Investors sought to raise final funds to restore Govanhill Baths
Govanhill Baths Community Trust needs £300,000 to help fund its restoration
A 17 year battle to restore Govanhill Baths to its former glory is drawing to a close, with the project needing a final £300,000 to unlock further funding towards the £6.4 million total. Govanhill Baths Community Trust wants to restore the old swimming pool and steam room , and create a health and well-being centre.
The Trust is issuing community shares, which can be purchased by anyone for any price from £100 to £30,000.
Fatima Uygun is the trust manager, she said: "What we're asking people to do is invest. What that means is after a number of years they can get their money back and they will also earn 3% interest and get a 50% tax break.
"But we're not talking about being a shareholder like you would on the stock exchange, this is a new way of investing where ordinary people, no matter how much they put in, get one vote.
"We're all equal."
The 100 year old Edwardian building was closed and left to decay after Glasgow City Council deemed it unviable in 2001.
But ever since then the community trust has been fighting to have it reopened, and are now on the verge of securing its long-term future.
Mrs Uygun said: "Our slogan from day one was 'United we will Swim' and that's got us this far.
"Govanhill is a community that's on the surface very disparate with lots of language difficulties, different people, but we're all really united behind this one project .
"For the last seventeen years we've been determined to not only open this up as a community sporting and wellbeing centre but an asset to the future of Govanhill.
"Three hundred thousand might seem like a huge amount, but to us after nearly twenty years it feels like the final lap and united indeed we will swim."
The funding drive runs until the 19th November, for more information visit http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/Govanhill-Baths