Plug pulled on landmark bathing site

For decades, Wolverhampton's Bushbury Baths was the place to go for exercise and entertainment in the city.

But today, the historic building is nothing more than a pile of rubble as the 10-week project to demolish it reaches the midway point.

Despite a fight by local historians, the baths have now been all but cleared to make way for a landscaped area.

The work has included the complete demolition of the old baths building and filling the exposed pool tank with soil to level it off to ground level.

Wolverhampton City Council spokeswoman Felicity Roberts said the project was now in full swing.

She said: "The demolition work began towards the end of June and is expected to take about 10 weeks to complete.

"Other areas of the site affected by the works will also be filled, turfed and laid with top soil and seed as necessary."

The work is going ahead from Monday to Friday 8am until 5.30pm and Saturday from 8am until 1pm.

The council has been trying to offload the vandal-hit site since its closure in 2006. But after no alternative use for the building could be found, the decision was made to knock it down.

English Heritage had stepped in to try to save the baths, which was noted by historians for its architectural interest, but to no avail.

Bosses had to seek permission from Hazel Blears, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, to carry out the work in a conservation area.

At its peak, the council-owned baths attracted 400 swimmers every day in the hot weather.

Late last year, travellers left a trail of mess at the Sandy Lane site, prompting a costly clean-up which hit taxpayers to the tune of £2,500.