Forfar’s former swimming pool looks set to stay a town centre white elephant after no one was willing to splash the cash on it.
The 112-year-old building at The Vennel went under the hammer in an online auction on Thursday.
It has lain empty since being replaced by a six-lane pool at the multi-million pound Forfar community campus five years’ ago.
But owners Angus Council have failed in attempts to offload the old baths.
A previous deal with a developer fell through.
So the council sent it to auction with property agents Shepherd Commercial.
It was part of a sale run by SDL Auctions, which included land and property across Scotland.
Five-figure reserve
The C-listed building carried a guide price of £50,000.
Described as having development potential, the pool covers 9,321 sq. ft. and has a sauna and steam room.
There is also parking for a number of vehicles on the corner site at The Vennel and Osnaburg Street.
Rival bidders dipped their toe in the water from an opening offer of £40,000.
But the flurry of interest only reached £45,000.
SDL managing director and auctioneer Andrew Parker pulled the plug because it had not made its reserve.
It remains to be seen what the council’s next course of action will be for the building.
A spokesperson said: “We are currently exploring other avenues for the disposal of Forfar pool.”
The baths were gifted to Forfar by Fife philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.
They were built on a site gifted by town textile firm Don Brothers Buist.
And steel magnate Mr Carnegie was at the opening gala in October 1910.
It’s one of two town leisure facilities which have languished since their replacement.
Lochside set to go
Lochside leisure centre is about to come down in a five-month demolition project beginning in October.
But it emerged this week that the cost of the job has rocketed £155,000 to £650k.
That bill comes on top of the £1,000 a week it was costing Angus Council to insure and look after the empty 47-year-old centre beside Forfar Loch.
And the authority became involved in a costly Court of Session fight when two town businessmen challenged the decision to bulldoze it.
The council has released details of the demolition scheme which will also close the adjacent playpark for five months.
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