People power may yet save Wem Swimming Pool

Supporters are considering selling shares in the pool to local residents so it can stay afloat if no private operator comes forward to run it from December, when the swimming pool's current operator Teme Leisure has announced it will pull out.

Wem Town Council, which has owned the Butler Sports Centre pool since 2004 when the old district council handed over control, this week said that for the second time in two years it was facing the threat of closure.

It comes after Teme Leisure, which took the pool on in 2010 after the previous operator left, declared it was pulling out due to a 'change in business focus and for economic reasons'.

Now pool supporters want to know whether residents would support a scheme to buy shares in it so it can stay open.

Malcolm Adkins, who chairs the Friends of Wem Swimming Centre, said one idea was to create a community trust, but a fundraising target had not yet been identified.

He said: "The idea is to create a community structure that gets people to buy shares in the pool. It's the sort of thing already being used at community shops and community-owned pubs. To make sure we have a pool in Wem, people will need to be much more involved in it."

He added it was a 'tragedy' the pool was facing an uncertain future for the third time in less than 10 years and he said one approach would be to invest in the centre and introduce more gym equipment and an improved fitness suite.

Mr Adkins said the group was looking into lottery funding and Olympic legacy funding to make the dreams a reality.

He added that anyone who could volunteer to help or who had ideas to help save the pool could contact the town council.