New health centre near Birmingham as historic swimming baths transformed
The Grade II listed Smethwick Baths, which shut its doors two years ago, has been snapped up by a local healthcare firm, aiming to breathe new life into the historic edifice.
Sandwell Council offloaded the building to Norvic Family Practice this April, following through on a decision made last year by the Labour-led cabinet.
Read more: Crimes that happen where you live
The Smethwick-based GPs, who already manage Victoria Health Centre on Suffrage Street and Norman Road Surgery in the town, believe the move will enable them to ramp up their appointment offerings.
Dr Amandeep Suthi of Norvic Family Practice shared: "We are excited to announce these proposals for the historic Thimblemill Baths building, which we know is much-loved by the local community.
"We are working with architects to design a sympathetic conversion of this grade II listed building to restore it for public use, and we will provide more details as soon as we can.
"We have run out of clinical rooms at our current site in Norman Road so we can't offer any more appointments than we already do. By moving to new premises, we will be able to offer more appointments in the future."
However, the transformation of the building into a state-of-the-art health centre is still pending planning approval from the council.
The art deco baths, which had been a community staple for over nine decades until its closure in July last year, have suffered extensive vandalism since, with smashed doors, toilets, and windows, costing taxpayers an additional £7,500 per month for increased security measures.
Sandwell Council has stated that the responsibility for maintaining the security of the former baths now lies with the new owner.
The Thimblemill Road baths were closed following the public unveiling of the multi-million-pound Sandwell Aquatics Centre, located just a mile away on Londonderry Lane.
Despite initially agreeing to collaborate with music charity, the People's Orchestra, on plans to transform the grade II listed building into a new music venue and community hub, the council later expressed reluctance due to concerns over potential risks and high costs.
The council currently holds more than 130 'assets' in its property portfolio, valued at approximately £11m, which are deemed surplus to requirements. It is now planning to sell these off in order to achieve a 'savings target' of over £4m within the next two years.
Earlier this year, Cllr Peter Hughes, the council's cabinet member for regeneration and infrastructure, confessed that 'no planning' had been undertaken regarding the future of the baths, despite having agreed to its closure seven years prior.
The council also disclosed its intention to sell the building as part of an effort to save £840,000.
In 2018, Sandwell Council's cabinet officially decided that Smethwick Baths would close after the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, with the newly constructed Sandwell Aquatics Centre set to open to the public in 2023.
Sandwell Council revealed it had amassed over 130 'assets' worth roughly £11m that exceeded its needs, and now the Black Country authority is planning to offload these properties in order to meet a 'savings target' of above £4m within two years.
Cllr Hughes commented: "The council has worked hard to secure a positive future for this landmark building in Smethwick.
"I am delighted the sale is now complete – and I look forward to seeing the detailed design proposals for a conversion that promises to both preserve the building and benefit people's health and wellbeing for many years to come."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man, 30, suffered gym pain, then doctors asked where he'd like to die
A 29-year-old man, Alex Able, was planning a future family with his wife, Elle, when doctors diagnosed him with one of the world's rarest forms of cancer. It came just two years after his wedding in 2021, when Alex, now 30, residing in Kent with Elle, 27, and their two cats, Socks and Sage first noticed shoulder pain in September 2023. As a regular gym-goer, the couple put the pain down to that and didn't think much of it, but it persisted and kept him awake at night. Read more: State Pension age rising for people born in these years in 2026 This led Alex to undergo an MRI scan in November 2023, but it came back clear. While it was a relief, by May 2024, the pain had worsened, leading to a subsequent scan revealing a large tumour on his shoulder and near his spinal cord. Surgeons succeeded in removing 90% of the mass, leaving 10% due to its proximity to Alex's spine. The tumour was sent for testing, and within a fortnight, a shocking diagnosis was delivered, reports The Mirror. "Our world came crashing down around us all," said Alex's mother-in-law, Katie Bleach, 44, from Kent, who has been speaking to the press on behalf of her daughter, Elle, and son-in-law, Alex. Alex was diagnosed with a Rhabdoid tumour - a vicious and extremely rare form of cancer that predominantly strikes young children. This particular type of illness is so uncommon that Katie revealed there are believed to be approximately 11 confirmed cases across Europe, with Alex thought to be the first instance in the UK. "They [doctors] explained that