Join our mission to restore Jacobs Wells Baths and transform it into a dynamic space for youth, arts, community, and learning.

Together with the community, we've developed a plan to repair, renovate and revive this amazing building. We're now working to raise £4m to deliver a phased programme of works and we're asking the people of Bristol to give what they can to support this exciting and ambitious project.

“This is building is special for me. Here I learned how to stand up straight, and I learned where my feet were. Or rather, I learned how to learn those physical things, or I learned that they could be learned. My teacher was a dancer, Helen Roberts.” Jane Nortcote

With the condition of the building rapidly declining, we're on a race against time to stop the clock on any further damage. Working with a team of specialists led by Greenwood Projects, we're carrying out detailed surveys to assess the building's condition and delivering a programme of emergency works to give us time needed to raise funds for the full repairs programme.

So far we've concentrated efforts on the North wing, which has suffered from serious damage due to heavy rain and lack of maintenance over decades. We're clearing blocked gutters and fixing slumped sections to ensure proper drainage and prevent further leaks. We're clearing, repairing and sealing valley gutters and downpipes. To protect what remains of the roof, we're adding a durable membrane to improve waterproofing and prevent any further damage to the fabric and interior space.

We're actively applying for grant schemes, including the Community Ownership Fund, to deliver a phased repair and renovation scheme and reopen Jacobs Wells Baths as a hub for community, arts, and youth provision by March 2025.

Now, we need your help to bring back Jacobs Wells Baths - together, we can make the magic happen!

• Fill in our survey tell us how you would like to use space
• Share your story e.g. images / memories of space #savejwb or to info@trinitybristol.org.uk
• Write a letter of support
• Join us on one of our pop up events to find out more about our plans
• Comment and vote on our Pol.is

Donate to the Jacobs Wells Baths Fundsurfer now

We are pleased to bring you the latest update on the ambitious Jacobs Wells Baths Restoration Project. One week on, Trinity and our appointed professional team have begun to impliment our recovery plan for this invaluable community and cultural asset.

The historic building, a treasured part of our community's heritage, is about due to undergo a much-needed transformation to restore its former glory and ensure its safety for generations to come. As part of this work we will be undertaking a development phase that will involve consultation with stakeholders and the local community to help shape future plans.

To allow us to get there, we have identified the following phases towards that recovery:

August 2023 - Emergency Works During our project development phase, the first phase of the capital works will involves immediate and emergency repair works aimed at stabilise the building, prevent any further water ingress and ensure the site is safe to access for the design and construction teams, as well as to permit stakeholder site visits.

These crucial measures will also make the structure weathertight and prevent further deterioration. Safety is the top priority, and this phase will be completed swiftly to create a secure environment for subsequent restoration efforts.

August-September - Access Works Following the successful completion of emergency repairs, the early access works will begin. This phase will involve a light touch strip-out and construction activities necessary to prepare the building for short-term, meanwhile use and public access. These steps will allow the community to explore the building while the full restoration process is underway, giving us all a glimpse of its future potential.

This will also enable us to give the appointed structural engineer access to get under the hood of the building and fully assess its condition. This is an essential step needed to ensure future renovation plans are built from a solid foundation.

2024 Phase 1 - Repair Works The most significant and comprehensive part of the project, will involve major construction and repair works. Structural enhancements, roof repairs, restoration of the main studio lantern, asbestos removal, and deep cleaning of the boiler room are among the critical tasks planned for this phase.

2024/25 Phase 2 - Renovation Works Based on design consultation with stakeholders, these works will involve improvements to circulation and space configuration in order to realise the space's potential as a multi-use community arts hub.

These efforts will breathe new life into the Baths, reopening it as a vital community space and we aim to complete works by Spring 2025.

The Jacobs Wells Baths restoration project is a monumental endeavor that requires the collective support of the people of Bristol. We encourage those interested to sign up to our mailing list for updates on planned stakeholder meetings, public consultations and key events relating to the revitalisation of this historic civic landmark.

We will continue to provide regular updates as the project moves forward. Let us look forward to the day when Jacobs Wells Baths becomes a shining symbol of our community's past, present, and future.

