Another financial loss for 50 year old Hythe Swimming Pool

Next year, Hythe Swimming Pool (HSP) will be fifty years old. At present it is the only community pool open to the public in the district, as the pool at Folkestone Sports Centre remains closed.

At last night’s full council meeting Cllr Clive Goddard (Con) asked the following question about HSP:

Can you tell me how much funding has been budgeted to keep Hythe Swimming Pool open and fit for purpose since May 2023 and what contingency plans are in place should it have to permanently closed due to maintenance concerns?

The response from Councillor Speakman (Green), Cabinet Member for Assets and Operations, shows in the short video below, shows yet again HSP made a substantial loss, and was supported by The General Fund (GF). The GF is the main revenue account of the Council. The GF is used to finance the council’s day-to-day services.

Cllr Speakman’s answer for 2023/24 was that HSP made a substantial loss again.

We know in 2014/15, HSP made a loss of £271,770 and in 2017/18, it made a loss of £322,787. In 2015-16 and 2016-17, HSP was closed for extended periods of time due to storm damage and maintenance. We strongly suspect given the three years worth of data, that since 2014/15, HSP has never made a profit and has been a financial burden to the council’s GF. However, it has taught thousands of children to swim; which living next to the sea is a priceless thing.

HSP opened in 1975, and is a copy of the pool used at the Benenden School, at the time. Next year will be it’s 50 anniversary.  The District Council has been actively involved in trying to put in place a replacement/refurbishment scheme for HSP since 1999.

Now the proposed pool on Princes Parade will not go ahead, a new site or a complete overhaul of HSP must happen sooner rather than later. Cllr Goddard made it clear, Romney Marsh has plenty of land and would welcome a pool on the Marsh. However, there have been discussions over the years about new leisure centre facilities being built in or around Hythe. This has naturally led to reduced funding for HSP.

On a recent visit to HSP one notes, the changing rooms have not been painted for many years, so it is not a great environment or customer experience. Simple things like this could be improved and might lead to additional use of the facilities.

The Shepway Vox Team

Dissent is NOT a Crime