Leisure pool at Sheffield's Ponds Forge closes 'for foreseeable future'

Sheffield City Trust, which runs the venue, announced the closure last night.

It said essential maintenance work was needed as the facility had deteriorated badly during the time the building was closed.

The blow comes just as the summer holidays are beginning.

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Sheffield City Trust said in a statement: “Due to essential maintenance work the leisure pool at Ponds Forge is closed for the foreseeable future.

“We are naturally very disappointed at not having the leisure pool available to our customers, particularly over the summer holidays but we need to make certain that the area is in a safe condition for our customers.

“During recent checks we noticed deterioration that occurred during the time the building has been closed and immediately ended access to the flumes for the public. Following a further review, we have now had to take the unfortunate decision to close the leisure pool.

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“We will now assess the work required to make the leisure pool available to customers again and ask customers to remain patient during this time.

“All leisure swimming customers will be automatically refunded. Please allow 10 days for your refund to be returned to your account.

“Swimming lessons will be moved to the competition pool where possible. Some lessons will be relocated to other venues and those lesson customers contacted.

“Hillsborough Leisure Centre leisure pool remains open to customers with all features available including waves, pirate ship and slides. Find out more and book online.”

Ponds Forge International Sports Centre closed at the beginning of the first lockdown and failed to reopen when most other sports venues welcomed back visitors last August, with the powers that be initially saying it would be too expensive to reopen at that time.

It eventually opened at the end of October 2020 following a U-turn by city leaders, with the council agreeing to provide up to £1.6 million that financial year, on top of £15 million it had already pledged to support leisure facilities.

The decision to reopen came after a high-profile campaign by the aquatics clubs based there, who had argued that its closure would leave top-class sports people with nowhere to train.