More than 30% of swimming pools are under threat of closure across Wales, says Swim Wales CEO

Due to the high energy dependency of swimming pools operators energy bills have tripled in price. Credit: PA

Swimming pools across Wales are under threat of closure due to the rising costs in energy bills. 

Without extra support “30% of the pools in the country could close,” according to the Chief Executive of Swim Wales.

Fergus Feeney told ITV Wales that swimming pool operators in Wales “can’t afford to heat, light and maintain the pools."

Despite the energy price cap, which was introduced by the government late last year, operators are struggling to keep pools afloat. Credit: PA

Despite the energy price cap, which was introduced by the government late last year, operators are struggling to keep pools running.

Due to the high energy dependency of swimming pools operators energy bills have tripled in price.

Ivan Horsfall Turner is the CEO of a non-profit leisure trust whose facilities are under threat. He says that the company’s annual energy bill has risen “from £8m to £20m even with the temporary cap.”

On January 9, the government announced the Energy Bills Discount Scheme, which will provide extra financial support to a specified list of energy and trade intensive industries. 

Eligible sectors include those such as museums and libraries, however swimming pools and leisure centres were not included.

Expressing his regret for the exclusion of swimming pools and leisure centres from this scheme, Mr Turner stated: “I am extremely disappointed and frustrated as to why public sector leisure has been omitted from the list.

"Public sector leisure is one of the most exposed sectors because we are a very intensive user of utilities with energy costs a very large proportion of our overall costs particularly in centres with swimming pools.”

In an attempt to tackle rising costs, leisure centres have been lowering pool temperatures, turning lights off and reducing staff. Credit: PA

In an attempt to tackle rising costs, leisure centres have been lowering pool temperatures, turning lights off and reducing staff, but according to Mr Feeney of Swim Wales, it has not been enough.

He said: “We were holding out, working with our colleagues in England and Scotland, that the UK government in particular would note, from a mental health and a physical health perspective, the importance of sports facilities like ours."

The Chief Executive of Swim Wales was hoping that sports facilities would be placed in special measures or receive protected status in terms of energy subsidy or that there would be some financial intervention by the UK Government.

“Quite simply, if museums and libraries can get protected status and can get supported from an energy perspective, with a pool consuming on average five times more energy than a museum or a library, we are very very confused and frustrated that swimming pools weren’t added to that list," Mr Feeney added.

Swim Wales are now campaigning for the Welsh Government to provide additional support for pools and leisure centres, above and beyond the Final Local Government Settlement.

Mr Feeney highlighted the potential of a bleak future for pools in Wales: “It wouldn’t be a wild educated guess to think that 50% of those pools that do close would never open again.

"To put it in numbers, 50 pools in Wales could close and never open their doors again.”

A UK Government spokesperson said: "We know our grassroots sports facilities are contending with increases in running costs and we provided an £18 billion package of support for organisations such as clubs, pools, leisure centres, schools, charities and businesses through the winter.

"We made £1 billion available to ensure the survival of sports and leisure sectors during the pandemic, giving councils an additional £3.7 billion to deliver key services such as leisure centres and swimming pools, and we are investing £260 million to build or upgrade thousands of grassroots facilities across the UK."