London Pools Campaign: 'temporary' pool closures

In praise of Moseley Road Baths - Momento Mori

webteam — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:59:17 GMT

From 12:00-4:00pm on Saturday, 01 November, at Moseley Road Methodist Church, directly opposite Moseley Road baths in Birmingham one of Britain’s most historic and architecturally significant swimming baths, an event is being staged by the Friends of Moseley Road Baths group, as part of their "Pool of Memories" project, which aims to record and archive the stories of those who swam, washed, worked, dived or danced at the building on Moseley Road in Balsall Heath.

The centrepiece of the day will be an exhibition of the photos, video film, reminiscences and artefacts (such as swimming certificates and old costumes) already collected, which visitors will be encouraged to add to by recording their own memories and bringing along their own memorabilia.

(Via Moseley Road Baths-Restoration Project Birmingham: .)

Harlow Pool Closure Spells Problems For Club

webteam — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 05:24:59 GMT

Great how club's go along with things and find it in themselves to be grateful for two weeks notice of the failure of a facility owner to deliver the service they exist to provide.

"THE temporary closure of Harlow Pool has had a financial impact on Harlow Penguins.

The club has been forced to contact some 300 entrants to its Open Meet, and return their cheques, and is seeing a loss of income as a result of the enforced closure while Harlow Council brings in specialists to look at various aspects of the building.

A Harlow Penguins spokesman said: 'We're grateful that we had two weeks to organise this cancellation and that the council has agreed to us booking a new date once the pool reopens. Nevertheless there has been a financial impact on the club due to the loss of income and several thousand pounds of expenses incurred printing cards, programmes and buying trophies.'"

(Via Harlow Pool Closure Spells Problems For Club (from Bishop's Stortford Citizen): .)

Crystal Palace National Sports Centre - shut for wee while

webteam — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 19:13:33 GMT

We have often heard Crystal Palace called a cowshed so we hope this has nothing to do with foot & mouth incidents in Surrey. Go here for a tough quiz

"Due to circumstances beyond our control, Crystal Palace National Sports Centre is temporarily closed.

All activites are suspended until Wednesday 19 September at the earliest.

Please continue to check this website for further updates"

(Via Crystal Palace National Sports Centre: .)

Burnham-On-Sea swimming pool evacuated by chemical leak

webteam — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 07:26:43 GMT

"Burnham-On-Sea swimming pool was evacuated on Monday evening (August 20th) as fire crews from across Somerset dealt with a hazardous chemical leak at the building."

(Via www.Burnham-on-sea.com Burnham-On-Sea swimming pool evacuated by chemical leak : .) photo is property of www.Burnham-on-sea.com

East Herts pools explained - isn't the internet great

webteam — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 21:06:53 GMT

We asked the question about how the same press-release but with the names of different pools seemed to be popping up in the East Herts Council press and back came an answer from a reader. Obviously London Pools Campaign has no idea whether the opinions expounded are true but we feel that we must allow all opinions to be heard.
"Tony Jackson - the leader of the Council - has ignored a 1,000 signature petition and refused the suggestions of the Council's Scrutiny Committee to revisit these decisions."

Plug is pulled on Buntingford Pool

webteam — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 17:14:00 GMT

What is going on in East Hertfordshire? Is it that more pool sessions are closing at another pool or is the local paper recycling news text just with the pool names changed?

"A LIFEBELT thrown to save Buntingford’s Ward Freman pool from closure to casual swimmers has been snatched away by East Herts Council.
The district council’s executive has rejected a policy scrutiny committee call to revise its decision to close the pool to casual swimmers at weekends. Casual swims at peak weekend times will end on September 1.
Now the last hope is for Herts County Council to take the plunge and plug the £150,000 spending gap, which the district council says makes peak-time casual swims at the region’s swimming pools unfeasible."
The cuts at Leventhorpe are part of a programme to claw back a £150,000 overspend in running costs across East Herts predicted by Stevenage Leisure Ltd, which operates all five pools for the council.
Sawbridgeworth town councillor Angela Alder said that the decision was “disgusting, disgraceful and deplorable”.

(Via HEN News : Royston and Buntingford Mercury: Plug is pulled: .)

Caterham Swimming Pool to reopen

webteam — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 16:24:36 GMT

Closed since January de Stafford Sports Centre is one of at least three lottery-funded facilities within the capital that have been forced to close shortly after opening to remedy major problems. London Pools Campaign hastens to confirm that we understand that these problems may not be referred to as 'structural' for legal reasons and at least one location may have merely involved leaking roofs, subsidence, unserviceable drainage and plumbing 'difficulties'.

"Swimming Pool Pool Update 20 July

de Stafford Pool re-opens!

