WESTBURY Pool will celebrate its 125th anniversary in a state of disrepair with doors closed to swimmers – and fears for its future. The mystery fault which has kept the pool closed for seven weeks is no nearer being fixed.
The pool was closed for a second time at the beginning of March, in order to remedy ‘unsatisfactory work’ carried out during an initial eight week closure between November and January. Tests are being carried out to determine what has caused blistering to the pool’s lining.
Members of Westbury Swimming Club found the pool in a bad state when they met with officers from Wiltshire Council at the pool on Wednesday 10th April. Neil Tribick of the club said, “The pool was in a complete state of disarray. On the pool wall sides there are sharp bits down the side, there are whole sections of the pool liner which have come up bubbling. There’s no way a patchwork quilt is going to be a solution.
“If we’re optimistic and say six to seven weeks work from the date it starts, we’re half way through June by the time this finishes. It closed on March 4th, so that’s three and a bit months. We had nearly eight weeks out the first time, so we’re talking nearly six months.”
Fears for the pool’s future
Once the pool re-opens, it must then re-attract users. It is feared that, after such a long period of closure, users will have gone elsewhere.
Neil said, “DC Leisure are going to find it extremely difficult because once this pool re-opens a lot of people will have got in the habit of going elsewhere. Getting these guys back is going to be quite difficult. Then this presents the problem given the review of leisure facilities and the pool’s future – the pool was originally one of the best performing pools, and only needed a small amount of financial support to keep it going. If you lose a load of income, you’ve made it the opposite. It really is a worrying situation.”
Robin Townsend, head of leisure at Wiltshire Council, said, “We would like to reassure customers and the swimming club that our main priority is to get the pool reopened as soon as possible. We fully appreciate the concerns of users and we are aware of how hard the swimming club has worked to establish its large membership and we are doing everything we can to ensure the work is carried out as quickly as possible and the pool can reopen.
“In the meantime we are working with the club to organise sessions at nearby pools.
“The investment into the maintenance of Westbury Pool, when complete, will deliver improvement for many years to come.”
A temporary solution?
Stephen Pyne, a coach at Westbury Swimming Club, has started a campaign for a temporary pool. “With no hope for a quick finish to the repairs at Westbury Pool I am starting a campaign for a temporary pool.
“It could go on Leighton Sports car park. The staff are all still at Westbury Pool doing what they can! They could run it. Hopefully the contractors insurance could be made to pay the hire charge.
“The Swimming Club is really suffering. This would benefit the club, the primary schools, the DC Leisure swimming teachers who are losing wages, and all the people who use the pool.
“I still want to emphasise the Wiltshire Council’s responsibility to repair our Grade 2 listed Victorian Pool.”
• The opening ceremony of the Victorian pool took place on 24th May 1888, built at a cost of £5,000 by William Laverton. It is now a grade 2 listed building.