Rhabdoid tumours behave like spider webs, fine strands that cling to whatever they can grab. Alex's was dangerously close to his spinal cord, attached to muscles and nerves controlling his arm movement," the devastated parent revealed. Four weeks after his initial surgery, the tumour had grown back to its original size. He underwent intense radiotherapy, every day for six weeks, in an attempt to shrink the mass. "The radiotherapy caused burns and inflammation to his throat, and he struggled to eat or drink. He was losing weight rapidly, but he kept pushing through," Katie said. He then went on to have chemotherapy, and despite the odds, "started to build himself back up". At a halfway scan, small tumours appeared in his lungs, lower back, and shoulder bone, but as chemo continued by the end of December, the secondary tumours in his lung had halved in size and the patch in his lower back bone had gone. The original tumour on his shoulder "remained stable," and Alex and Elle started making plans for their future, including an exciting move from Kent to Shropshire. Alex finished chemo in March 2025 and celebrated his 30th birthday in the same month after a challenging few months. Heartbreakingly, at the end of April, Alex became unwell and experienced strange sensations in his legs and pain in his back. In just a few days, his health deteriorated, and further results revealed that the tumours in his lungs had returned. In addition, there were new growths in his lower back, which impacted his mobility, and two small lesions were in his brain. Katie shared: "Over the coming weeks, difficult decisions were made; they pulled out of their dream home, Wills were drawn up, conversations about his declining mobility and future care were had." Alex underwent radiotherapy to his brain and lower spine, and intense physiotherapy to help him walk again. Chemo also resumed, but the morning after the first of his third chemo cycle, Alex woke up and couldn't feel his legs. He had sudden paralysis from his chest down, and an MRI revealed that two new growths were found in his spine, bringing the total to seven tumours. Katie shared that before his diagnosis, Alex and Elle, who have been together since 2019 and got engaged just nine months later, "loved travelling, eating out, going on adventures, went out with friends a lot and were film buffs". She added: "Their hopes for the future were aligned; they were desperate to move to Shropshire, and both wanted to live in the countryside. "They wanted a more outdoorsy life and were thinking of starting a family. Their adventures were only just beginning." On her daughter's reliance, Katie added: "She's the strongest. and the most courageous girls I know. She's been an absolute tower of strength to Alex, giving him nothing but love and encouragement with a constant belief that they're going to come through the other end." Due to the rarity of Alex's diagnosis and it not commonly being seen in adults, receiving treatment has been challenging. On July 11, Alex and his family were hit with the gut-wrenching news that his cancer was "now uncontrollable" and that his treatment was being terminated. Devastated Katie shared: "Despite what they might think is best for Alex, they aren't delivering any actual care; all they're doing is managing his symptoms." She continued: "He's comfortable and well looked after, but his condition in effect is only just getting worse." On Wednesday, 30 July, Katie said they had "the worst day in the last 18 months". She shared: "It was a horrific day. Alex was really uncomfortable; he had hardly any sleep the day before, and he woke up saying he was done. We all gathered around him thinking, he looks so ill, this is it, we've run out of time. "I think part of his feeling so low is that he's fully aware that his cancer is potentially progressing while he's been lying there. He was starting to lose hope." After Alex said he had had enough, Katie said he was offered to go home or to a hospice. "They essentially asked him where he would like to die," she added. Refusing to give up, the family have been researching alternative treatment routes outside of the NHS for the last three weeks and set up a GoFundMe page to help raise costs to cover Alex's treatment moving forward, including travel and any additional costs. After weeks of research and rejections, Katie connected with a Professor in Germany who, despite being unable to treat Alex personally, provided details of seven treatment options, all currently used in Germany's leading Rhabdoid tumour institute - the University Medical Centre, Augsburg. You can visit Alex's GoFundMe page here. Professor Robin Jones of the Royal Marsden has since been in contact to say that he is willing to take on Alex's case privately. They are now waiting for further details on his transfer and what the treatment plan will look like for Alex. "Alex is absolutely over the moon, and he's raring to go again. He's always been so determined and said he's going to be the one success case and hopefully a pioneer for children with this awful disease," his mother-in-law said. "We've gone from the darkest place to now, there's some light at the end of the tunnel. We're feeling hopeful again. We will never give up on Alex because he's so determined to live."