How you can help

• Click here to sign up to our mailing list for updates and events
• Share your stories and images of Jacobs Wells Bath using #SaveJWB on socials or by emailing us
• Support our Jacobs Wells Baths Restoration Project by making a donation

Image credit: Jacobs Wells Baths, Martin Booth

The future of Jacobs Wells Baths in Hotwells is one step closer to being secured, as the Council's CAT Group announced its decision to offer Trinity Community Arts a 35-year CAT lease, subject to receipt of a satisfactory business plan.

Trinity will also receive a six-month occupational license during the transfer phase, to enable us to undertake a detailed series of specialist surveys, funded by the Bristol-based Nisbet Trust. The Trinity team will be working with a team of professionals in conservation and historic asset preservation, led by Greenwood Projects.

"We are delighted that the Council listened to local people and everyone who campaigned to save Jacobs Wells Baths for community use. We very much look forward to working with Trinity and our community to breathe life back into this wonderful building. We can't wait to fill Jacobs Wells Baths with people, art, performance, music, laughter and friendship for years to come." Rachel McNally, Chair of Hotwells and Cliftonwood Community Association

The decision to award Trinity a CAT lease comes following a community-led campaign, backed with the support of Clifton ward Councillors, Katy Grant and Paula O’Rourke, alongside representatives from the Hotwells & Cliftonwood Community Association and Jacobs Wells Community Hub and high-profile endorsement from Actor and national treasure Miriam Margolyes.

Thanks as well to the mayor’s office and all the Council Officers who, despite limited resources, have pulled out all the stops to complete this process and to Norman Routledge, Bristol Historic Buildings who spearheaded an alternative bid for Jacobs Wells Baths.

Whilst we still have some distance to travel, this news marks the first step in the preservation and restoration of Jacobs Wells Baths - a building that not only holds immense architectural significance but also provides space to facilitate enhanced access to essential services and support for the community.

Read more about the story of Saving Jacobs Wells Baths here

How you can help:

• Amplify this news on your social media channels using #SaveJWB
• Share your story of Jacobs Wells Bath with us using #SaveJWB on socials
• Sign up to Power to Change's We're Right Here Campaign
• Support Jacobs Wells Baths by donating below

Thumbnail image credit: Jane Northcote

Ice Road by Raucous performed in Jacob Wells Baths. Photo credit Jack Offord

In October 2022 a decision was taken to pause the process of awarding fixed-term funding to the arts and cultural sector of Bristol, in order to ensure transparency and independent decision making.

Trinity are advocating for a similar level of scrutiny regarding the future of our city's community infrastructure, given these decisions will have a far greater long-term impact on our social and cultural fabric.

Our work to promote the plight of the city's community buildings falls in line with Trinity's charitable objective to "provide or assist in the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare". Recently we outlined the value of our many community spaces in Bristol in our report: "A community canvas – building the case for community infrastructure 2022-2026"

The disposal of Jacobs Wells Baths

Since January this year we have been working with stakeholders to create a vision for Jacobs Wells Baths, a Grade II Listed building that holds within its walls a wealth of architectural and social heritage - from its time as a public swimming baths to its 30 year history as a dance hub.

Following the information that Jacobs Wells Baths is now being put forward for disposal Emma Harvey, CEO of Trinity Community Arts, has submitted a statement to Bristol City Councils Full Cabinet meeting 04 July 2023.

Emma Harvey CEO Trinity Community Arts Statement:

For over 15 years, I have been raising concerns about Bristol City Council's failure to adequately classify and protect its community buildings.

Today, I once again bring forth my concerns regarding the disposal process being tabled today. It highlights a lack of protective asset class for buildings like Jacobs Wells Baths and Ujima House, which have been listed for disposal alongside disused plots of land, an old lock-up garage and a former public toilet.

The reduction of irreplaceable community buildings to footnotes in a 400-page agenda pack raises questions about how irreversible decisions are made about the assets we own. Disposing of irreplaceable assets without adequate scrutiny or a consistently applied process jeopardises our connection to the past, erodes our present identity, and threatens the resilience of future communities. Such a decision should involve greater care than may given by an ‘estates rationalisation’ exercise, when these decisions risk eroding the city’s landscape of public spaces where our communities - growing in size and diversity - can connect, build trust, and foster unity.

