The old Forfar pool is going back to auction just days after two men were jailed following the discovery of a near £200,000 cannabis cultivation in the empty building.
The former baths at The Vennel have sat empty since being closed by Angus Council in 2017.
In March 2023, the council finally sold the building to an Edinburgh-based property firm for just over £53,000.
And five months later the 114-year-old property – gifted to the town by Fife steel magnate Andrew Carnegie – was the scene of a major police drugs operation.
It uncovered a cannabis farm in the old main pool area as part of what prosecutors said was a “complex” criminal set up.
The value of around 150 cannabis plants found there was set as high as £187k.
Police apprehended two illegal Albanian immigrants during the raid – one trying to escape through a skylight.
At Dundee Sheriff Court last week, Hajri Musa and Gerald Daci were each jailed for three years.
Starting price of £48k
The C-listed Vennel building is now being offered for sale with a starting price £5,000 below what it previously sold for.
It is going under the hammer at Future Property Auctions on Thursday.
The timed online auction begins at 10am and will close at 3pm.
The opening bid for the old pool is set at £48,000.
Sellers describe the pool as a “superb development opportunity” for uses including commercial or residential conversion.
News of the sale has renewed calls for any potential developer to take action quickly to bring the building back into use.
Scottish Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr learned to swim at the former baths.
He said: “The story of this old pool has had some twists over the last few years.
“It’s sad to see such a venerable building, given to the town by Andrew Carnegie, being left to rot.
“Forfarians don’t want their lasting memories of this place to be crime and vandalism.
“It was a source of joy for more than a century. I think there is plenty of life left in it for the community.
“The next chapter needs to be a happy one.”
The swimming pool has regularly been the target for youths illegally entering it.
In February, police, council and Scottish Water were alerted by concerned locals after water was seen pouring from the building.
And investigations are continuing into a suspected deliberate fire there earlier this month
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