THE CITY'S leader has said he would join the opposition group "on the barricades" if Carlisle saw a bid to turn its historic Turkish Baths into a nightclub.

Carlisle City Council's Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday, discussing the fate of the James Street Baths and historic Turkish Health Suite.

The Friends of the Victorian Baths spoke at the meeting giving their case to keep the threatened facility and an asset to the wellbeing of Carlisle residents.

Their health suite is currently set to close when the newly refurbished Sands Centre reopens along with new swimming facilities.

A neighbouring swimming facility from the 1970s will be demolished when swimming provision moves to the new Sands Centre facility, forcing the closure of the Turkish Baths.

Chairwoman of the campaign group, Julie Minns said: "We would like the baths to remain as a public facility, the means of achieving that would be via a community asset transfer."

She said that "the economic potential of this building is quite considerable and we want to ensure that is maximised".

The group's vision for the baths is that they continue to support the health and wellbeing of residents, benefitting from a refurbishments and an extension into the 20 metre pool area - facilitating the creation of a community laundry.

Carlisle City Council carried out a feasibility study exploring the options for the buildings.

The study was carried out by Mott MacDonald and BDP and commissioned by Cumbria County Council.

A private spa facility was mooted in the report as a potential use for the Turkish Baths building, to continue offering health and wellbeing provision at the Grade II Listed Building.

Another potential use for the building considered in the study was for civic and public sector functions.

However, Ms Minns noted at the meeting that in-person conference events are in decline.

Regardless of its future uses, councillors on either side of the political spectrum said that they would be opposed to the idea of converting the listed building into a nightclub or bar.

Labour councillor Colin Glover: "Does it go out to private sector? My big worry on that is are we talking about private spa operator or are we talking about a nightclub, because that would horrify me, if that was where we ended up with this, that the building ends up, not as a health facility at all and it just becomes party central for people who want to come to Carlisle for a stag do."

Leader of the Conservative controlled city council, John Mallinson said: "I think I'd join you on the barricades if anybody wanted to make it into a nightclub, Cllr Glover. I do not envisage a restaurant, coffee shop, shopping arcade, whatever."

The campaign group were encouraged by Cllr Mallinson's comments, that hope is not lost for the historic baths.

Cllr Mallinson said: "I haven't lost vision that the Turkish Baths can survive and prosper and be a significant addition to the offer in Carlisle, however, I do see issues and problems, it's quite a tough call. We're not slamming any doors, we're not saying they will close in the autumn, we're trying to highlight the difficulties."