"Bristol has the opportunity to lead the way and, rather than disposing of these cherished spaces with a dismissive wave, we could seek to adopt a new ‘Public Realm’ asset use class that can change the way we define and protect civic and cultural domains for all citizens. These assets belong to the people of Bristol and as our elected representatives you are entrusted by us to act as our guardians of these shared spaces."

These spaces are more than physical structures and worth considerably more than an old bog or a dumping ground. They represent a tangible connection to our city's heritage and have witnessed countless memories and community gatherings that have shaped our city's social fabric. Not only do these spaces connect and improve the daily lives of people in their surrounding areas, they can also act as significant local economic multipliers, generating jobs and supporting small businesses. Specifically Jacobs Wells Baths is the only community hub within a locality with a combined population of 25,000 residents.

As Trinity has already set out, it has every potential to service the needs of this locality’s diverse communities; residents of HMOs and adjacent social housing blocks, older and young people, who have no other hub for locally based service provision.

I ask the members of today’s Cabinet what is the legacy you want to leave behind?

I urge the Cabinet to re-evaluate this process, as the Mayor has done with other recent called-in decisions, such as the Cultural Investment Programme.

I urge members to consider the 2019 Land for the Many independent report, which advocates for changing the way we make decisions about these critical assets.

Bristol has the opportunity to lead the way and, rather than disposing of these cherished spaces with a dismissive wave, we could seek to adopt a new ‘Public Realm’ asset use class that can change the way we define and protect civic and cultural domains for all citizens. These assets belong to the people of Bristol and as our elected representatives you are entrusted by us to act as our guardians of these shared spaces.

Though your time in office may be limited, the decisions you make today will have lasting consequences for the communities of tomorrow. Please do not miss this once in a lifetime chance to make a positive impact to safeguard the legacy of these and other community buildings for the enrichment and well-being of present and future Bristolians.

Further information

We support Power to Change's We're Right Here Campaign that is building a united movement for community power.

Read more in George Monbiot's Land for the Many independent report that focuses on changing the way our assets are used, owned and governed

SAVE Britain's Heritage Buildings at Risk Register, 2023

As Bristol City Council lists Jacobs Wells Baths for disposal in their 4th July 2023 Cabinet meeting, national advocacy group SAVE Britain's Heritage have added the asset to their 'At Risk' Register, highlighting the urgent need for its preservation and repurposing, along with 67 other new entries to their representing various historic structures across the country.

The nominations received for inclusion in the 'Reuse Me, Don't Lose Me' register showcase the diverse range of endangered buildings in need of attention and revival. Alongside Jacobs Wells Baths, other newly added entries are a burnt-out grade II* bank in Somerset, a neglected grade II townhouse in Margate, ex-industrial buildings in Hull, and a collection of 18th-century estate buildings near George Eliot's birthplace in Warwickshire. Each structure has its own unique story and requires dedicated efforts to breathe new life into them.

The inclusion of Jacobs Wells Baths in the register has happened just as the Council have it is deemed that the building "offers no contribution to service delivery or the local community", in papers published ready for (see pg 282) next week's meeting.

Contrary to this claim, the building has been identified as the only viable option for community and youth services for over 25,000 residents in Clifton, Hotwells & Harbourside. Its social and heritage value has created a huge strength of community feeling about the need for JWB to be retained as a community asset, with a petition in Feburary this year attracting over 1,000 signatures.

Jacobs Wells Baths, "offers no contribution to service delivery or the local community” - Bristol City Council, June 2023

With the complexities that limit demolition or development, Trinity are continuing to support the community case for reisnstatement as a community asset, offering to take on a leading role in developing and fundraising to deliver a viable recovery plan. Embracing a quick-fix mentality has led us to this point, and it is essential that we work collaboratively with the community to find a solution that yields the best results and value for the council, especially in these challenging times as people more and more are turning to our public spaces, through initiatives such as the city's Warm and Welcoming Spaces.

The inclusion of Jacobs Wells Baths in SAVE Britain's Heritage Buildings at Risk Register demonstrates the significance of preserving this historic site and finding a suitable organization, such as Trinity, capable of attracting grant funding to ensure its long-term survival.

