Inside the abandoned Chorlton leisure centre taken over by a community of squatters

18th May 2023

An urban explorer has shared pictures inside Chorlton’s derelict swimming pool, giving an exclusive look behind the doors of the long-abandoned leisure centre that was once home to a community of good-natured squatters.

The south Manchester leisure centre shut its doors in 2015 and, squatters aside, has stood empty since – despite a last-ditched attempt by campaigners to keep it open as a not-for-profit.

The first group of occupiers moved in in 2017, and – armed with brushes and a spot of plumbing know-how – quickly got to work draining and refilling the neglected pool and reviving the sauna so that it could be enjoyed once again by the local community.

Sadly, despite the group’s good intentions, bailiffs were hot on their heels, and soon the collective of 28 people, two dogs and several puppies known as ‘We R’ found themselves evicted and sent out onto the streets in minus-4 temperatures.

A council spokesperson said at the time: “Squatters had broken into the former Chorlton Leisure Centre building and the City Council has obtained a court order to take back control of the site to ensure that it can be repurposed in a way that would benefit the wider community. This happened this morning and the building has now been secured.

“The former leisure centre is currently one of three Chorlton sites subject to a major consultation to encourage local people to have their say about how the sites could be used in a way that would benefit the wider community.”

Over the years that followed, the building would be occupied several times more with its friendly squatters fixing leaks and even making plans to build a swimming pool before ultimately being kicked out for good in 2019.

Now, new images taken by urban explorer Kyle Urbex show how the group’s time here changed the building’s appearance forever.

Photographs taken inside the old Chorlton baths show walls covered in artwork and graffiti instructing visitors to pick up their litter and ‘protect trans youth’, old gymnasium equipment rearranged to look like a sort of childlike den or fortress, and even a worn-in, comfy-looking leather couch still bearing the imprints of its last occupant.

Elsewhere, Kyle’s pictures give a glimpse into the lifestyle of the squatters – with more graffiti advertising invites to workshops and even a dedicated busker performing area marked outside the gymnasium.

Eerily, it can be seen in the pictures that some of the electricity supply for the old baths is still hooked up with intermittent lighting throughout.

For Kyle, who explores and photographs abandoned buildings across the north west, getting inside and photographing the baths was a real achievement as it has never been done before.

And now, with new plans recently confirmed to transform the derelict leisure centre into affordable housing for the over 55s, it is likely that all this will soon be erased forever.

Featured image – Kyle Urbex