A LOAN of £2m has been secured by a swimming outfit in Whitefield which has defied the pandemic to keep on growing.

Olympic bronze medal winner Steve Parry is behind Total Swimming Holdings and their successful Swim! chain.

His Elm Square based business has launched swim centres in Warrington, Oldham and Sheffield, with a further development in the pipeline to the south of Liverpool.

Parry was also instrumental in helping to get the temporary pool at Radcliffe off the ground, working with Bury Council.

Now TSH has been recommended for a £2m loan from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s investment framework programme.

Under the initative, the Whitefield company will put up £1m to fund future growth ambitions.

In a joint report by Cllr David Molyneux, the GMCA’s portfolio lead for investment and resources and Eamonn Boylan, the portfolio lead chief executive for investment, they outline why TSH was successful.

The report to councillors says: “The group employs 30 staff at their head office in Bury, with a further 12 staff at their Oldham facility, which opened in July 2020.

“Despite the pandemic, management demonstrated that the business model is resilient and are now looking to roll-out five additional sites, including two in GM, adding much needed learn to swim provision in the region.

“The management team has good experience in delivering both the fit-out and operation of the facilities, and also in providing a high quality of service in the learn to swim provision, providing a sound business model and has demonstrated this in the delivery of the Oldham site and the site in Warrington.

“This provision will support the high-level of demand for these services in the area, and lead to improved health outcomes for children.”

The firm has previously received a £500,000 loan from the authority in November 2019.