Expectations of revamped swimming baths take dive

Published: 27 August, 2010

• HEARD from a neighbour that the Marshall Street baths, now the Marshall Street Leisure Centre, were open again.

It’s taken the Westminster City Council 10 years to achieve that.

Hurrah!
Went with my Freedom Pass and telephone bill with my Soho address on it to join.

Rounded the corner of Broadwick Street, saw the big blue poster erected on the ground just beyond the entrance to the baths.

Took no notice of it, as it had a large arrow on it pointing to the other side of the road.

Tried the two old front entrance doors of the baths.

The first was locked, the second opened, but appeared to be an office, and I was told that the entrance was now where the poster was.

I thought architects were supposed to show one clearly where the hole was for one to enter a building.

I went through this narrow door into a small vestibule, to learn that my Freedom Pass gave me free access to the baths.

Excellent.

But what a pity that the old foyer is used as an office, and that all the swimmers and all the health fiends have to use this narrow side entrance to this tiny vestibule.

Commercial meanness meets bureaucratic stupidity.

First impressions bad.

PETER ZANDER
Address supplied