England has lost more than 1,000 swimming pools since 2010 and now, 1,500 more are at risk of diving into closure, according to Swim England.
The national governing body for aquatics found that the growing financial pressures on local councils, increased costs of maintenance, ageing pools and shallow funds had pushed hundreds of facilities to the brink of closure.
According to its recent report, 1,086 pools had closed their doors since 2010, with the worst-affected areas being the north and the southeast.
Jane Nickerson MBE, chief executive of Swim England, has emphasised the vital significance of preserving the nation’s swimming pools, highlighting how water-based activities offer diverse societal benefits.
She said: “Swimming pool owners and operators are ambitious and keen to do more to maximise the benefits of public sport and leisure services for their communities and deliver the ambitions set out in the government’s ‘Get Active’ sport and physical activity strategy.
“This includes contributing towards wider societal objectives, such as reducing the burden on the NHS and social care system, lowering levels of obesity and cutting carbon emissions.
“This transformation will only happen if there is leadership and investment from government and councils.”
Steve Wright is one of thousands of people whose health has improved thanks to having regular pool time.
But the 66-year-old, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes more than 10 years ago, was left “devastated” when his local pools, that were “instrumental” in his recovery journey, closed their doors earlier this year.
His two local pools in Gateshead have both closed, meaning Steve now has to travel miles just to continue with the activity that has led to him losing more than 40 pounds in weight and feeling better mentally.
Speaking to the Express, he said: “I had a stroke four years ago at a time when my diabetes was out of control. I was over 22 stone and I needed to do something about it.
“Swim England gave me the chance to try swimming, and once I got over the embarrassment of getting in the pool, I loved it, and it helped me enormously.
“The benefits were huge – I was so saddened when my local baths closed. It was so demotivating, and it had a massive effect on me and my continued improvement.”
The pressing issue is widespread, but Swim England’s research found it was in the most economically disadvantaged areas of the country that pool closures were rife.
More than three times the number of public pools had been lost in the most deprived parts of the country compared with the richest – 169 compared to 49.
While the number of swimming pools in England has been falling since the Conservatives came to power, the pandemic and the surging cost of energy have accelerated the trend.
Older pools can often be less energy efficient with leisure centres contributing as much as 40 per cent of a council’s direct carbon emissions. Newer facilities, however, have the potential to be much more environmentally sustainable.
Swim England’s Don’t Put a Cap on Swimming campaign is calling on the government to ensure the country has a network of sustainable pools to support all the activities and sports that rely on them, as well as increasing access to outdoor swimming opportunities.
Its views echo The Daily Express campaign Save Our Olympic Dream, which wants young athletes to have access to adequate training facilities and is backed by ex-Olympians Mark Foster, 53, and Rebecca Adlington OBE, 34.
Former world champion Mark Foster said: “Swimming has enriched my life and I know it continues to do the same for thousands of people across the country.
“Swimming is fun for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds and, as Swim England’s Value of Swimming report underlines, being in water can bring so many health and wellbeing benefits.
“It’s vital that anyone who wants to swim and wants to feel the benefits of swimming on a regular basis has access to a local pool.”
Ms Nickerson added: “With the right leadership, partnerships, coordination and investment our nation’s pools can deliver significantly more social, economic and environmental benefits for the whole of society, supporting the long-term health and success of the nation.
“Of course, that requires investment in building the greener pools of the future and decarbonising existing pools, but it is about more than that.
“There needs to be a shared vision across all levels of government as to the purpose of our swimming pools and leisure centres which is reflected in pool contracts, one which recognises their immense value to communities and widens access to the water.”
