Kenilworth Lido Campaign Group has welcomed the news that Warwick District Council has agreed to open the town's indoor swimming pool on 12 April in line with the Government's timetable to end the national lockdown.

The group has noted, however, that the timetable allows for open air pools to open from 29 March 2021.

It has written to all Warwick district councillors in February, including the portfolio holder for environment and neighbourhood Cllr Alan Rhead, calling upon the council to make every effort to ready the outdoor pool for what may turn out to be its final season of use if the plans to demolish it later in the year are passed.

To date, responses have been received from individual councillors, some supportive of the campaign group's request, but it is still not clear whether or not WDC will open the outdoor pool in 2021.

The group has now called on WDC to make its intentions clear and recognise the importance of outdoor swimming, particularly as Covid-19 restrictions may curtail the holiday plans of local families.

Group chair Ruth Colgan said that it is particularly frustrating to see other UK Lidos making every effort to open early this year.

Woodgreen Leisure Centre in Banbury, which is run by Legacy Leisure on behalf of Cherwell District Council, has already announced a reopening whilst WDC continue to consider the issue.

Ruth said: "It is illogical that the council can now open the indoor pool prior to its demolition, but not, it seems, the outdoor pool."

Ruth also noted that many of the large number of objections to the plans for the Abbey Field site urged the council to rethink its plans for the outdoor pool.

Ruth added: "should WDC's plans come to fruition it would be a crying shame to deny Kenilworth residents the opportunity of swimming outdoors one last time, in what would be 125th year of open air swimming in Abbey Fields."