Chichester's Westgate Leisure centre responds to readers swimming pool comments

Limited availability in the weekends and evenings and a ‘cold’ pool temperature are among the issues which local residents have raised as a barrier to using the facilities at Westgate Leisure Centre.

It comes after the Observer asked readers on our social media pages if they are able to take their children swimming in the city – an issue which has been hitting the national headlines with provision in many areas still limited in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic.

Eleanor Shoebridge highlighted the lack of availability in the evenings and weekend as among the reasons why many families struggle to take their children swimming regularly.

She said: “Westgate is impossible to get to as a working parent. The sessions are too short for family swims and the pool is very cold for little ones. Provision in Chichester is poor.”

She was supported by Alex Wall-Morris who added: “Swimming facilities in Chichester are insufficient. I think it’s really important for pre-school children to be able to swim at a different time to older children. If they are at all nervous in the water a calm environment is very helpful.”

Stuart Mills, area contract manager at Everyone Active which manages the centre, said he ‘always welcome feedback and take this into account when reviewing our services’.

“There is still plenty of availability in our weekday sessions to cater to current demand. Sessions will need to be booked in advance during the evenings as the pool is used for lessons. Our swimming programme is constantly reviewed in line with feedback and attendance levels in sessions. We will continue to monitor demand to see if there is a need for further weekday sessions to be added into the leisure pool.

“We’ve found that 55 minutes is normally enough time for most families, given the changing facilities are open before and after the sessions.”

On the temperature of the pool he said that it is set between 29 and 29.5 degrees.

"The main pool is shared, and we have always found 29-29.5 to be the best middle point to try and keep as many customers as happy as possible and this follows the guidance issued by Swim England.”

During the Covid lockdown swimming pools across the country closed their doors, some not opening again until the summer of 2021 and even then sessions had to be booked.

A report by Swim England called ‘A Decade of Decline’ found that since the pandemic began 206 pools have closed, either permanently or temporarily, including 68 public pools.

Family swimming is offered on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday in the leisure pool. All swim sessions are bookable online through the Everyone Active app or on the website.