As the fate of Jacobs Wells Baths hangs in the balance, there is still time to save it and encourage the Council to explore all possibilities to safeguard its future for benefit of the community and future generations.

Take action today

Submit a question or statement for local Cabinet

Check out our plans for viable asset recovery and management

Share on social media using the tags #SaveOurSpaces #SoldFromUnderYou #SaveJWB

About SAVE Britain's Heritage

SAVE Britain's Heritage is a leading national campaign organization, formed in 1975, that aims to save and protect historic buildings from unnecessary destruction or neglect. Through advocacy, education, and activism, SAVE works tirelessly to preserve the architectural heritage of the United Kingdom.

SAVE's Buildings at Risk register has been active for 34 years, serving as a platform to raise awareness about disused historic buildings and advocate for their reuse to ensure their survival. With growing national attention on the importance of finding sustainable new uses for historic sites, the register plays a crucial role in preserving our architectural heritage.

Jacobs Wells Baths Statement, June 2023

As part of our commitment to open working and transparency, we would like to update stakeholders regarding our recently submitted proposal to take on management of Jacobs Wells Baths and reinstate it as a community arts hub for Hotwells.

Following conversation with Bristol City Council in February 2023 to discuss options for the recovery of Jacobs Wells Baths, Bristol City Council (BCC) launched a Community Asset Transfer (CAT) process to formally select a preferred bidder to transform the building.

Trinity submitted a bid that included a fully costed business plan, based on the available criteria published in March. An overview of our proposal to bring the space back into use as a multi-use hub and a full copy of BCC’s responses can be viewed on the links below:

Read our Vision for Jacobs Wells Baths

Read a summary of our CAT application

In spite of indication that Trinity's application scored strongly against the CAT criteria, BCC have written to us in May to state that they will instead be pursuing disposal if we do not submit a joint bid with a second bidder whose legal entity dissolved in March 2023. The wrote to us again in June to ask us to ask us for a further additional bid.

Read BCC responses from May and June.

Speaking in support of Trinity’s plans, Miriam Margolyes – actor and Trinity patron said; “Sadly, arts centres are closing all over the country. It’s something I bitterly regret because I think the arts are the soul of the nation and I think, in our difficult world, people need a place where they can go and learn whatever they want to learn. And talk to each other and have a cup of tea and just relax in a friendly space…I think it’s really important that Bristol should have more of these spaces and that the arts can flourish and nourish us all - because that’s what they do. It’s a beautiful building, and it can be beautiful again.”

Though Trinity were given indication that our bid scored almost full marks, we’ve been told we must back the other bidder with our fundraising and community engagement expertise - even though this is not possible or practical, not least because the legal entity in question dissolved in March of this year.

There are material funds available for a project of this nature and conversations with the community and funders have been hugely supportive. This includes support from a major donor based locally alongside national funders who have granted us permission to apply to their programmes. Sadly we have been unable to progress these applications without Council backing with a leasehold offer in principle.

Emma Harvey, CEO who has been leading Trinity's CAT proposal said;

“It is disappointing given the levels of support and investment that the city has made in certain assets that they are the one stakeholder we've failed to mobilise, even though we only need their support with a leasehold offer in principle and not any funding.

We recognise the difficult position local authorities face in trying to balance budgets. However, this is a classic catch-22 that only they have the power to break - we are simply unable to progress planned grant applications to the next stages and this leaves us without a realistic prospect of success given that the building is currently uninsurable for reinstatement value in its current condition. This presents a real problem for that site given its condition and listed building status.”

With specific funds coming with strict deadlines our window of opportunity to save this building is at risk of closing, unless we can mobilise support from BCC. And by support, I don't mean money - I just mean a letter from someone in charge to says, "yes, we support this proposal". It's really, sadly, that simple.

Fidel Meraz, Trustee for Trinity and Board lead on the Jacobs Wells plans said;

The Board of Trinity expresses its disappointment with the response from BCC. Although both bids may share similarities, they also present meaningful qualitative differences. Trinity is putting forward a long-standing track record of heritage asset conservation and management, a robustly backed-up preliminary plan, and a vision and mission for the project compatible with its charitable objectives, making its proposal incompatible with being merged with a more commercial one.

We have approached BCC for clarity regarding their decision and have requested sight of their assessment and scoring against the published CAT criteria, so that we may seek to understand more clearly their rationale.

