'Hidden gem' swimming pool needs £50k for repairs

A community swimming pool in East Sussex is hoping to fundraise £50,000 for urgent repairs to its 50-year-old building.

Brighton Swimming Centre in Eastern Road, Kemptown, had to repair sections of its front wall after a routine inspection in December last year.

The pool, which sees about 1,200 swimmers a week, is asking for community support, stating that it could have to reduce the number of lessons it can run per week.

"We consider the pool to be one of Brighton's best kept secrets, a hidden gem", Michael Kruger, managing director of the not-for-profit organisation, said.

Kruger added: "We support the community and are focused on trying to encourage people to both learn this vital skill to swim for their health and wellbeing. We feel it's an important asset.

"We had to do repairs to the front wall; it was coming away from the building itself. We had to do that straight away. The building is 50 years old so there's a long list of maintenance work, the roof needs repairing too.

"We would have to reduce our offerings significantly. We hope it doesn't come to that. We want to increase our services."

Brighton Swimming Centre helps people of all ages and abilities with their swimming and runs lifeguard courses.

The facility also hires out spaces including for English lessons, choir sessions and a children's club.

Pool user Jill Dyson, 70, said: "It's the way of the world nowadays. It would be terrible if it went. It addresses the needs of so many people."

Christian Donlan added: "It's such a magical place full of generous, friendly people. It's a place where I can experience enjoying being bad at something but learning how to be less bad at it. It's so valuable."

So far, the pool has raised about £3,000 of its £50,000 target.

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