English: The decline and closure of Harpurhey Baths

It was not really until after the First World War that bathing became a habit. By that time most of the houses being built had their own bathrooms where baths could be taken in ease and comfort. This improvement in housing meant that public facilities were no longer required for sanitary purposes. Similarly, relative cheapness and availability of domestic appliances meant that laundries also fell into decline. Manchester City Council closed all its laundries in the early 1980s.

Harpurhey Baths finally closed completely in 2001 after serious defects were discovered in the building’s walls and machinery. Cracks in the baths’ walls that had previously been repaired had widened beyond repair and some of the walls were bowing. There were also problems with the baths’ steam boilers and the drainage system. The North City Family and Fitness Centre, incorporating a 25 metre swimming pool, was due to open 18 months later nearby on Moston Lane, making running repairs to the baths, which would have cost £3m, unfeasible.