We would like to give thanks to all those who have supported us in our work so far in shaping a vision for a community and cultural hub for Hotwells, including local funders who have generously committed their support in principle to enable us to take the chance on this once in a lifetime opportunity. As always, we welcome a conversation with relevant BCC decision makers in order to find a way forward to safeguard this invaluable civic and cultural asset in line with One City objectives.

We will continue to take advice where available and liaise with all stakeholders regarding a positive outcome. We are still committed to progressing our proposal, which we believe to be the strongest plan for building recovery and reinstatement of Jacobs Wells Baths as a community hub for the city.

Credit: Ice Road by Raucous - Photographer Jack Offord

Trinity have submitted a bid to Bristol City Council to take on Jacobs Wells Baths as part of a Community Asset Transfer.

Jacobs Wells Baths, a Grade II listed building, opened as a public swimming pool in 1889. In the 1980's following the closure of the pool facilities the site was re-purposed as a community dance centre - which closed its door in 2015. Following this in Dec 2022, due to rising costs, Fusion Leisure Centre announced that it could no longer commit to re-opening the building as a public pool and a public campaign was launched, driven by local residents, to safeguard the future of the building.

Trinity have been working closely with stakeholders to develop a cohesive plan to take on the management of the building and deliver a programme of repairs in order to re-open Jacobs Wells Baths as a community space. Alongside this we have created a detailed business plan that outlines our vision for the space to be economically viable. You can read these documents here and here.

We remain committed to working with Bristol City Council, Councillors, partners and stakeholder groups to develop and deliver a realisable repair and renovation scheme that is both in keeping with the venue’s dance heritage and also responds to consultation and the desperate need for community and youth provision within the locality. This includes hosting events, attending meetings and other activities to gather feedback from the many voices invested in the future of the site. If you would like to keep up-to-date about our plans, sign up to our mailing list here.

Photo credit: Ice Road by Raucous, Jack Offord, Jacobs Wells Baths

"Bristol is brimming with dance talent in many forms, and it is well overdue for a dedicated space of its own" Deborah Baddoo MBE, Bristol Dance Futures Producer

Former dance centre and Victorian swimming pool, Jacobs Wells Baths has recently been saved from potential disposal by Bristol City Council following their announcement to launch an open process for expressions of interests to manage the building via a Community Asset Transfer.

In 2019-21 we were part of Bristol Dance Futures, a consortium dedicated to building dance profile, capacity and infrastructure in Bristol. The project highlighted the rich potential of dance in the city and created legacies including cross-sector working across health and community development.

We asked Bristol Dance Futures Producer, Deborah Baddoo MBE, to reflect on the project and to share how it could help reimagine a community space, such as Jacobs Wells Baths.

"During my time as producer for Bristol Dance Futures it was clearly evident that there is a huge gap in terms of a dance specific space in Bristol.

Obviously, it is important to bring dance into other organisations who may not normally have access to dance activity, but there is a thriving dance community throughout the city, hiring commercial studios, performing in unsuitable spaces and trying to book spaces in venues for rehearsals, classes and workshops.

Post Covid-19, now more than ever, the powers that be are recognising the valuable role that dance and indeed all the arts have on helping individuals on their journey to wellbeing and the special role that dance has in connecting people, improving mobility, releasing stress and enhancing creativity, to name only a few of the benefits of dance.

A dedicated dance space such as Jacobs Wells Baths has potential to be a place where many exciting initiatives can flourish, a networking space for dance, a rehearsal space, and importantly hub for dance and wellbeing activity in the city.

Dance in Bristol has gone through many changes and manifestations over the last 25 years, but these have always tended to be piecemeal, short-lived initiatives having limited long-term impact for the sector as a whole.

Bristol is brimming with dance talent in many forms, and it is well overdue for a dedicated space of its own. A dedicated space will help enable the dance sector in Bristol to continue to grow and be a catalyst for exciting new developments and a much needed home for dance in this vibrant city."

Deborah Baddoo MBE, Dance Producer

If you would like to join a conversation on what the future for Jacob Wells could be, please click here.

