Pools in Cornwall are open to the public again - but a major regular user of both Liskeard and Saltash leisure centres, the Caradon Swimming Club, has said it cannot afford the new hire prices for the pools which have been raised by GLL to almost double the rate the club was paying before the lockdown.

The club, which has around 100 members, 80 of whom are under 18, has been using the pools at Mount Kelly in Tavistock and St Mellion for some training sessions.

Club chairman Clive Shute said: “It’s what we’ve been asking for, for the pools to be open. But they’re making it so very difficult for us to return.

“It’s not the local managers’ fault, all the prices are set by GLL. We were paying £10.80 per lane per hour and they now want £20. On top of that, they are going to add a £40 surcharge for having to have a member of staff there – we use the pool when it is normally closed.”

Lifeguard

Clive said that GLL had refused Caradon’s offer to lifeguard their own sessions. With only half the number of swimmers permitted in the lanes at one time because of COVID safety guidelines, he says that the club is being “priced out of the pool”.

Caradon had been spending £700 a month with Saltash and £1,800 with Liskeard, said Clive.

Head of service for GLL in Cornwall James Curry said that there had been no price rises for clubs at Cornwall’s pools for six years before 2019. “Pre-COVID, GLL had been working with Cornwall ASA and Swim England to bring swimming club pool pricing in line with the true cost of providing the service.

“In 2019 the price per lane went up to £13.50 and was due to go up to £16.50 in September 2020 and £19.50 in 2021. During this COVID period, we are charging £20 per lane per hour. As and when the guidance changes and we return to some form of normality, we will, of course, continue to review pricing. 

“With reduced capacities and therefore reduced income, GLL cannot afford to subsidise club swimming pool use during this period, when the company face increased costs. With the COVID-safe measures in place, GLL has increased its cleaning regime, the pools are operating with higher levels of chemicals and currently operate on 100% fresh air circulation, adding to our utility costs.”

GLL and Cornwall Council are still pressing the Government for more funding to help leisure centres get back on a sustainable footing. Community interest company GLL said its finances have been hit extremely hard by the COVID lockdown.

But deputy leader of Cornwall Council Adam Paynter also said that the Council would be carrying out a review of leisure operations and that “GLL had not run things as profitably as had been hoped”.

MP Sheryll Murray, who is the vice-chair of the all party parliamentary group on swimming, said that she would be following up her request for a further meeting with GLL to “raise a number of issues”.