Council ‘close to deal’ to allow community pool to reopen next year
BRISTOL City Council will be “delighted” to open Jubilee Pool in 2021 once an agreement is finalised, the council has said.
Jubilee Pool in Knowle has been shut since the first lockdown in March and, saying it could not afford to reopen it, the local authority launched a public consultation in August on its permanent closure.
Since then, campaigners have been working to save the public swimming pool and more than 2,600 people signed a petition in the space of a day.
Bristol City Council has now issued this statement in response to reports the pool would be reopening next year: “We have been in constant discussion with Parkwood Leisure to identify if the operator can open Jubilee Pool at less financial cost to Bristol’s taxpayers.
“We are currently close to agreeing arrangements for Parkwood to open with a minimal subsidy and risk from Bristol City Council.
“Once the agreement is finalised we will be delighted to be able to open Jubilee Pool in 2021, subject to Covid restrictions.”
Parkwood Leisure was contacted for comment but no response was received.
A spokeswoman for the Friends of Jubilee Pool said: “Our campaign has confirmed that Jubilee Pool is an important resource within our community; it holds a special place in many people’s hearts from across all sections of society and is essential to their health and wellbeing. We would like to thank everyone who has supported the campaign this year. “Your continued support has been vital.”
Lib Dem group leader Cllr Gary Hopkins – who presented a 1,300name petition to the council which claimed it would be “criminal negligence” to close Jubilee Pool permanently – said this was the third time in 12 years that they have had had to fight to save the pool from
closure.
He added: “This has been the hardest fight yet and campaigning through the Covid pandemic has also added lots of complications.
“But we must thank the friends of Jubilee Pool, all the other helpers and the nearly 7,000 people who signed our joint petition and lobbied the council with us.
“People have been through a huge struggle this year and the reopening will bring a much needed boost to physical and mental health.”