Jacob Wells Baths, a Grade II Listed building holds within its walls a wealth of of architectural and social heritage - from its time as a public swimming baths to its 30 year history as a dance hub. A grassroots campaign is underway to bring back the building into the community.

From its time as a swimming pool, to being a multi-use arts hub, we are exploring and sharing the stories of the building over the years. Here, Trinity’s Heritage & Engagement Curator Dr Edson Burton tells us about his Jacobs Wells Baths’ Story...

"It was 2017 and I was coming to the end of my residency at Pervasive Media Studio, where I was working on a project called The Last Blues Song Of A Lost Astronaut.

I was looking for a space that had depth and height because I wanted to test the four aspects of what was going to be quite a tech-heavy, immersive theatre experience.

We looked at multiple venues across the city but nothing quite fitted. In particular, sight lines were an issue as we were looking to project at scale and most spaces just weren’t big enough for the concept of these 'four areas' that we could project onto and perform within.

I got in touch with Artspace Lifespace who were meanwhile tenants at the time of Jacobs Wells Baths at the time. We went down to look at the space and it was absolutely perfect.

There are very few spaces that have that much height and width. This means then that, in terms of creating an immersive show, it is a fantastic space for this type of performance, especially as it has one of the best sprung floors around.

I know other companies like Racous have also used the space brilliantly - it'd be great for the city to keep that creative spirit alive."

Get Involved

Click here to sign the Hotwells and Cliftonwood petition

Share your JWB story on social meda using #SaveJWB or send it to sarah@trinitybristol.org.uk

Further reading

Read more from Dr Katie McClymont from her talk about resusing heritage spaces

Read more about how the community is fighting for Jacob Wells here.

Dr Katie McClymont's talk '...and The Spirit Lingered On' explored the idea of community spirituality photo@ Khali Ackford

As momentum builds to save Jacob Wells Baths and return the listed building to community use we are looking back at our archive and sharing our blogs exploring the importance of community spaces. In this blog, first published in 2018 as part of our Heart & Soul heritage project, we reflect on Dr Katie McClymont's  (UWE’s Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning) public talk about municipal spirituality and its social context.

"Before Katie’s talk I did not understand much about the subject but it was an enormously interesting presentation with many specific examples from around Bristol." Audience member

The talk began with an explanation of the meaning of municipal spirituality and the way it occurs in places with civic and spiritual functions. The term is quite broad and can be applied to music venues, libraries, ex-churches, parks, public spaces and community centres. The factor of whether the space is inside or outside is irrelevant, it is the sense of potential for togetherness or inclusivity that is the key. This feeling does not have to respond to an existing religion, it can be responding to something beyond the everyday realm. For example, cemeteries are not necessarily places of religion but to many people have an enormous sense of the spiritual.

As part of her talk, Katie showed examples of church buildings around Bristol that have been re-purposed. They are all buildings that she happened to be passing on her route around the city on a given day, showing how many church buildings are scattered across the city, and the great proportion of them which are being used for something different than the original purpose.

Katie talked about how, through the 1970s and 1980s, there was an exponential rate of church closures. Some of these still have a social function, such as a former church in Easton that is now a centre for supported independence. Currently the Church of England (C of E) closes around 20-25 churches per each year.

A report from the charity Locality documents this selling buildings and what comminities are doing in response to this.

"I found it very interesting to hear that C of E churches are available for sale, listed on the C of E website for the public to peruse. Some of them have descriptions about their future use, for example ‘for continued worship’, ‘community work’ or ‘suitable for a wide range of uses’." Tess Sieling, project intern

Katie cited the strange feeling around seeing churches for sale in such a matter of fact, straightforward way when in fact they are very special buildings. This raised the question: can you put a price on a church? Also, what judgements are being made about the buildings before they are sold? The example of the Bill’s restaurant chain taking over old church buildings was used, as Katie said that in some cases the insides are ripped out but the strong ethos from the church remains. Even in its new function, sometimes a feeling of the old spirit lingers on. Katie is a very passionate advocate about the amazing idea that churches will always be a place to create connections between people and others; people and the past; and people and something bigger than themselves.

