Friends of Forest Hill Baths

March 15th 1994: We post this
leisure review for you to read, so that you have some of the background
to the current state of affairs that exists in Lewisham with respect to
leisure and sport facilities.

In the meantime we await the current leisure review and condition survey of Forest Hill pools.

Both of which Lewisham Council appears to be apprehensive of producing for public scrutiny.

Click here to read the report
Swimming Provision in Lewisham – 21 October 1994
(pdf 1.9 Mb)

December 15th: In answer to public questions,
Lewisham Council said  “No decision has been taken as yet on the
long term future of Forest Hill Pool although it is in a poor state of
repair. In particular the ‘plant’ cannot be guaranteed to continue to
function safely and could fail without warning. There are however no
plans to close Forest Hill at present??????The capital spending
programme is planned ahead, and includes spending on sports and leisure
facilities as well as other Council priorities. The needs of the Forest
Hill complex will therefore be considered in the light of other
competing claims on the Council’s capital funds.

See www.saveladywellpool.com 

November 2004: Kristine Taylor who set up the Friends of Forest Hill Baths group reports:

ìLewisham Council threatened to close the baths in 1996.  When
I called the town hall a council officer told me that this was none of
my business, so I phoned the South London press and asked for support,
which they gave. As part of the campaign we set up a traders
organisation and then involved Sainsburyís and later Boots and
Connex.  I told them this is about local peopleís health and
livelihoods, itís about children learning to swim, and everyone keeping
fit.  They took our leaflets and handed them out to customers.

ìThe effect snowballed and soon I was getting a call every 9 seconds
about the baths, from local people, press and even people in government
departments who had learned to swim in Forest Hill.   I kept
saying to people ëThe baths were put there for us to use and they are
oursí.  We had lots of publicity including Channel 5 who did some
filmed interviews.  In the end the Council started changing their
minds; after a big public meeting I found out from Ceefax that the
baths had been saved.

 ìThe Friends of Forest Hill Baths were set up to make
sure that this doesnít happen again.  We fear that the baths will
be closed and knocked down when the new Lewisham pool is built”.

More information from Kristine Taylor on 020 8699 1605

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