Volunteers hit out over pool delays

HASLINGDEN Baths, which closed to the public in November 2013, were originally predicted to be reopened by the Haslingden All People’s Pool Initiative (HAPPI) group by the September of 2015.

But as volunteers began work and the scale of the renovation work became apparent the re-opening target date was pushed back, first to end-2015 and then to end-2016.

In September last year HAPPI directors stated the pool would not reopen before 2018 as serious repairs remained outstanding.

Three major issues must be resolved - the replacement of the roof, the building’s heating system and treating the pool’s ‘concrete cancer’, the total cost of which is estimated at around £300,000.

Rossendale council has pledged £100,000 in match funding to the group but this has not so far been accessed.