Jubilee Pool in south Bristol saved from closure after community campaign

A popular south Bristol pool has been saved from closure thanks to a successful community campaign.

The Friends of Jubilee Pool group has been campaigning to save it for five years - and they are now officially set to take over on 30 September.

It comes after Bristol City Council agreed to a community asset transfer which will see responsibility for the pool go to the community group.

The Friends of Jubilee Pool said: "This is an amazing achievement that has taken a huge amount of work from a dedicated team of volunteers."

The Knowle pool has been the heart of the community since it opened in 1937 - but it has been threatened with closure three times in eight years.

The most recent threat came after the coronavirus lockdown, which saw the pool closed.

Bristol City Council said the Victorian-era pool was facing mounting maintenance costs of at least £260,000 - something it said it could not afford.

But plans to close it were met with widespread criticism and a petition to save it was signed by more than 4,000 people.

Friends of Jubilee Pool said: "We have a lot of work to do between now and September to make this a reality and finalise all of the new arrangements but the future of Jubilee Pool has never looked more exciting."