The Health Hydro
Regenerating the Health Hydro
The Health Hydro has reopened
The Health Hydro has reopened following the completion of the first phase of refurbishment. Visit Better for further details.
The vision
Work to restore the Grade II* listed Health Hydro has begun. This ambitious regeneration project will breathe life into one of Swindon’s most remarkable historic buildings and create a unique health and wellbeing destination.
The project aims to draw more people into Swindon’s town centre and support the wider revitalisation of the Railway Village. It will help promote Swindon as a place of historic interest that is worth visiting.
Restoration planning work began in earnest in 2021, supported by £1.5 million from Swindon Borough Council and £5 million of Town Deal funding.
Given the scale of the challenge and the funding required to restore the entire Health Hydro, the works are being prioritised and delivered in phases. The first phase of this work has now been completed and the building reopened on 19 January 2026.
Before any detailed planning work began, a vision and masterplan for the whole building was prepared and agreed with project partners and local stakeholders. Each phase of restoration builds towards delivering the full vision. The vision is inspired by the Health Hydro’s original purpose as a pioneering health and wellbeing service.
A building rooted in health and community
The Health Hydro was built in 1891 by the Great Western Railway (GWR) Medical Fund. Its aim was to provide affordable access to preventative and medical care, funded through subscriptions from GWR employees.
The GWR Medical Fund Society recognised that good health is more than the absence of disease. It understood health as a process shaped by hygiene, diet, environment, physical activity, and community support.
Bringing together wash baths, swimming baths, Turkish Baths, and a comprehensive medical service in one building was a practical expression of Swindon’s motto: ‘Salubritas Et Industria’ (Health and Industry).
Images of the Health Hydro restoration
Showing photo 1 of 12: Health Hydro swimming pool
Further information
You can read more about the long-term plans for the building in Swindon's Health Hydro vision statement (PDF).
