Uncertain future for Thame swimming club
The easing of lockdown restrictions hasn't made
A swimming club in Thame faces closure as the latest sector to be affected by coronavirus.
They've had their pool time massively cut and seen the cost of using their local pool rocket since lockdown was eased and it means an uncertain future.
Louise Croft-Baker who runs Thame Swimming Club said:
"At the end of July, we were allowed back into the pool and obviously everyone was hugely excited about it.
"But unfortunately that was quite short-lived.
"Our pool time was really cut down from 20-plus hours a week down to six hoursi n our main pool.
"The biggest problem was in relation to cost.
"The cost of the pool went up by over 50%."
The Club had found creative ways to get through lockdown, using paddling pools at home, zoom land-training sessions and more.
But being back in the pool was something everyone was looking forward to.
An issue affecting many swimming clubs
Swim England have revealed that while 767 of the 1,002 public accessible pools have reopened in some form, or have published an imminent reopening date, 223 remain indefinitely closed and 193 still have no confirmed date for when they will open again impacting swim schools, competitive swimming clubs, swimming teachers, lifeguards and facility staff.
Louise added:
"We are really in a situation now where these costs are just not sustainable.
"If we can't find a solution to it, it will jeopardise the future of the club.
"We can't ask parents to increase their membership fees by over 50%, it's just not possible."
The club say that it is now time that the Government addressed the impact on swimming as a sport and call an emergency conference with all those involved in the industry to work out a way to save our community swimming clubs and safeguard British swimming.
What do the leisure centre bosses have to say?
Thame Swimming Club meet at Thame Leisure Centre, run by GLL Better.
They run several sites across the region and Louise reckons many clubs like theirs will be in a similar situation.
A spokesperson for GLL, the charitable social enterprise that operates Thame Leisure Centre said:
"Following four months of zero income due to lockdown and now operating at 25% capacity in order to be Covid-Secure, GLL, like all pool operators, is under huge financial strain. With no specific funding available, pools are at risk across the UK and we are deeply perplexed and frustrated by the lack of financial support available from Government.
"The combination of limited capacity and the need to maintain financial viability is extremely challenging. We are working hard to provide a balanced, interim programme that gives all sections of the community the opportunity access our facilities. We are currently able to offer Thame Swimming Club 7.5hrs of weekly pool time (of which 6hrs has been accepted). It is worth noting that this makes up 62% of the total evening pool time available at Thame Leisure Centre.
"Sadly we are no longer in a position to continue offering the same subsidised rate for pool hire that was available to the club pre-Covid. We have however proposed a phased increase to help it manage the price increases, which will bring the club in line with our standard pool hire rate.
"We are working with UKActive, Sport England, Community Leisure UK, Swim England and other Sport Governing Bodies to try and secure 'ring fenced' Government funding for the leisure sector, similar to that available to the arts and culture sector."