Motcombe Swimming Pool: Update from the Eastbourne Borough Council

Timeline:

Early 2020 - Pool closes due to covid restrictions. A number of maintenance issues are raised.

March 2021 - Eastbourne Borough Council (EBC) says ‘detailed investigations are being carried out to evaluate the significant repairs and modernisation required’

September 2021 - EBC confirms the pool will not be sold.

March 2022 - Councillors agree up to £200,000 of match-funding will be made available.

April 2022 - EBC says it will cost more than £1m to restore the pool. Open day held by EBC. Motcombe Pool Community Interest Company created to ‘spearhead the fundraising and restoration’ of the pool. EBC registers the pool as an Asset of Community Value.

Now Councillor Stephen Holt, deputy leader of EBC, has said: “Since the open day, residents have been working with councillors and officers to discuss fundraising, additional surveys and future business cases for the pool. To this end, an intrusive survey into the structural integrity of the pool itself has been commissioned and a working group set up to liaise with operators of other historic swimming baths.”

This intrusive survey will take place before the end of the year according to EBC.

Cllr Holt said: “I am incredibly grateful for all this hard work, commitment and expertise that the residents on the Community Interest Company (CIC) have freely given so far. The overriding objective remains the restoration and reopening of the pool for the long-term benefit of the community and anyone who would like to get involved should contact the CIC and Friends of Motcombe Pool.”

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