Smethwick Baths, located in Sandwell, West Midlands, opened in 1933 as a public swimming facility. The Art Deco building featured two pools, Turkish baths, and a public wash house. During World War II, the baths served as a makeshift mortuary for air raid victims.

The site has a reputation for paranormal activity. Staff and visitors have reported unexplained phenomena, including disembodied voices, footsteps, and the sound of splashing water when the pools are empty. Some claim to have seen apparitions of swimmers in outdated bathing costumes.

One recurring ghost story involves a young boy who allegedly drowned in one of the pools during the 1950s. Witnesses describe seeing a spectral child wandering the poolside or hearing his laughter echoing through the building.

Another reported entity is that of a stern-looking man in early 20th-century attire, believed to be a former pool attendant or manager. He has been seen patrolling the changing rooms and corridors, seemingly continuing his duties in the afterlife.

The Turkish baths area is said to be particularly active, with reports of sudden temperature drops, shadowy figures, and the overwhelming scent of old-fashioned soap or disinfectant.

During renovation work in the 1990s, construction workers reported tools moving on their own and a general feeling of unease, particularly in the basement areas.

Some psychics who have visited the site claim to have sensed residual energy from the building’s time as a wartime mortuary, suggesting this may contribute to the reported hauntings.