Rising energy costs and inflation 'put swimming pool at risk of closure'
The trustees of a community-owned swimming pool have warned it faces closure due to rising inflation and energy costs.
Tenbury Swimming Pool, which is just across the south Shropshire border, says it "faces closure without urgent financial help" with a best case scenario warning of losses of £10,727 in 2022/23, ballooning to £134,028 in 2023/24.
The trustees of the pool, which is operated by Freedom Leisure, have called on the local community for support to stop it from becoming a "leisure centre closure statistic".
A spokesman said; "The most recent utility figures from Freedom Leisure are alarming and far more than anticipated.
"The increase for the next six months will be £61,862 resulting in an operating loss of £10,727 and the impact in 2023-24 assuming the cap remains in place will be £134,028, showing a worse case operational loss of £184,000 without financial support and mitigating actions affecting the membership.
"Currently the cap is only for six months with a review after three months where decisions will be made going forward."
The trustees say that they believe the future of the Tenbury Swimming Pool is "not viable without urgent mitigating operational and building development actions, additional local financial support, and government help."
They have asked Malvern Hills District Council for additional financial support for this year in addition to the annual grant of £68,476 that Tenbury Community Pool received and passed on immediately to Freedom Leisure.
The trust is also applying for decarbonisation funding for building improvements that will help to reduce costs.
In a statement the pool's owners say the centre was on target to make a financial profit for the first time in 2022-23 although the current predictions now are for a £10,727 loss due to the energy increases.
"This is disappointing as the staff of the swimming pool have worked hard to achieve a 64 per cent increase in active participation compared to pre covid figures and the operational and building improvement mitigating actions have reduced the electricity costs by 22 per cent and the gas costs by 67 per cent," they said.
Pool trustees and Freedom Leisure will be holding an informal coffee morning on Friday, November 11, and Saturday, November 12 where people can meet the team and find out about the current financial situation.
To offer help you should email Tenbury Community Pool at info@tenburypool.co.uk or phone 01584 819653 if you have any suggestions or can volunteer to maintain the Tenbury Swimming Pool for future generations.
For bookings contact the pool direct https://www.freedom-leisure.co.uk/centres/tenbury-swimming-pool/ or 01584 810448.
The 25m swimming pool at Tenbury Wells has five lanes. There is also a fully equipped gym
