Open Our Pools
In light of the Government's failure to announce a date for re-opening swimming pools in the UK, it has left many pool operators, swimming clubs like ourselves and other pool users completed baffled.
It has been announced today that pubs, restaurants, cinemas, etc are to re-open from 4th July, yet nothing has been announced regarding the re-opening of swimming pools. Many pools and swim clubs have already been putting in place safety measures and risk assessments in readiness for a return and without a date to work towards, leaves many in the difficult situation of not knowing when our clubs can return to training. Our swimmers, like many others in sport, rely on the physical activity for their physical and mental well-being and many people connected to the sport rely on it for their livelihoods.
We fail to understand the apparent unwillingness to address this issue, with many pool operators facing difficult financial times and a very realistic possibility of closure. Many people in the swimming industry have already seen their businesses on the verge of closure, due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.
Obviously everyone involved in swimming have completely respected that public health comes first and we as a club have respected the decisions that the UK Government and its health advisors have made. We completely respect that the Government have done everything they can to bring the virus under control and to protect the lives of people in the UK, as part of the global response to the pandemic. Surely a date to work towards is only fair, as the restrictions are beginning to now ease across the UK.
We are backing Swim England's campaign to #OpenOurPools. We will be encouraging our members to write to their MP's, tweet the Government and sign the petition to urge the Government to give some consideration to swimming pools re-opening and providing a date to aim for.
Further information, link to the petition and other guidance of our to support this campaign can be found on the Swim England website via this link.