Katie made a film about community art spaces around Bristol including Trinity, Jacobs Wells Baths, Barton Hill Settlement and St Mary Redcliffe Church. As well as being a great medium to communicate the joys of community spaces, Katie said that when they were interviewing people from these spaces, after being asked a question, the interviewee would often give a very telling pause before answering which she believes shows the sense of the community space working beyond its physical and material achievements. Sometimes when churches are changed into private use buildings like a holiday home it can feel wrong and perhaps this is due to that change away from its original ethos. Is it because there is a feeling of loss of the shared community space that once was there?

What is the value of a church when it no longer is a church? Photo credit @Khali Ackford

Sometimes when churches are changed into private use buildings like a holiday home it can feel wrong and perhaps this is due to that change away from its original ethos. Is it because there is a feeling of loss of the shared community space that once was there?

Churches have value. They have a common purpose and a built heritage. The debate is what is their value is and when is it lost? If the value is the sense of people coming together and socialising with people they would not normally, then spaces like Trinity offer us examples of activites that do this with great popularity and with no religious aspect.

Churches closing have caused massive losses to local communities. In addition, a lot of us now live in self selective communities, so where do you meet people different from you apart from in a doctor’s waiting room or on a bus?

Katie's talk highlighted the importance of having inclusive places where different people can engage in a meaningful way. Do we define using a church as a multi use community space as adapting the church or losing the church? As an increasing number of us are of no religion, perhaps we are adapting churches to keep them relevant and concerts, gigs and other actitivites offer us that place to congregate in our secular state.

This write up was by Tess Sieling, who was the project intern on the Heart & Soul heritage project. The talk was part of a series exploring the challenges and achievements of transforming and preserving historic buildings and was programmed in collaboration with Bristol's Architecture Centre and the University of West England (UWE).

How to get involved

Click here to sign the Hotwells and Cliftonwood petition to Save Jacobs Wells Baths

Further reading

Read more from Katie McClymont in her published journal, Spaces for Secular Faith

Read more from our Heart & Soul talk series - Father Paul, Fidel Meraz and A Million Bricks of Love.

Read more about the Save Jacobs Wells Campaign here.

Artwork credit ASLS

Trinity CEO Emma Harvey reflects on the importance of community buildings following the news that Jacob Wells Baths is now at risk of being taken out of public ownership.

Jacobs Wells Baths is an asset owned by us. Built in 1889 to serve the working poor, the Grade II Listed building holds within its walls a wealth of of architectural and social heritage - from its time as a public swimming baths to its 30 year history as a dance hub.

This all risks being lost as, in December 2022, leisure company Fusion Lifestyle announced they were pulling out of restoring and managing the space meaning our cash-strapped local authority may now table it for disposal.

The story of this asset is sadly not unusual. A 2019 report by Bristol Cable revealed how Bristol City Council has sold off millions of pounds’ worth of public property as part of their ongoing response to austerity. This local saga is set against a national backdrop dubbed as ‘The Great British Sell-Off’, with local authorities across the UK attempting to combat funding crises through sale of our shared civic and heritage spaces.

"One thing you can say about Bristol is we’re a city that has demonstrated we can take complex heritage assets and transform them into viable community and cultural hubs."

It’s a pattern that shows no sign of stopping in 2023. Bristol faces yet another round of cuts and the pressure’s on to plug a £32m funding gap in whatever way possible. 134 years on from the Baths’ construction, it feels as though Bristol folk are still working hard though still very much the poorer for it.

It’s really easy to reduce these buildings to numbers on a spreadsheet. If we sell Jacobs Wells then the headache as to what to do with it next is finally over. Plus, we get some cash to plug a gap so we can all breathe a temporary sigh of relief until the next cycle of cuts. If you grew up poor it’s actually understandable. I’m sure many of us have memories of our parents pawning what few possessions they’d acquired just to make ends meet. It’s just what you do when you’re broke.

The problem though is that, when our Councils take this same attitude to balancing the books, this robs current and future generations of the assets we own and makes us all collectively poorer. In a city like Bristol, growing in density and diversity, it deprives us of places to come together, connect and share experiences. To learn and grow, to grieve or to celebrate. To keep fit, dance and be merry. To avoid loneliness or just to get out of the cold. Even to problem solve, mobilise and take collective action about the things that matter to us.

