Energy price rises pose ‘clear and present threat’ to swimming pools

Energy price rises pose ‘clear and present threat’ to swimming pools, MPs warned

The huge increases in energy prices pose a ‘clear and present threat’ to swimming pools without urgent government support.

That’s the warning to MPs from Swim England, swimming pool owners and operators, ukactive, the Local Government Association, Community Leisure UK and others at a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Swimming in Westminster on Tuesday 26 April.

The meeting, attended by the Minister for Sport, Nigel Huddleston MP, heard that energy cost increases of between 100 -150 per cent for the leisure sector are forcing pool owners and operators to increase prices and consider closures.

Jane Nickerson, Chief Executive of Swim England said:

Swimming is also a life-skill. Too many of our children already leave school unable to swim, particularly those from less affluent families and those from ethnically diverse communities.

Price increases and pool closures would only serve to make this situation even worse, widening health inequalities and excluding those most in need of these facilities.

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