Tandridge Leisure is delighted to announce that the repairs to the pool at de Stafford Sports Centre have now been completed, just in time for the school holidays. (at least one week after the start of most holidays, Ed.)

The Pool will be re-opening on Saturday 28 July 2007 at 8.45am for lane swimming, and will follow the holiday timetable until 2 September 2007.

To celebrate the re-opening and to welcome their customers back, Tandridge Leisure Ltd. will be giving a FREE SWIM VOUCHER to anyone purchasing a swim ticket between 28 July 2007 and 3 August 2007. This free swimming will compliment the comprehensive holiday programme of activities that Tandridge Leisure offers for young people in both the holidays and in the termtime.

Children and adult swimming lessons will be re-starting in September, and can be booked now."

(Via Tandridge Leisure Limited: Swimming Pool: .)

The Arc Swimming Pool in Caterham shut for the foreseeable

webteam — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 17:03:31 GMT

This is one we missed, it's a good Job it wasn't built with lottery money ... errh ... oh dear.

Update 25 May
"de Stafford Sports Centre’s pool in Caterham was temporarily closed on Friday 5 January due to ongoing problems controlling the temperature of the pool water, and it has remained closed ever since.

The path to identifying the source of the pool leaks and temperature issues has been an arduous one. Tandridge District Council, de Stafford School, the original builders of de Stafford Sports Centre and Tandridge Leisure, who manage the centre, have been working together to collect all the evidence concerning where the problems originate.

Investigations have included tests on the gullies around the pool itself, on the pool tank structure and also on other places that could be the cause of the leaks, such as the steps, the lights and the pool vacuum suction points. Some poolside tiles have recently been lifted to allow inspection of the structure underneath.

The results of all tests will be taken to a meeting with the building contractors, Tandridge District Council, de Stafford School and Tandridge Leisure in the week commencing 4 June.

At this meeting it is expected that there will be agreement between all parties as to the work to be done and estimated time for re-opening. Customers will be informed of the outcome at the centre and on the Tandridge Leisure website. Paul Clark, Tandridge Leisure’s Managing Director, said: `Tandridge Leisure exists to provide leisure opportunities for its members and users and share their frustrations about the lack of urgency shown in resolving the current situation. We remain committed to working with de Stafford School, Tandridge District Council and the contractors to bring about a speedy and sustainable resolution.`"

(Via Tandridge Leisure Limited: Swimming Pool: .)

Launch of Swimathon

pool@... — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 23:36:12 GMT

Actor Nicky Henson (Jack Edwards, Eastenders) launched Swimathon 2007 today to support new charity beneficiary Marie Curie Cancer Care by committing to "Get In and Swim" the epic 5K challenge at the event, 22-25 March 2007. Nicky, a keen swimmer, who has recently been treated for cancer, undertook a prestigious training session at Richmond's Pools on the Park with Olympic gold medallist Duncan Goodhew, MBE who has supported Swimathon since its inception 21 years ago.

"It's a big challenge to swim long distance but I've had some great training tips today from Duncan which I'm looking forward to putting in to practice. I am so pleased to be part of this important campaign which is helping to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care and hope other people will join me in supporting such a worthwhile cause." said Nicky

Golden Goggles Award 2006

pool@... — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 21:34:19 GMT

Where is London’s best outdoor swim? London Pools Campaign sent out 100 swimming detectives to check out the city’s lidos and ponds…

The London Pools Campaign Golden Goggles Award 2006 for Lidos and Ponds will be presented by Fiona Millar and Alastair Campbell at Parliament Hill Lido on Thursda July 20th from 6 - 8.30pm

London has lost 58 lidos through the 20th century, the land given over to car parks, garden centres and supermarkets. It’s hot, it’s summer, everyone wants to go to the lido - to highlight the pleasures of outdoor swimming and the 13 lidos and ponds remaining in this city the London Pools Campaign sent out 100 swimming detectives to investigate the state of the city’s remaining outdoor pools.

The results of their investigation will be announced by two committed swimmers, Fiona Millar and Alastair Campbell, at Parliament Hill Lido, Hampstead Heath, on Thursday 20th July.

