As the Jewish and Muslim groups have maintained gender-based swimming in the borough's other pools throughout the four years that Clissold was closed it would be interesting to know whether the people complaining have swum at all in Hackney's pools in that time [LINK]. The main point that this 'complaining' shows up is that with too few pools in a borough the community is divided and condemned to squabble over programming. This Website has long taken a dim view of the ubiquitous 25 metre tank and 'teaching puddle' setup but this shows that even two 25 metre tank centres can be too few for a community.

"A Hackney swimming pool which recently re-opened after a four-year closure has been criticised for instigating a segregated swimming policy to accommodate religious Jews and Muslims.

The policy, which means that Clissold Leisure Centre's training pool is open to women only between 10.45am and 12.30pm every Sunday, was the subject of heated debate at Hackney Council.

Local resident David Toube complained after his wife was not allowed to bring the couple's five-year-old son into the pool as a result of the policy.

He said: "Why should a public institution subsidise the expression, in a public place, of the gender apartheid practice mandated by a small religious minority?'"

(Via The Jewish Chronicle: .)

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| London Borough of Hackney | 25 January 2008; 9:53:07 AM |# | | Discuss |