actor and director Peter Mullan will unveil the £100,000 revamp of Glasgow’s Govanhill Baths.

The star, currently appearing in First World War movie War Horse, will open the first phase of the baths.

Members of Govanhill Community Baths Trust have been working for 10 years to salvage the swimming pool, which was opened just one month before the start of the First World War but closed in 2001.

Now the Trust is celebrating success with a makeover that has turned the front suite of the baths into a community space and kitchen.

Trust chairman Andrew Johnston said: “It’s amazing. We have put in a lot of work to get to this stage, and we also have to thank the Scottish Government’s Equally Well community health scheme for helping fund the project.

“The rest of the build should be completed over the next two years and this is a very good start to the centre.

“The opening is going to be a very big day.”

It will be held on Saturday, February 4 from 12.30pm and will include an exhibition of photographs detailing the progress of the baths during the past 10 years.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will attend, along with Archie Graham, Glasgow City Council’s spokesman for culture and sport, while the Voicebeats international choir will perform.

Peter Mullan, who won a Scottish Bafta for directing the Glasgow-based film Neds and also appeared in Trainspotting and My Name Is Joe, became involved in the baths because of its support for Glasgow charity Positive Action In Housing.

The unveiling comes after a decade of hard work by the Baths Trust.

It was set up to try to save the baths when they were closed by the city council in 2001.

Community members have campaigned tirelessly to raise the £1.9million needed to save the building in Calder Street and it will now be used as a health and well-being centre.

The next phase planned should see the reopening of the women’s pool, the toddler’s pool, a sauna and Turkish baths, an art suite and a garden upstairs in the baths.

Glasgow City Council granted the Trust a licence to use the premises. The licence will convert to a lease next year.

Trust bosses said the work had been a team effort and paid tribute to Govanhill Community Action Group, the Big Lottery, Architectural Heritage Fund, Scottish Community Action and Santander Bank for their support.

Historic Scotland has also provisionally agreed a refurbishment grant for the whole building of just under £1m while individual donors have also pledged support.

And NORD Architecture has given donations in kind.

A city council spokesman said: “The Trust deserves tremendous credit for all its efforts. We hope the opening proves a great success.”

catriona.stewart@eveningtimes.co.uk

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