Said to be the oldest member-owned and run bathing club in the world, the Arlington Baths Club is situated on Arlington Street in the Woodlands district of Glasgow, a mile (1.5 km) northwest of the city centre. Built 1869-71 by John Burnet (1814 - 1901), the building presents a 21-bay Italianate ashlar facade to the street, with an arched portico. The original building was just one storey, accommodating the 21-m / 70-foot pool, two bath areas, changing rooms and a small reading room. This was extended in 1875 to add Turkish baths and a reading room, the membership having grown to a remarkable 600. The south and centre sections of the building were raised to two storeys in 1893, to create space for billiard rooms and a card room, with the northern section raised in 1902. The building was given B-listed status in 1986, underwent a Lottery-funded refurbishment in 2000 and was upgraded to an A listing in 2014.
The first Bathsmaster was William Wilson (1844 - 1912), who is credited with inventing the game of water polo, and was also notable for devising and popularising modern life-saving techniques.
Today, in addition to the swimming pool and Turkish baths, the club offers a sauna, steam-rooms and a gymnasium. Many original fittings survive inside, including trapeze rings above the pool.
It remains owned and run by members, who enjoy reciprocal arrangements with the similarly-historic Drumsheugh Baths Club in Edinburgh.
