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The leisure pool is due to welcome back swimmers on Monday, January 31, having been closed since July 2021 while £500,000 of repairs and improvements were made to the venue.

Concerns over the flumes’ safety had initially led to them being closed to the public before the decision was taken to close the leisure pool compeletely so urgent repairs could be carried out.

But Sheffield City Trust, which runs the venue, had not previously said that the flumes wouldn’t be making a return.

Ponds Forge staff and lifeguards getting ready for the leisure pool reopening on Monday, January 31

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While the flumes are gone, the upgraded features include a faster flowing lazy river, extra powerful wave machine, an upgraded baby pool and disability-friendly zone with a disabled hoist swimming pool lift.

A spokesperson for the Sheffield City Trust said: “The flumes haven’t been replaced, but we have upgraded the features listed which complement the likes of Hillsborough Leisure Centre with The Beach leisure pool slides.”

Ponds Forge’s new-look leisure pool will host activities including leisure swimming, accessible sessions, social swims, ladies only, Little Swimmers for under five-year olds, swimming lessons and new dementia-friendly sessions after reopening.

A group of swimmers pose in Victorian swimming costumes in the flume splash pool at Ponds Forge, where the flumes are not being replaced after a £500k refurb

Andrew Snelling, chief executive at Sheffield City Trust, said: “We are very pleased to be reopening the new look Surf City with new features and improved disability activities which we took the opportunity to upgrade while essential maintenance work was being carried out.

“We are looking forward to welcoming the residents of Sheffield and surrounding areas back into the leisure pool.

“These new features and extra sessions will entice more people through our doors complementing our other offerings, like at Hillsborough Leisure Centre, which is part of the

The flumes at Ponds Forge leisure pool in Sheffield were removed as part of a £500k refurb and will not be returning, it has been confirmed ahead of the reopening on Monday, January 31 (pic: Google)

trust’s philosophy to ensure that we provide facilities for everyone in our communities across the city.”

Sheffield City Trust, which runs several of the city’s biggest venues, closed the leisure pool just before the school holidays after discovering damage to the flumes caused during

lockdown. The trust estimated it had lost 11,000 visits as a result of the Ponds Forge leisure pool being closed for seven months.

Ponds Forge Surf City leisure pool in Sheffield re-opening: flumes will not be back, bosses confirm