Why plug had to be pulled at Shrewsbury swimming pool

The pool at the Quarry Swimming and Fitness Centre, Priory Road is expected to reopen on February 5, almost six weeks after the panel – which came from the staircase – originally shattered.

While the centre’s other pools were unaffected, the main 33-metre long pool has been closed to the public for a massive clean-up operation is carried out.

Pool managers Serco were concerned that even though large shards of glass could be removed from the poolside, and the bottom of the pool by local scuba divers, smaller splinters of glass could have entered the pool’s filtration system.

Peter Davis, Shropshire Council’s leisure services manager, said that swimming lessons had to be reprogrammed.

He said: “Shropshire Council can confirm that a glass panel located within the staircase adjacent to the Quarry Pool, part of the Quarry Fitness and Swimming Centre, Shrewsbury, fell and shattered on Friday 29 December 2017; it was not a window, as originally reported."

He added: “Unfortunately, some of the glass found its way in to the swimming pool, and to eliminate all risks it was decided to drain the pool.

“Shropshire Community Leisure Trust have reprogrammed swimming sessions as best they can to accommodate the majority of users within the remaining pools. It is envisaged that the Quarry Pool will reopen no later than February 5.”

Brian Taylor, chairman of Shropshire Community Leisure Trust, added that “good progress” is being made.

“We are making good progress with the maintenance works to ensure that the pool is safe prior to reopening,” he said.

“We are working hard to have the work completed as soon as possible and we are on track to be able to reopen the pool in early February.

“In the meantime, the other pools and the rest of the centre remains open for customers and swimming lessons will continue as normal.”