David Gallico wrote (October 2008):
There are a number of rather depressing reports by correspondants to the Swimclub website concerning pool closures at the present time. It seems that Waveney District Council want to close the last 2 remaining open air pools in Suffolk, at Beccles and Halesworth, North Somerset Council have voted to close the Portishead Open Air Swimming Pool: people were still swimming in it, as the last day of 2008 season was the end of September. Meanwhile, Camarthenshire Council have given notice that they intend to fill in the Hendy Lido on October 27th unless the Hendy Pool Committee can produce a rescue plan by October 17th. (Hendy Lido closed in 2002). The Hilsea Lido (the deepest lido in the coutry that is still open) has almost certainly had its last season. Thus the situation is that there are less than 100 open air public outdoor pools in Britain now, so the loss of another four is significant and with Hendy Lido due to be filled in and the Council in Bath wanting to sell off the Cleveland Pools, that will be another two pools off the potentially re-openable list. Meanwhile, Ilford Pool in the London Borough of Redbridge looks set to close in September, not December; this will mean only one public pool for approximately 250,000 residents. Derbyshire Dales District Council have agreed to consult on the future of Matlock "Lido", but the nearest re-opening date is likely to be February 2009 (The pool closed in July and the Matlock and District Swimming Club say they are losing a £1000 a month). Thus, as more pools close, there is a strain on neighbouring pools, as is happening in the Fylde/Blackpool area. And yet, swimming in rivers and lakes is frowned upon by the 'authorities', who seem to consider such an activity to be on a par with paedophilia, the same 'authorities' who frequently express surprise and concern at the level of obesity and general unfitness in the population!