Ironmonger Row Baths
Ironmonger Row Baths are a favourite secret spot of mine. I was introduced to them by a colleague who was a keen competitive cyclist, and wanted to keep fit at lunchtime - he swam three days a week and took a Turkish bath on Friday when everyone else in the City was out drinking.
The building is a rather unprepossessing 1930s block on the outside. The interior, though, breaks forth into splendid Modernism, at odds with the neo-Georgian exterior. The main pool room feels light and airy.
But it’s not the swimming pool that is the big secret. It’s the Turkish baths. Remember, back in the 1930s many houses didn’t have baths - so this was a public bathhouse, eventually upgraded to a full Turkish bath experience.
And it’s inexpensive compared to many of London’s private spas, as this is a council facility. You’ll pay £7.70 in the morning, or £12.80 at weekends or lunchtimes, and that gives you up to three hours to relax, including towels and a swim. There’s a steam room, three different hot rooms at increasing levels of temperature, and an icy plunge pool.
You can also get a massage at a reasonable cost, as well as aromatherapy - though for this you’ll need to book ahead with one of the indepedendent therapists who work at the baths.
Mondays are mixed and you have to wear a swimsuit; other days are single gender only, and you can go in the buff as nature intended.
Where: Ironmonger Row, off Old Street, ECI (Barbican or Old Street tube)
When: check out the Ironmonger Row baths website for information
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POSTED IN: Great Places to Unwind, Just a Little Bit Weird - Fun & Quirky Places
1 opinion for Ironmonger Row Baths
J-Michael
May 23, 2008 at 12:25 pm
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