One of the northernmost outdoor pools in the UK, Stonehaven was designed by Mr R R Gall FRIBA of Gregory and Gall, Architects. The idea of an open air pool was first conceived in 1933. By December 1933 work was already underway and had progressed to the laying of the outlet pipe track through the promenade to the beach.
Work, which comprised not only the completion of the basin but also the building of the dressing rooms and tearoom and the installation of seating, was pushed ahead to ensure an opening early in June 1934.
The pool opened in 1934. The main contractor was William Tawse Ltd of Aberdeen.
In the first year the attendance figures were 62,263, many of which were spectators but there were complaints regarding the temperature of the water. To counter this, gas heating was installed for the 1935 season and this had a remarkable effect on the visitor numbers. There is a report on the heating system and the costs and numbers below.
Additional improvements were approved by the council to the tune of £650 in May 1936.
The pool was closed at the start of WWII but as there were many troops stationed nearby and for the sake of local morale, the council opened it albeit for shorter hours. The pool reopened properly on August 10th 1945, with a diving gala.
In 1996, the pool was threatened with closure by the local council due to low attendance and the cost of maintenance. A Friends organisation was formed and it took over responsibility for all maintenance at the Pool. In 2000 a formal partnership with Aberdeenshire Council was made.
The pool renamed their bandstand as a memorial for Alain Bain, one of the instigators of the saving of the pool and Chairman of the Friends.
In 2009, the Friends also fund raised to build a large paddling pool within the walls of the pool area.
| Name | Stonehaven Open Air Swimming Pool Queen Elizabeth Park, The Links, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, AB39 2RD |
| Built / opened | 2nd June 1934 by Mr. C. Malcolm Barclay Harvey, M.P. |
| Cost | £9,529 |
| Dimensions | 165′ x 60′ |
| Capacity | 320,000 gallons |
| Water type | Filtered and sterilized sea water |
| Depth(s) | 2′ 9″ to 9′ |
| Diving | |
| Changing facilities | |
| Second pool | N/A |
| Spectator seating | |
| Designer | Mr. R. R. Gall, F.R.LB.A. |
| Date closed | N/A |
| Status | Open |
| On site now | The pool |
| Links | Stonehaven Open Air Swimming Pool |
| LinkLast updated | 2nd June 2025 |
Baths and Bath Engineering, June 1934
Mr. C. M. Barclay Harvey, M.P., declared the swimming pool opened on June 2. The pool cost nearly £9,000, and has as far as possible been built, equipped, and furnished by local tradesmen and labour. The plans for the pool were made bv a local architect. Mr. R. R. Gall, F.R.LB.A.
Baths and Baths Engineering May 1935
The contract for heating the open-air swimming pool has been secured by the Stonehaven Gas Co., who will supply a gas-fired boiler for the purpose. The pool is 165 ft. by 60 ft., and the capacity is 320,000 gal. The final temperature required is 68 deg. Cent.
Baths and Bath Engineering May 1936
SOME OBSERVATIONS ON HEATING.
By RICHARD M. HOGG, M.N.A.B.S., Superintendent.
(Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the National Association of Bath Superintendents (Inc.) at Edinburgh, May 12-14, 1936.)
The heating of an open-air swimming pool has been looked upon by many people connected with bathing establishments and others, as speculative as to its advantages and probably an uneconomic proposition.
Stonehaven Town Council having been no exception to this opinion, found that they had rather a difficult question in front of them at the end of the opening season, 1934.
Many people had visited the pool that season and had been very favourably impressed with the lay-out of the place, the convenience of the car park, tearoom, cubicle accommodation and the seating, etc. The water in the pool, provided the conditions of the sea were good (the pool being of the fill and empty type), was kept clear and sparkling, with the result that a large number of the public were tempted to bathe. At this point the favourable impression received a severe setback, the reason being that the water temperature never exceeded 59 deg. Fahr. throughout the season.
The temperature on filling the pool, was on the average 525 deg. Fahr., and if the atmospheric conditions were good. the water temperature would rise between 3 deg. or 4 deg. during the day. This rise in temperature, however, could not be maintained since the practice of having a surface overflow daily, plus the heat loss during the following night, had the effect of again lowering the temperature.
For these reasons the town council was perturbed about the matter, and it was felt that some drastic alteration was necessary, if they hoped to maintain and augment the patronage at the pool. Attention was directed towards some means by which the pool water might be heated. Unfortunately, there was very little data by which the council could be guided, and it was only with the greatest difficulty that the council were convinced that such a scheme could be other than a complete failure.
