Swimming pool to reopen after £20k raised

A swimming pool is to reopen after a fundraising bid hit its target of £20,000.

Gateshead Council closed Birtley Swimming Centre in July 2023 because of a £55m black hole in funding.

After it shut, volunteers set up the Birtley Community Aquatic Centre (BCAC) with the aim of reopening the centre as a not-for-profit venture.

BCAC said it was "delighted" the target had been reached and the pool would reopen on 9 September.

It also said it had successfully applied to the Community Ownership Fund to unlock £272,000 funding.

In December 2023, Gateshead Council approved a 50-year operating lease to BCAC and the keys to the pool were handed over at the end of May.

The pool is also due start swimming lessons on 16 September, run by Swim City.

Community group spokesman Matthew Grant said: "We are delighted to have achieved our minimum crowdfunding target of £20,000 and want to give a huge thank you to all our local supporters, who contributed £10,000, which secured a £10,000 contribution from Sport England."

The community group said as well as offering affordable family swimming sessions, it hoped to run life-saving training, Aquafit and competitive swimming.

Mr Grant said the boilers and piping had been replaced, the water slide refurbished, the middle of the car park resurfaced and rolling shutters added to the doors.

The group also plan to buy an inflatable assault course.

Gateshead Leisure Centre also closed at the same time as the Birtley facility due to council cuts.

It reopened in June when it was taken over by the non-profit organisation Gateshead Active.

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