Kimberley leisure centre pool to close over funding gap

A Nottinghamshire swimming pool is set to close after the council said it could "no longer commit" to the cost.

Broxtowe Borough Council said it had been in negotiations with managers at Kimberley Sports Centre and Swimming Pool and a local school but it had not found a way to continue.

The pool is due to close at the end of March 2024 with the future of the rest of the centre uncertain.

The authority said it was supporting staff.

Fears for the centre's future had been growing for months and a petition to save it attracted more than 3,300 signatures.

Kimberley School has owned the facility since the leisure centre opened in 1974 but took over direct management, with financial support from the council, in 2022.

Since then running costs have risen with the school confirming it made a £300,000 loss in the past year and had sought extra funding from the authority.

A condition report said it would cost at least £2.4m to bring the building up to modern standards.

But the school said it would do all it could to ensure the sports hall and fitness suite could continue to operate and remain open for public use.

Council leader Milan Radulovic confirmed talks with Liberty Leisure Ltd, the council's own leisure company, and the school had been going on for months.

He said: "Regrettably, these negotiations have now reached a stage where the council can no longer commit to the very significant financial contributions proposed by the school to maintain the Kimberley Gym and Swim arrangements.

"This is understandably a very distressing time for the employees at Kimberley Gym and Swim and they are being fully supported, including looking at redeployment opportunities within the council and its other leisure facilities should redundancies have to be made.

"We also understand that this will be disappointing news to our customers, members, residents and the community who use the fitness and swimming facilities operated at the site by Liberty Leisure Ltd."

He added that Liberty Leisure Ltd would be working with council officers to seek alternative leisure sites in the north of the borough.

No details of the costs involved or the number of staff affected have so far been confirmed.

Ruth Stirland, a swimming coach with Kimberley Swimming Club, said the centre had been a part of her entire life and they were "absolutely devastated" at the news.

"Don't ever underestimate the impact that our club has on pupils," she said.

"We are keeping these young people off the street, we are keeping them safe.

"A lot of them have a difficult time at school and when they come swimming they have a safe place, in a safe social group with people who love and care for them."

The council also runs leisure centres in Bramcote and Chilwell.

In October the town secured £16.5m in levelling up funding for improvements to the town centre and sports facilities.

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