Many arguments were used against the project; I shall not try to set them all out here but shall confine myself lo what was considered the strongest. The pool being built of concrete on a gravel subsoil is situated quite close to the sea and at the time of building there was difficulty experienced with the amount of gravity water present. The nature of the ground and the amount of water present, readily led to the belief that the heat absorbed by the pool walls would be more than a boiler could effectively combat if the running costs were to be within reasonable limits.
However, after going deeply into the question and exploring all possible channels, the council decided to instal a heating and filtration plant.
The scheme adopted was so arranged that the working of the filtration plant would cause the pool to be in constant circulation, the contents being withdrawn and returned every six hours. This being the case n flow pipe was taken from the filtered water, passed through a boiler, returned to the main stream and so to the pool. The type of boiler decided on was a low-pressure hot water boiler. It is gas-fired with thermostatic control, has listed output of 1.200,000 B.th.u. and an over-all efficiency of 90 per cent.
The first month after opening for the season, 1935, proved that the boiler could and would do what was expected, but due to the extraordinary bad weather that June, the water temperature was never pushed unless the demand justified. I may say that at the week-ends when our bathing load increased. The temperature was given an extra boost. During July and August, it was possible with a comparatively small gas consumption to maintain the pool at an average temperature of 70 deg. Fahr.
An argument frequently used was that the heated water does not produce the sting that the colder water did and this is no doubt correct. My answer to this is that this condition is more than outbalanced by the comfort of the water, which allows one to do much more in the way of exercise and to enjoy and finish their dip in comfort. Another important factor is that the heated water encouraged more adults to bathe, a point that was very noticeable throughout the season.
The aim during season 1935 was to allow the water temperature to fluctuate slightly, so as to approximate the atmospheric temperature; had this not been done, the public on leaving the heated pool on a cold day would have found the atmosphere uncomfortable, with the danger of colds.
I have appended the temperature variations daily, when it will be seen that the average heat loss was approximately 2 deg. I may say that this was much lower than what was expected with the result that a saving in gas was effected. I have also appended statistics of the gas consumption and the total cost of same.
The size of the Stonehaven swimming pool is 165 ft. by 60 ft., the minimum depth being 2 ft. 9 in. and the maximum 9 ft. The capacity of the pool is 315,000 gal.
The season is from the beginning of June to the end of September.
Comparative figures, showing the revenue in 1934 when the pool was unheated and in 1935 after the heating and filtration plants were installed:
| 1934 | 1935 | |||||
| £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | |
| Non-bathers | 778 | 5 | 9 | 733 | 3 | 6 |
| Adult | 381 | 18 | 0 | 720 | 19 | 0 |
| Juvenile | 105 | 8 | 6 | 180 | 6 | 0 |
| Costumes etc | 51 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 9 | 0 |
| Season tickets | 269 | 12 | 4 | 501 | 16 | 11 |
| Totals | 1,583 | 4 | 7 | 2,217 | 14 | 5 |
Extra expenditure, 1935
| Gas consumption | |
| Running hours (daily) | 7.5 |
| Total running hous during season | 945.8 |
| Average consumption per hour | 2,640 cu. ft. |
| Total consumption for season | 2,497,000 cu. ft. |
| Total cost at 1s. 8d. per 1,000 ft | £208 1s. 8d. |
| Capital cost of installing boiler | £300 |
Average temperatures during season, 1935
| Water | Water | Atmosphere | |
| Deg. F | Deg. F | Deg. F | |
| June | 64.7 | 62.1 | 60.8 |
| July | 69.6 | 67.5 | 65.6 |
| August | 69.5 | 67.9 | 64.7 |
| September | 65.4 | 64.6 | 60.7 |
ln conclusion it can be definitely stated that the heating of the Stonehaven pool was a huge success and on comparing the figures of season 1934 against 1935, it will be found that the bathing load has increased nearly 100 per cent. The additional revenue has justified the added expenditure, and the pool continues to show a profit after providing for all loan charges and sinking fund, etc.
Baths and Bath Engineering April 1937
The Stonehaven Burgh Council have appointed Mr. V. D. Jones, superintendent of the swimming pool, in succession to Mr. R. T. Cosgrove, who has been appointed superintendent of the Cheltenham open-air pool. Mr. Jones is at present superintendent of the Cumnock swimining pool. Mr. D. Neilson first assistant of the Motherwell baths will succeed him.
