Kenilworth was badly treated for over 15 years with the state of Abbey Fields Swimming Pool according to a local campaigner.

Kenilworth Lido Campaign Group member Clive Peacock told councillors that they needed to make sure the town's new sports centres are up to scratch when they are eventually built.

Speaking at the Kenilworth Town Assembly Mr Peacock said the University of Warwick's £49million sports facilities, which opened in 2019, showed just how bad the now shut Abbey Fields Swimming Pool was.

"I must admit I am full of praise for Warwick," he said at the Kenilworth Town Assembly last week.

"I have seldom come across a level of customer service, I have seldom come across the cleanliness of the water, the cleanliness of the facilities and I am just beginning to realise how badly treated we were for 15 years swimming at Abbey Fields.

"It was dirty, the customer service there was appalling."

An artist's impression of the new Abbey Fields Leisure Centre (Image via WDC)

Planning permission for the town's new sports facilities was granted last September with both the swimming pool and Castle Farm Recreation Centre closed in December ahead of the works.

But Warwick District Council is yet to sign a contract for the demolition and rebuilding of the two sites.

Mr Peacock also said he had invited the then portfolio holder for culture, leisure and tourism Cllr Liam Bartlett to see the university's facilities in the hope that he would then tell WDC and operator Everyone Active how a sports centre should be run.

Cllr Bartlett has since had his portfolio changed, with leisure now falling under the control of Cllr Moira-Ann Granger.

But Mr Peacock, who also suggested that the Woodside Hotel could be used for one new sports centre for Kenilworth, challenged Kenilworth town councillors to take action over the new facilities.

An artist's impression of the new Castle Farm Recreation Centre (Image via WDC)

"You have to admit that we have two facilities already that have been mothballed already for six months and probably for the next three years," he added.

"That is not fair to the citizens of Kenilworth, that outdoor pool in the short term could be opened up with a little bit of effort.

"My question is to you, Kenilworth Town Council, what will you do to push this message hard to the members of Warwick District Council?"

Members said they could discuss the matter at the next full town council meeting.