A popular family swimming pool in Aberdeen is shut “temporarily” due to soaring energy prices.
Sport Aberdeen and Aberdeen City Council have announced the Beach Leisure Centre pool will close on August 21.
They stressed it remains open for the summer holidays – although the flumes remain closed.
While the rest of the centre will remain fully operational, the pool will not open until at least spring when a review is carried out.
Sport Aberdeen said the closure was essentially “protecting” other facilities in the city, and that there are currently no plans to close any other venues.
Managing director Alistair Robertson said: “Sadly, the company is facing unprecedented and unsustainable rises in energy costs which are approaching £500,000 and the board had to take action to protect the rest of our network of sports centres and swimming pools.
“It is widely known that the flume slides and wave machine features have continually failed to the point that they are no longer operable.”
UK leisure operators facing a ‘crisis’
Rising energy costs are having a significant impact on leisure venues across the UK – with temporary pool closures described as a way to “weather this storm”.
Operators have warned that if bills do not decrease, up to 85% of facilities will be forced to stop operating over the next 12 months.
A letter from a number of leisure organisations to ministers Michael Gove and Nadine Dorries, states the sector is under “extreme pressure” with energy costs estimated to rise by 150% for 2022 and by 185% for 2023 compared to last year.
Mr Robertson added: “Leisure operators throughout the UK are facing a crisis with many swimming pools closing because of rising energy costs.
“We have not taken this decision lightly, however with Get active @ Northfield due to open late summer we know we will be able to move the vast majority of our programme of swimming lessons to other pools across the city.
‘Perfect storm’
“All staff affected will have their jobs secured at other venues and the management team is working hard to ensure that there is a smooth transition of lessons to other facilities.
Kirsty Cumming, chief executive of Community Leisure UK, added: “Our members are facing the perfect storm of increased energy prices of up to 180% on 2021, increased costs for pool chemicals, low return rates of customers post-Covid and reducing management fees from Local Authorities.
“Many charitable trusts are facing tough decisions, including closing pools. Closing a pool temporarily is a way in the short term to weather this storm.
“We, along with a coalition of leading bodies in the physical activity sector, have written to the Government calling for urgent support to save leisure facilities from going under.
“Doing nothing, and not supporting these facilities and services, will have consequences further down the line in terms of the health of communities and individuals.”
‘Hope the pool will reopen in spring’
Mr Robertson said he hopes the situation will have eased by spring and that the Beach Leisure Centre pool will be able to reopen.
“We very much look forward to the ongoing development of the Beachfront Masterplan and the new leisure offer that this will bring.”
City council co-leader Alex Nicoll said: “We fully appreciate the pressures facing Sport Aberdeen and everyone else who runs swimming pools across the city.
“We understand that this is a pragmatic decision in exceptional times. If energy pressures ease, we hope that the pool will reopen in the spring.”
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