Come on in, the water’s lovely – or it soon will be!
Architect Crichton Wood tells the heartwarming tale of the resurrection of an Art Deco icon in the North East
WHEN YOU HAVE a vision, embrace talent and engage the local community, wonderful things happen.
The now A-listed stunning 1930s outdoor tidal swimming pool at Tarlair, that nestles in the outstanding natural geography of Loch Craig, to the east of Macduff on the Moray Coast, has been brought back to life and has now become the well-deserved focus for local pride and a thriving centre of activity for the local community.
When I visited over ten years ago, these picturesque buildings were, I felt, beyond repair. The whole complex would surely soon be reclaimed by the waves and weather back into the sea and, like my local art deco outdoor swimming pool of Portobello, soon only be a melancholic memory in stylish black and white photographs.
Well, the Friends of Tralair had other ideas. In 2012 Patricia Wain, a retired art teacher, set up a volunteer group, brimming with significant talents and experience with the specific aim of savimg the Tralair triple pool and its Art Deco structures.
The Friends commissioned a report by John Addison, who with "infectious enthusiasm," suggested a 3-phase plan that the board implemented.
The first phase was making the area safe for walking and sailing boats. This was achieved with the help of a grant from Aberdeenshire Council. These repairs were carried out in 2015.
Phase two was the repair and restoration of the tearoom. In 2020 the Friends took out a 99-year lease and appointed Studio Octopi unanimously to produce designs for the tearoom. In November 2021 planning and listed building consent for this iconic building was granted.
The next step was to reach the funding target of £915,000. Through organising local events, from concerts, dancing, cycle events, sponsored swims, coffee mornings and a yearly fund-raising gala, and engaging the local community groups from the Brownies to Banff men’s shed, huge efforts were made. The target was achieved by additional regeneration grants and bequests to allow work to start in May 2023.
The stylish and sensitive design has been recently awarded the gold award in the Scottish design awards and was highly commended by the Royal institute of British architects in 2026.
So, to phase three, the repair and opening of the original swimming and diving pool. The target is to start work in two years’ time once the required funds have been raised, so in the meantime you are strongly encouraged to visit and support this wonderful place by purchasing some food – Cullen skink a must – and a drink from the café , and also perhaps purchase a stylish art deco coffee cup, specially designed for Tarlair.
There is also no excuse for not taking your swimming costume and enjoying the health benefits of some wild water swimming. A path to the east has been cleared by the volunteers, allowing access to the next sheltered bay.
