Blow as 'unviable' historic Sheffield swimming pool to remain closed
Trustees say pool will remain closed and is not viable
A popular Sheffield swimming pool, dating back to the 1930s, is ‘no longer viable’ says the trust which runs it.
The trust which run the King Edwards Swimming Pool in Broomhall has now confirmed it will remain closed, with Sheffield Council now in talks over its future.
The pool closed suddenly two weeks ago, with parents of children who were booked in for swimming lessons left with little information..
Now, the trust has confirmed it will remain closed.
The trustees said in a statement this afternoon: “The King Edwards Swimming Pool Trustees are very sorry to announce that King Edwards Swimming Pool will be remaining closed for the time being.
"We have been dealing with technical problems with the pool plant, increasing running costs and the need for a significant sum of money (which is well beyond the financial means of the Trust) to be spent on essential maintenance of the building and plant.
“All of these factors mean that it is no longer viable or feasible for the Trust to operate the pool, and we are left with no other option than to close.”
They will be contacting swimming lesson and Frequent User Card customers to arrange to refund them.
The statement added: “This decision has been a very difficult one to make. We are very sorry for any inconvenience this will cause and thank all of our customers for their support since the Trust took over operation of the pool in 1993."
Sheffield Council has also issued a statement on the closure, and recognised the importance of the pool the the local community.
They said: "Sheffield City Council is sorry to hear of the closure of King Edward’s Swimming Pool and understands how disappointing this will be for those who use the facility and the wider local community.
"The pool is operated by King Edward’s Swimming Pool Trust, an independent charity, and this decision has been taken by the Trust. We are in contact with them to understand the implications arising from the closure.
"Our immediate priority is to ensure the building remains safe and secure, while also understanding any options for the future of the site in discussion with the Trust. We recognise how important the pool is locally and will continue to engage constructively as those conversations progress.”
The council is also working with Places Leisure and Everyone Active to see how swimming lessons and other activity can be accommodated within council-run venues wherever possible, and to help people find alternative facilities across the city.
They said it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage, as discussions were ongoing, but said protecting access to public swimming remained a clear priority for the council, and that the authority would continue to invest in facilities across Sheffield to improve and expand provision.
Although it is next to the King Edward VII school site, the pool has been run by an independent trust and is open to the public, with many swimmers using its public swimming sessions. It is now a registered charity.
It is one of the longest pools in the city, as it over 30m in length, with shallow water and both ends and a deeper middle section.
The pool dates back to 1936 when it was built for the school, then a grammar school. The school says replaced an old open-air pool that had been built by Wesley College in Victorian times that had become full of dirty water and covered with slime.
As well as lessons, the current pool also offered public swims, aquarobics, over 50s sessions, adult and child and party hire.