In praise of ... lidos

pool@... — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 00:58:34 GMT

Guardian Leader Tuesday July 4, 2006 On a hot summer day there are few things more satisfying than diving into cool water, floating on one's back and gazing at the blue sky above. Lidos reached the peak of their popularity in the 1930s, when seaside holidays, swimming lessons and the emancipation of women gave Britons a taste for outdoor swimming. But by the end of the century dozens had closed, victims of their own decrepitude, the demand for indoor pools open year-round and a growing intolerance of cold water. As Britain's summers get hotter, however, the lido is enjoying a comeback. This owes a lot to the efforts of Janet Smith, the author of Liquid Assets and a campaigner for the benefits of outdoor pools, and Oliver Merrington and Andy Moines, who run the lidos.org.uk website. Smith has challenged Sport England's reasons for refusing grants to open-air pools, while the website has channelled Britons' nostalgia for sparkling waters and Grade II-listed changing rooms. Hackney Council's reopening of the London Fields pool this summer after 18 years is a sign of the changing climate. Swimmers testing the waters for the first time may be pleasantly surprised. Some lidos are gently heated, and many are larger, with fewer chemicals, than indoor pools. Mindful of the short season and dedicated swimmers they attract, some councils and leisure centres do little to publicise them and charge more for the privilege of swimming outdoors. That is unfortunate. Lidos are a joy that should be available for everyone.

Pool may be shut for months after fears it isn't waterproof - Evening Times

webteam — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 01:07:03 GMT

Not an uncommon occurrence Clissold Leisure Centre in Stoke Newington is suffering a similar problem and is still closed.

"A GLASGOW swimming pool may be shut for months amid claims it was built with cement that is not waterproof.

The main pool at the £10million Gorbals Leisure Centre was closed late last year after tiles came loose - less than six years after it opened.

Now there are fears the whole pool, which had been expected to re-open this month, will have to be retiled at a cost of tens of thousands of pounds. "

(Via Pool may be shut for months after fears it isn't waterproof - Evening Times: .)

South Norwood Pools close

webteam — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 01:02:54 GMT

South Norwood Pools and Leisure Centre has closed for demolition to make way for a brand new state of the art leisure facility.

The new centre is expected to take approximately 18 months to build making it due to reopen late 2007 . This exciting new facility will include a Main Pool, Teaching Pool, Gym and Sports Hall which will bring great new leisure opportunities to Croydon.

Please see Thornton Heath, Purley and New Addingtons website on www.leisure-centre.com for information on your sport and leisure needs until the reopening of South Norwood Leisure Centre.

Radio 5 does swimming pool cleanliness

webteam — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 02:17:18 GMT

BBC radio five took our work further with a discussion of a survey of pool cleanliness on the morning of Saturday 05 November which you can download here interesting stuff. unzip and double click to play in iTunes

Swimming pool stolen from garden

webteam — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 20:44:48 GMT

Is this a sign of things to come? today garden pools next raiding parties from London could be pillaging the home counties. The size of some of the swimming pools proposed for some London boroughs aren't much bigger than this one.

"Thieves have stolen an entire swimming pool from a Wolverhampton garden after siphoning off 500 gallons of water and dismantling it during the night.

The 12ft square structure had been set up for a pool party this weekend at the house in Minsterley Close.

Owner Toni McGarry spotted the pool was missing when she looked out of her window on Tuesday morning and saw nothing but flattened grass.

She said the gang had smashed through her garden fence to get to it.

Mrs McGarry said the family have now had to cancel a pool party they had planned to hold for her partner's birthday this weekend."

(Via BBC NEWS | England | West Midlands | Swimming pool stolen from garden: .)

Temporary closures made due to lack of funding for maintenance (Ealing)

webteam — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 05:59:13 GMT

Back in June there were problems at Acton Baths that led people to, once again, fear for their future.
"The closure of the Acton Swimming baths this week (19 June 2005) after staff ran out of chlorine has led to renewed concerns that the historic baths will eventually be forced to close through lack of funding and maintence. Plans to close the Acton baths and replace it with a new facility have been in the public domain for some time now, but the Council have admitted that they are £3.7 million short of capital to fund the new pool.
Conservative spokesman on Leisure, Cllr Sue Emment said “We support building a new pool in Acton, but with a large funding shortfall and question marks over a site the new facility is many years off. What we don’t want to see is Labour using the promise of a new facility as an excuse to let the Acton Swimming baths wither and die before an alternative is built.
Paul Hyman, Head of Active Ealing, responded to these concerns by stating “The pools strategy is a long-term plan aimed at addressing the need for new pools across the Borough of Ealing. A feasibility study will be undertaken into the proposal for a new 50m pool in Acton and an important part of this study will be investigating how to fund it.”
He went on to assure that “It is the Council's intention for the existing pool in Acton to remain open until a new pool is rebuilt. The council will continue to oversee the current management contract and monitor standards to ensure they are maintained.”"

(Via Chiswick's Local Web site: .)

Ealing's Pools are managed by Leisure Connection. Actually Ealing are every good at keeping us informed about what they do and are embarking on an ambitious plan for swimming in the borough. They have a new strategy that makes very interesting reading.