Eastbourne residents fear for the future of swimming pool

Motcombe Pool opened in 1904 and offers community classes, lessons and general public swimming times.

As well as this, the pool has facilities for disabled visitors including a chair hoist for accessing the pool.

In April 2019 the 18-metre pool changed hands from Eastbourne Leisure Trust to Wave Leisure Trust.

Due to the age and layout of the building there are a number of maintenance issues that have become apparent through lockdown, according to Eastbourne Borough Council.

Resident Kara May said, “We need to help save our pool. We need to pull together and save a great pool with lots of memories.”

An Eastbourne Borough Council spokesperson said, “It is not economically viable to open the pool while we continue to follow social distancing rules. This is a similar case for many smaller public pools.

“There are a number of significant and complex maintenance issues at Motcombe Pool.

“The necessary repairs and modernisation required will be considered in due course against other priorities within the council’s future capital programme of works and available funding.”

Jan Bruce, who teaches hydrotherapy classes at the pool, said, “I and many others would be upset if it didn’t reopen.

“There will be local people that will want to support it.”