• Swindon & Wiltshire Property
• Wednesday April 2 2025
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Historic building that inspired the NHS to reopen next year

A facility for sick or injured railway workers in Victorian Swindon that is said to have inspired the foundation of the NHS is due to reopen next year.

Swindon’s historic Health Hydro – home to Wiltshire’s longest pool at 33 metres – closed two years ago for restoration works.

This week, Swindon Borough Council revealed that investigations into the structure of the Grade II* listed building – which were only possible after the building had been closed – had revealed “a series of challenges which have had to be overcome by redesign.”

The removal of asbestos had also added time and cost as the repair bill shot up from £6.5 million to £8.6 million.

Historic England made additional funds available and now the council says it hopes to reopen the facility in early 2026, after a period of fit-out by leisure operators GLL.

Councillor Marina Strinkovsky, Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet member for placemaking and planning, said: “Like many residents, I am desperate to see this beautiful building reopened to the public.

“The Health Hydro is a nationally significant heritage site and the story it embodies of workers self-organising to provide services to their community is one that should make all Swindonians proud.

“The Health Hydro is a Grade II* listed building that also has a lot of engineering complexity, so while I am as disappointed as everyone else that the refurbishment is taking longer than originally planned, it’s important that the work is done thoroughly and with care and attention.

“We’re working closely with Beard, the construction company for the project, and Fourth Street, our lead consultant, to make sure we’re doing the right things for this historic building.

“When the Health Hydro does reopen, I know it will be welcomed by the Swindon community and I look forward to everyone being able to enjoy the work so far.”

The Health Hydro was built in 1891-92 by the GWR Medical Fund Society, funded by subscriptions from employee’s wages.

The building included a dispensary and consulting rooms for doctors, dentists, and other medical practitioners.

In 1948 Nye Bevan, the government minister who created the National Health Service, visited the facility. Later, he is reported to have said: “There it was, a complete health service. All we had to do was roll it out to cover the whole country.”

Latest: Restoration plans for Swindon’s Health Hydro get a boost