This Is Hertfordshire:

Swimmers in Streatham will be without use of a local pool for at least 16 months when refurbishment of the Streatham Leisure Centre swimming pool starts next year.

While the current ice rink will stay open until a new one is built, resulting in no loss of facilities to the public, the only alternative swimming pools available once work starts are in Clapham or Brixton.

This has made regular users of the pool angry with the council and Tesco, who are behind the development of the new leisure complex.

Sue Jones is secretary of Streatham Swimming Club, which has 80 members ranging from five to 18-years-old. She said: "We are disappointed that the swimming pool is not getting the same deal as the ice rink.

"Sixteen months is a long time for a swimming club to survive without regular use of a local pool. The only available pools which are fairly near to Streatham are in Brixton or Clapham.

"Although we are determined for the club to continue, any swimming club that has to move from its local pool always loses membership. We need somewhere else so they can train." ...more ---> ...

| London Borough of Lambeth | 21 August 2006; 8:06:23 PM |# | | Discuss |

SWIMMING groups are gearing up for another battle after figures revealed that cash raised from charging at the bathing ponds is set to fall well short of targets.

The City of London Corporation introduced the controversial £2 voluntary charges at the three bathing ponds on Hampstead Heath on July 1 last year.

With one month left to the end of the swimming season, Heath bosses have collected just £33,619 - a long way below the £80,000 target.

In autumn, the corporation will review all the original options for bathing on the Heath, which included closing the ponds to swimmers.

Sally Taylor, chairwoman of the Mixed Pond Action Group, said: "I think they will either make paying compulsory or cut the hours the ponds are open.

"I think if this starts again they will find a high level of resistance and the whole caboodle will start again." ...more ---> ...

| Hampstead Heath | 21 August 2006; 7:45:11 PM |# | | Discuss |