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Like Sacha Baron Cohen, I transformed my body aged 50. It's anything but ‘repellent'
'Repellent.' That was the word that caught my eye when I saw Judith Woods's column on the newly ripped Sacha Baron Cohen. She also made the point that, as a middle-aged father of two, the actor was well within his rights to 'rock a dad bod'. It's not that that term in itself is negative – it's probably an accurate description of the body many men have in midlife, dads or not, when your metabolism slows down, you move less and start to take on more weight, typically around the stomach. No, the 'dad bod' itself isn't the issue; it's what it conceals. The dad bod comes with visceral fat and its impact on vital organs. Five years ago, when I was 50, there was nothing out of the ordinary about my physique. In fact, I was barely even aware of my form, taking it as a joke when my son called me 'Daddy Pig' after the portly father figure from the cartoon Peppa Pig. However, I was burnt out and depressed. I felt low and slow. And, had I not gone to the doctor, I probably wouldn't have realised that I was at risk of diabetes and fatty liver, that I had high cholesterol and hypertension. After all, I wasn't living any differently from most of the other males I knew in my age group. Those results, rather than a midlife crisis vanity project, provided the springboard for me to begin transforming my body and, more importantly, my fitness. Being 50, it hit me that I had probably lived more years than I had left. As the realisation dawned that my habits weren't only having an impact on my longevity but also on the quality of my remaining life, I resolved to do something about it. And I remember the day well. It was a Monday morning about six months after that doctor's appointment, and I thought, 'Right, that's it, let's do something about this.' Digging out an old pair of trainers, I set out for a run – well, it was probably more walking than running. But I felt great afterwards – and when I got home, it had an impact on what I ate, too, which would usually have involved some oven chips. I never made a conscious decision to stop drinking – just to cut down on alcohol – but, in the event, I've not touched it since, simply because within a week I felt so much better without it. Other healthy changes followed – joining a gym, taking swimming improvement lessons, changing my diet. I didn't even tell my wife at first – I suppose out of a fear of failing – but she noticed the difference in me within the first few weeks. It wasn't just the fact that I was losing weight, though; I was happier and more engaged. Nor is a midlife makeover always a post-breakup revenge move. My wife and I are happily married. But has it improved our relationship? Absolutely. Not only in terms of her finding me more attractive, but also because my increased confidence and presence has done wonders for our connection. Where family life is concerned, it's also had an impact on my relationship with my teenage son, with whom I can go out and do things – climbing, mountain biking, even just kicking a ball around. Those things I wouldn't previously have had the energy to do. I've not noticed women responding to me any differently since I got fitter and made this my full-time career. But nor have I had any negative feedback from anyone, other than in the early stages of my weight loss (which was rapid), where people thought I was looking gaunt – something I rectified by upping both my calorie intake and resistance training. I've certainly never been likened to biltong (a comparison Woods made about Baron Cohen's new look). Ultimately, my physical changes have also transformed my career and my life, not only getting rid of my budding physical and mental health issues, but also improving my family relationships and enjoyment of things. It doesn't have to be about starring as a superhero, or appearing on the cover of a magazine – although that is, in fact, soon to happen for me with the September issue of Men's Fitness. It's about living and feeling your best in the years you have left. As told to Sarah Rodrigues Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Washington Post
5 hours ago
- Washington Post
The newest side effect of hair loss — more public anxiety
Amid photos of balding scalps and eager gossip about new remedies on a Reddit thread about hair loss, you'll often find cries of distress. 'I don't feel at peace, ever. My nervous system is constantly in fight or flight,' read one in response to a question last year about the 'absolute worst part about balding.'
