‘We’re being priced out of Bolton One’
8:57am Thursday 9th February 2012 in News
BOLTON One is failing to make a splash with local swimming clubs, who claim they have been priced out of the pool.
They say the pool’s “competition standard specification” is wasted as restrictions imposed by Bolton One make it almost impossible to stage contests there.
Council bosses have promised to look into the issues.
Terry Stott, chief coach of Bolton Swimming Club, said: “It is one of the best competition pools in the North West, but it will not be used to its full potential.”
The English Schools Swimming Association had earmarked the pool as a potential venue to stage its North West competition, but the £160 cost for an hour has been deemed too expensive.
Instead it will be held out of town, where venues cost about £100 a hour.
Bolton Swimming Club trains at Farnworth pool for £45 per hour and training at Bolton One has been ruled out because it is too expensive.
Mr Stott said: “We have some very talented young swimmers in Bolton and this would have been perfect for them.”
Bolton also has Horwich Swimming Club and Bolton Metro Swim Squad training potential Olympic swimmers.
All the clubs are run by volunteers and parents.
Mr Stott said: “We will have to travel outside of Bolton to Bury, Leigh and Manchester Aquatic — the Commonwealth pool.
“Why spend £70,000 on the electronic scoreboard and competition standard equipment when competitions cannot be held. We want to work in partnership with Bolton One.”
A Bolton Council spokesman said: “Bolton Community Leisure Trust, through managing agent Serco, has been contracted to manage the leisure facilities and we have asked them to look into these issues.
“The programme set for the centre in terms of the swimming pool usage will be reviewed regularly.”
