Over thirty angry members of local swimming clubs held a noisy protest outside Burnham-On-Sea pool on Saturday morning (January 5th) to air their views about Sedgemoor District Council’s controversial plans to shut the facility.
The group of protestors – which included pool users and members of Burnham Swimming Club and Bridgwater Swimming Club – chanted “save our pool” in front of TV cameras from ITV and BBC as the bitter fight to try and save the building continued.
Organiser Julian Plested, pictured, said: “We are not an official group, we are simply a cross-section of people who use the pool. We cannot believe that they plan to close such a vital local asset. I learnt to swim here as an adult and so did my children and thousands of others. Why should future generations be deprived? We want to make known the strength of our feelings and are prepared to stand out here in the cold in order to do so!”
Margaret Smith, founder member of the disabled swimmers group, said: “We set up the group 22 years ago and it is swimming that has helped me to walk again. Our group is always well attended. Many doctors and consultants refer people to the pool. The pool needs to be in Burnham as many of us don’t have cars, and aren’t we were supposed to be using our cars less anyway?”
Regular pool user Micheal Turner, pictured above, said: “It’s an absolute disgrace that the district council is wasting thousands of pounds on fireworks and new gates for public gardens in the town when it is considering shutting this pool.”
Meanwhile, 86-year-old local swimmer and veteran triathlete Arthur Gilbert (pictured above), who was last week awarded an MBE by the Queen for his charitable works, said: “It would be a tragedy to lose the pool – it’s such a popular asset which draws people to Burnham.”
Sedgemoor District Council claims the pool’s annual £250,000 running costs and £2m of repairs make the site too expensive to run, much to the anger of protestors.
RELATED LINKS:
Huge turnout at packed swimming pool public meeting
Campaign group meets MP to discuss future of pool
Public meeting set to be held on future of pool
700 sign petition to save Burnham swimming pool
‘We’ll fight closure of Burnham swimming pool’ vow campaigners
Burnham swimming pool ‘may permanently close by April 2008’
