Kenilworth Lido Campaign Group has spoken out against a proposal not to reopen the leisure facilities at Castle Farm and Abbey Fields following the end of the third national lockdown.

The proposal has been issued to Warwick District Council's Executive ahead of its meeting this Thursday (February 11) and has been met with disapproval by the group, as well as councillors of Kenilworth Town Council and residents alike.

Should the recommendation be approved, it would see the closure of both of Kenilworth's main leisure facilities until December 2022, when the two renovated sites are due to be opened.

Should planning permission be granted for the Abbey Fields and Castle Farm sites, demolition of the current buildings is due to commence in September 2021.

Following the publication of the proposal, Kenilworth Lido Campaign group have spoken out saying: "In addition to all the health benefits both indoor and outdoor swimming provide, given that this year is the 125th anniversary of outdoor swimming in Abbey Fields it would seem quite insensitive of WDC to not let the pool complex open for one final season."

Kenilworth Lido Campaign Group Secretary Joanne Hall has written personally to all district councillors urging them not agree to the early closure.

She has said that as restrictions may begin to relax over the next two months, outdoor exercise is likely to be the first freedom to be granted again.

"Outdoor swimming pools are an ideal space for this and were open when other indoor sporting venues were closed."

One of the reasons given by the WDC proposal for keeping the leisure centres closed is a consideration that reopening them may not be cost effective.

To this Joanne says: "Making the best use of the facilities we have must be more cost effective than letting them stand idle?"

Adding: "In Abbey Fields outdoor pool Warwick District has the ideal venue to help people resume some semblance of normality.

"To help them pick up the pieces after the last 12 months and to help them recover some level of good mental health."

Joanne's letter can be seen in full at the end of this article.

Criticisms of the proposal

The campaign group has also issued a seven-part criticism of the WDC proposal.

The group has raised "a number of serious concerns which councillors might wish to consider before agreeing to all of the recommendations."

These concerns can be seen in full below:

"1: From October 2022 WDC may be liable for up to £500,000 per annum, plus interest, borrowing costs (para 5.6). Plus up to £85,000 per annum forward funding if CIL or section 106 funds were delayed or failed to materialise (para 5.6 and para 3.6.1 and 3.6.4). The proposals make it clear that we could have a situation where only one of the schemes (Abbey Fields or Castle Farm) is able to progress.

"Can councillors explain what would happen to the site in question if a building is demolished or half-built and the risks identified materialised, meaning that money was not available to continue to completion? How would demand for those activities/ facilities be met?

"2: Have forecasts for annual operational subsidies (£133,000pa, January 2019 estimate) been updated and risk assessed? Has the risk of increased council subsidies if income from paid swimming lessons falls, (due for example to competition from Warwick University's public pool which has not been factored in) been considered?

"Alternatively, have numbers using the additional 'family pool' been forecast and the future income been forecast and risk assessed? What will the operating subsidies be for a 'family pool'?

"3: The key evidence document 'Indoor Sport and Leisure Strategy ...' was based on 2017 data when the other two district pools were being rebuilt and EA customers were using Abbey Fields and inflating demand artificially. Why hasn't this report been updated since Warwick and Leamington Pools became operational, in order to provide robust evidence of the need for more indoor water space in AF? (4.3.4)

"4: The Risk Register includes risks relating to past events (e.g. "May (2019?) Elections"; "inadequate Structure" relates to the initial plan to refurbish AF; ditto Plant room size; ditto MEP; ditto services issues. There is no reference to current risks that might be associated with this completely new building nor the wider and very real issues that have emerged in 2020 (Pandemic, Brexit, economic downturn).

"Are councillors confident to proceed when these potential risks to the scheme have not been analysed?

"5: Alternative Options Considered. (7.1:7.2) Why have there been no alternative options considered including an enhanced 'stay the same' until risks can be better assessed."

6: It has been reported that "the council will work with partner organisations to offer a variety of activities for families and youngsters during the closure, can you provide specific details of exactly what these activities will be?

"Can it be confirmed that WDC and EA will work collaboratively with community and business organisations to plan and provide these activities?

"7: The Equality Impact Assessment has not yet been published. While we expect and applaud that the new buildings have been designed to meet the needs of disabled people, we want to ask about those people and families who are disadvantaged through poverty. In the past young people or whole families could pay a modest entrance fee to spend a whole day at the pool complex.

This inexpensive day out was particularly valued during the long summer holidays. The new designs are based on a different business model where sessions will last between 40 mins and two hours thus removing the opportunity for an inexpensive day out for young people or families. Can councillors advise us whether this issue has been addressed in the EIA?"

"The campaign group trusts that these points will be properly addressed. The group is now concentrating its efforts on the planning application for the Abbey Fields site which has now been submitted and available for viewing on WDC website."

The Executive of Warwick District Council will discuss the proposal this coming Thursday, and Kenilworth Nub Nes will bring you the news of any decisions made at the meeting.

Kenilworth Lido Campaign Group Secretary Joanne Hall's letter to WDC

Dear Councillors,

I am contacting you with reference to the recommendation which will go before the executive at the meeting on 11 February relating to the Warwick District Leisure Programme – Kenilworth Facilities: Item 11 on the agenda. I am particularly concerned with recommendation 2.8:

'That, subject to agreeing recommendations 2.2 to 2.7 inclusive, Executive agrees that the Abbey Fields Swimming Pool and the Castle Farm Recreation Centre will not be re-opened after the current Covid pandemic closure, unless the works to either building described elsewhere in this report are not progressed or they are significantly delayed.'

We are all too well aware of how serious the impact of Covid has been on the population, impacting every aspect of our lives. It seems as though we may have turned a corner and it is possible that in the next six weeks or so, some of the restrictions that we have been living under may be relaxed.

Given the experience of last year, it is likely that one of the initial freedoms we will have, will be to meet and exercise in outdoor spaces. Outdoor swimming pools are an ideal space for this and were open when other indoor sporting venues were closed.

So, I was very concerned to read recommendation 2.8 requesting authorisation to keep Abbey Fields Swimming Pool closed after the current Covid pandemic, particularly the outdoor pool.

The outdoor pool would not normally open until the beginning of May and WDC/Everyone Active would probably not normally be starting to prepare the pool for another month. Also, EA has received WDC grants of over £1 million to keep our sports centres ready for use. Making the best use of the facilities we have must be more cost-effective than letting them stand idle?

There is no reason for the procurement exercise not to progress in anticipation of planning permission being granted and funding being agreed, so it seems a gratuitous action to deprive children and families of outdoor water play and swimming for one last time.

The recommendation argues that it would not be cost effective to open the facility, but experience at other outdoor pools last summer when they were allowed to open, points to the contrary.

In Abbey Fields outdoor pool Warwick district has the ideal venue to help people resume some semblance of normality: To help them pick up the pieces after the last 12 months and to help them recover some level of good mental health.

Subject to government restrictions, there seems to be no reasonable argument for keeping the outdoor pool closed during the summer of 2021 particularly since demolition is not scheduled until September 2021. I would implore you not to cause further misery to the citizens of the district this summer, by agreeing to recommendation 2.8.

Yours sincerely,

Joanne Hall

If you liked this article, why not subscribe to our newsletter? Just enter your email address in the box at the bottom of this piece.

Remember to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and Instagram.