What is unusual about Bristol though is that for every Jacobs Wells Baths there are other success stories that run counter to this ‘sold from under you’ narrative. From Spike Island, to Watershed, to the Tobacco Factory, one thing you can say about Bristol is we’re a city that has demonstrated we can take complex heritage assets and transform them into viable community and cultural hubs.

The Trinity Centre is one such building as over the last 15 years we have demonstrated that we can take a big old dilapidated liability and transform it into a celebrated, multi-use arts and community asset.

So what’s stopping us from doing the same with JWB? Even with our track record, groups like Trinity just aren’t treated as serious contenders when the future of assets like Jacobs Wells Baths comes up for discussion. Maybe that’s because we don’t have millions of pounds at our disposal, or maybe its because I look like a Fraggle and talk like the love-child of Russell Brand and Janet Street-Porter. Decision makers just aren’t that great at trusting anyone to solve complex problems if the solution isn’t packaged in received pronunciation and a smart suit.

We don’t do it because we’re told we can’t, are scared to try or don’t believe we can. If we want to change this narrative this doesn’t start with the Council. It starts here and now with us. If we want to save our spaces and protect Jacobs Wells Baths and other shared civic spaces for this and future generations, as citizens we need to come together and say we want one last shot at reimagining a different future.

The Council may be the landlord but these buildings are ours. Once they’re gone they’re gone and there is no going back. We just need to believe for a moment that we can do this Bristol. Let’s put our heads and voices together and make it happen.

Take action today:

• Contact your Councillor and MP – write to them about why JWB is important
• Prepare a statement for local Cabinet
• Check out past feasibility study and plans for viable asset management
• Send your support to ensure it is registered as an Asset of Community Value
• Share on social media using the tags #SaveOurSpaces #SoldFromUnderYou #SaveJWB
• Read our 100 Beacons Report and find out more about Power to Changes We're Right Here Campaign

Ashton Court Future Ville Launch. Photo credit Caroline Thake

Bristol City Council has announced The Community Resilience Fund to be made available to community groups delivering provision in some of Bristol’s most deprived areas. The announcement of the grant follows the publication of Trinity’s 100 Beacons Report that we submitted to the City Council.

The report, created in partnership with other venues and the Council, shines a light on Bristol's community and cultural assets, including the critical role they played in providing local services as part of the COVID19 response.

"Huge thanks to Trinity for advocating for other community buildings in some of Bristol’s most neglected areas and to Bristol City Council for engaging and responding to this need” Katherine Chiswell Jones, Art Space Life Space

We created the report with the intention of building a collective case for capital investment in the city’s youth, community and cultural assets and we are pleased that Bristol City Council has now announced the commitment to funding these much-needed spaces.

The one-off pot of £4 million is also available for city-wide self-organised equality groups and is intended to help groups invest in costs, such as works to improve access, upgrading ICT infrastructure or works to a community building.

Our 100 Beacons report was part of our continued commitment to advocating for shared community and cultural spaces. We are members of Locality, support a ’Community Power Act’ and, have invested in Stokes Croft Land Trust.

Find out more about the funding and how to apply here

We're Right Here (subtitled) from We're Right Here on Vimeo.

National Community organisations have gathered together to launch ‘We’re Right Here’ a campaign that aims to shift power to communities through the creation of a ‘Community Power Act’.

This act, if successful, will fundamentally change where power and decision-making lie by ’ establishing three new community rights:

A Community Right to Buy - giving communities the right of first refusal once buildings and spaces with significant community value come up for sale.

A Community Right to Shape Public Services - Encouraging greater collaboration between communities and public institutions when designing, commissioning and delivering local services.

A Community Right to Control Investment - Increasing community control over the key spending decisions which affect local neighbourhoods.

‘We’re Right Here’ is supported by nine national organisations committed to ‘community power’ – these are Power to Change, The Cares Family, New Local, Locality, the Young Foundation, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Local Trust, People’s Health Trust and Friends Provident Foundation.

Here's how you can support this work:

Find out more about We’re Right here

Share your story of the Power of Community

Sign the letter to Michael Gove

Trinity are committed to advocating for shared community and cultural spaces. We are members of Locality and have invested in Stokes Croft Land Trust. Read our 100 Beacons report that shines a light on the importance of – and understand the risks posed to – Bristol's community and cultural assets.