Lambeth Council closes Streatham swimming pool (From Streatham Guardian)

Lambeth Council closes Streatham swimming pool

6:50am Wednesday 18th November 2009

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Streatham swimming pool has had to close for health and safety reasons.

A decision was made on Monday night to shut the pool because of fears the ceiling over the water could collapse.

The shallow end of the pool in Streatham Leisure Centre was cordoned off over a week ago, because ornate plasterwork on the wall near the ceiling became unstable.

A structural survey has now revealed more widespread problems in the ceiling and the pool has now been closed.

The council was unable to say how long the pool would remain closed, as a further assessment was taking place yesterday.

The incident has sparked further concern about the leisure centre's future.

Tim Barnsley, who has swum daily at the pool for 15 years, said the closure was not a surprise and said it was “disappointing” the pool had been allowed to get to this state.

Jon Waits, who no longer uses the pool because of the deteriorating facilities, said it was “disgraceful” the facilities had been so badly neglected, especially in the run up to the Olympics.

A council spokesman said it had taken "the difficult decision" to close the pool because "wellbeing of people using the pool has to be our absolute top concern". He said the pool would only be reopened when it is entirely safe.

The council has promised to maintain the leisure centre and fund it to stay open until building works start on the long-anticipated Streatham Hub development.

The development, in conjunction with Tesco, is to include a brand new state-of-the-art leisure centre and ice rink.

But a three year delay in its delivery has meant the leisure centre has deteriorated further.

A council report published in August said: “The leisure centre is well beyond its life expectancy and is in a very poor state of repair”.

Streatham Lib Dem Councillor Julian Heather called the closure "a most disturbing development that we have been warning about for some time."

He accused the Labour-led council of "dithering over the Streatham Hub project."

He added: "People will rightly worry that we will be left with nothing. Streatham pool clearly needs urgent investment now to keep Streatham swimming."

The Lambeth Council spokesman said the leisure centre “no longer provides the quality of facilities that local people deserve, that’s why we are committed to providing brand new, state-of-the-art leisure facilities”.

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