Angus Council may finally be about to wash its hands of Forfar’s old swimming pool.
The Vennel baths were boarded up when the town’s £38 million community campus opened in February 2017.
The campus includes a six-lane pool as part of a complex incorporating Forfar Academy.
But attempts to offload the 112-year-old sandstone property it replaced have come to nothing.
In early 2020 councillors approved the sale of the buildings for an undisclosed sum.
They were told it would save around £9,000 per annum in running and security costs.
It also followed vandalism and break-ins which caused thousands of pounds worth of damage.
But the deal fell through.
And the baths failed to hit their £50,000 reserve price in an online property auction earlier this year.
However, we can reveal a sale could be on the cards.
The council has confirmed it is talking to interested parties about a deal.
But at this stage the authority is saying little more about the possibility of a sale.
A spokesperson said: “We have had post auction interest and are currently considering offers.”
What will the buyer get?
It is a C-listed building with more than a century of history attached
Sales material has described the pool as having development potential.
The total building covers 9,321 sq. ft.
As well as the main pool, the facility included a sauna and steam room.
There is also parking for a number of vehicles on the corner site at The Vennel and Osnaburg Street.
No takers
In September, it featured on a Scotland-wide property auction.
Bidding started at £40,000, but fizzled out at £45,000.
It was not enough to make the £50k guide price.
Carnegie’s charity
Fife philanthropist Andrew Carnegie gifted the baths to the Angus town.
They were built on a site gifted by town textile firm Don Brothers Buist.
And the steel magnate was at the opening gala in October 1910.
If the building does sell, it will finally free the council of two properties which have drained money from it since they were replaced by the campus facilities.
Lochside leisure centre has now been cleared after the controversial saga surrounding its future.
The Forfar Loch site will be cleared and landscaped as part of the £650k project to return it to common good ground in the country park.
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