Pool campaign group launches website

1:37pm Wednesday 15th April 2009 in News By Oliver Evans

The group wants to keep the pool open all year The group wants to keep the pool open all year

A WEBSITE has been launched by a group fighting to re-open axed Holywell Mead outdoor swimming pool.

The Holywell Mead Swimming Pool Trust campaign hopes the website will encourage residents support the bid to keep open the High Wycombe pool.

The group has put together to try and open the pool as an independent charity after Wycombe District Council axed funding last month.

It has put together a business plan which will be presented to the council at the end of the month.

This will include a proposal to open the pool all year instead of just in summer, Bucks Free Press can reveal.

To visit the website go to www.holywellmeadpool.org.uk or click here. The trust - which asks website visitors to leave messages of support – said it did not want to release further details of plan before it is given to WDC.

One message on the website reads: “With the Government so concerned about obesity in the young it seems very short-sighted to close a facility enjoyed by so many youngsters.”

The Conservative-controlled council voted to close the 52-year-old pool, by The Rye, as it said it could not justify £66,000-a-year running costs given its number of users.

It was among £1.68m worth of savings made by the council which said Government cash support is too low and other income had been hit by the recession.

Trust vice chairman Rick Kiddle, a former British triathlon champion, said: “We need people to log on to our website, see what we are about and register their support in saving this vital facility."

He said the trust was “working to create a business plan which will turn this vital facility into a viable business”.

He said: “We understand that every council in the UK is facing severe financial pressures because of the global recession, but the trust is working to overcome a global issue which is threatening local facilities.

“During recession, it is important for communities, councils and the Government to encourage innovation and new business and this is what we are trying to do, create a new business using an old facility.

“We are not standing back and just asking the council to do it for us."

Comments(14)

lidopraiser says...
1:48pm Wed 15 Apr 09

A fantastic acheivement by the group. Seems to be going from strength to strength. It is clearly better to have local people at the helm of these valued local resources. They feel more passionately about their special interests than elected politicians can.

Report this post »

Slacker says...
2:02pm Wed 15 Apr 09

Nicely laid out website but they are still lacking the all important information on how they can save the pool.

Until they have a proper plan, the website is not going to change the councils minds. Its just an empty voice.

I hope it is not too long before they can come up with some proper information on how to save the pool otherwise it will be too late and their cries will fall on deaf ears.

Report this post »

yog says...
2:04pm Wed 15 Apr 09

Website looks great. Well done.

We really do need to save this facility and the Council needs to back this group.

The council should scrap the closure plans and get the pool reopened this summer.Then work with the group to create a viable future for the pool.




Report this post »

wayneo says...
2:16pm Wed 15 Apr 09

Nice website and congratulations to the group, is anybody looking at getting the building listed? It's a fairly straightforward process.

Report this post »

yog says...
2:21pm Wed 15 Apr 09

Making it a listed building could hamper the longer term aim of getting a telescopic roof put on so best to hold off until WDC come clean with their plans for the site.

Report this post »

Slacker says...
2:26pm Wed 15 Apr 09

wayneo wrote:
Nice website and congratulations to the group, is anybody looking at getting the building listed? It's a fairly straightforward process.
The pool is less than 60 years old so would be very hard to get it listed. It requires the building to be of great quality - the Rye Pool is not of great quality at all.
I reckon any attempt to get it listed would be expensive and fruitless.

Report this post »

lidopraiser says...
4:24pm Wed 15 Apr 09

The group should be careful with its business plan as WDC might give it to Parkwood or Nexus as a blueprint. There is a local list scheme it boils down to what the Conservation Officer thinks

Report this post »

Save Wycombe says...
5:06pm Wed 15 Apr 09

It's great that volunteers are working so hard on this - I wish them every success

Report this post »

Plus ça change... says...
5:10pm Wed 15 Apr 09


Pity we did not protect the remains of the Roman villa with the same ardour.

Apparently it did have 'a huge bath house with pools and a sauna'...

Are these Roman remains not protected?



Report this post »

lizzieb says...
9:08pm Wed 15 Apr 09

I think the web looks great and am really impressed by the work of the group. Good luck with the business plans and heres to lots more open air swimming in the future!

Report this post »

wayneo says...
11:02pm Wed 15 Apr 09

yog wrote:
Making it a listed building could hamper the longer term aim of getting a telescopic roof put on so best to hold off until WDC come clean with their plans for the site.
Sorry, but now i'm completely turned off. The reason why the building could procure listed status (irrespective of age), is that the architecture is of interest; the design is of 1930s origin but built in 1957.

A roof of any sorts would change the character of the building to such an extent, that it would be more beneficial to knock it down and start again.

Report this post »

yog says...
11:39pm Wed 15 Apr 09

The aim is to get a roof over the pool itself not the whole building.

Report this post »

Steve Totteridge Hill says...
11:02am Thu 16 Apr 09

Now's the time to spend some serious money and by using modern technologies and materials to rebuild the pool. I'm all for the pool but not in it's present state, with the British climate against you opening the pool more often is the answer to success. No I'm not saying build another indoor pool...this is the time for some real innovative thinking. Make it a place you just WANT to go to. Now if I could only win the lotto to help fund it!

Report this post »

lidopraiser says...
9:54pm Thu 16 Apr 09

Steve is right, the group need to take a contemporary approach to refurbishing the pool, while retaining its lido style charm. People would come from a very wide area to attend such a facility.

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree