Complaints and discussions about the safety of the baths started to surface in the early 70s.  Along with roof issues, the high cost of heating the buidling and the cost of oil meant that eventually, the Fulham Baths & Wash-houses days were numbered. The popularity of the site and its facilities was such that a campaign was started to save it from destruction.

Alice Davies Defies Bailiffs to Fight for the Baths 1979

Alice Davies, a local pensioner and determined campaigner, took a stand against the closure of the Fulham Baths, which had been shut down by the council due to the unsafe condition of its roof. The council announced plans to replace the historic baths with a new sports complex nearby, the Fulham Pools, which continue to operate today.

At the time, Alice, a 76-year-old grandmother, lived in a council flat just half a mile away. She began her squatting campaign, which garnered support from 16,000 local residents who regularly used the swimming pools, baths, and laundry facilities.

Standing at just 4’11”, Alice’s small stature made it easy for her to evade bailiffs. She often joked about her ability to hide, saying, “There are plenty of places to hide, especially when you're my size. You should see the boiler network downstairs—I'll give them a good run for their money."

On November 6, 1980, after a 13-month squatting campaign to prevent the council from demolishing the site and turning it into a car park, six burly London police officers were needed to escort Alice out of the Fulham Baths. Despite this, Alice left peacefully, packing her belongings into a red suitcase. As she marched out with the police escort, she smiled and waved to a crowd of newsmen and supporters, declaring, “I’ll fight to the bitter end. It’s not over by any means yet.”

However, Alice lost her high court appeal in 1981 to save the 80-year-old baths from demolition.