The Friends of Carlisle Victorian and Turkish Baths received an early Christmas present this week when two missing mirrors were returned.
The return followed a public appeal by the friends group for information on the whereabouts of the 113-year-old mirrors, after it transpired that GLL, which operated the Turkish Baths on behalf of Carlisle City Council, were unaware the mirrors were missing.
Chair of the Friends of Carlisle Victorian and Turkish Baths, Julie Minns, said: “We are over the moon to be reunited with the last two mirrors. At one time all ten cubicles had a mirror, but over the years they have gradually been removed and the disappearance of the last two was devastating.
“We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who responded to our appeal for help locating the mirrors, without the overwhelming help of the local community I doubt we would have seen the mirrors ever again.”
Despite the return of the mirrors, the group said it was concerned by a lack of information from Carlisle City Council about the steps it is taking to preserve the interior of the North West’s last fully operational Victorian Turkish baths.
The group said it wrote to city council officers a month ago requesting details of the investment appraisal that Historic England requires the council to conduct as it mothballs the Grade II listed building but had not received a reply.
However, the group said, Councillor Stephen Higgs, executive member for heritage and leisure, told a meeting of the city council on October 11, that the investment appraisal was complete.
Representatives of the Friends group said they will press senior councillors and officers for answers about the security and protection of the Turkish baths at a meeting on Friday.
