lovable’s; 25 years since the Kinning Park Complex; and 10 years since Free Heatherington.
Depending on funding, organisers will commission a commemorative banner, organise a conference, carry out school workshops with learning packs and publish a Graphic Novel.
The full programme of events will be launched at the end of January.
Govanhill Baths Community Trust has plans for the future of the building, which were initially due to be completed this year.
However, the refurbishment plans have become more ambitious and were pushed back.
Further delays have been caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
But work is due to begin in the coming months to turn the Baths into a community wellbeing centre.
Jean Adair, local resident and original member of the Save Our Pool campaign, said: “I can’t believe that’s 20 years.
“My granddaughter was just two, a wee toddler. I had never been involved with anything like that before, but there I was on the picket line and even did a night in the building. I’m really looking forward to all the events being planned this year for the 20th anniversary.”