Three of Doncaster's biggest swimming pools will not re-open until the middle of next year

Askern Leisure Centre, Edlington Community Swimming Pool and Rossington Community Swimming Pool will not re-open until April next year – because of difficulties in getting them to meet the health and safety standards that would be needed.

Michael Hart, chief executive of Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust (DCLT) confirmed the delay.

He said: “We are continuing to open our venues and facilities in a phased and safe way.

“Following Government guidelines regarding social distancing we have been able to open four of our gyms and will be opening five of our pools, the Ice Caps ice rink and KingPin Bowling Alley this weekend (August 1).

“We have taken a phased approach to safely reopening our spaces to protect our staff and customers. In the next phase we hope to see school swimming lessons, return to our five pools, and our alternative education provision return in September.

“Our response will then see us working to reopen Askern Leisure Centre, Edlington Community Swimming Pool and Rossington Community Swimming Pool from April 2021.

“We know this will be disappointing news for some of our customers. However, the covid-19 pandemic has meant that we are going to have to operate differently moving forward. This includes complying with important health and safety measures and some of our buildings are not currently able to meet these requirements making operations at those venues unviable.

“DCLT is working with the clubs that use these pools to provide pool time in our other venues during the period of closure.

“We know that our customers are missing using these facilities and we are working on plans to be able to open them again when it is safe to do so.”

At the DCLT venues that are re-opening, all visitors have to pre-book and capacity is reduced. Extra cleaning and hygience measures will be in place.

Visitors are asked to follow Government guidance on hand washing and social distancing. Anyone with a temperature, persistent cough, or loss of smell or taste should stay away.

Swimming lessons at one of Doncaster’s smaller pools, at Quest Park on Wheatley Hall Road, restarted last weekend.

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