Funding options to be explored to reopen town pool

The next steps for a swimming pool that closed indefinitely for public safety are to be discussed.

The pool at Kingfisher Leisure Centre in Sudbury, Suffolk, had been due to undergo repairs, but shut in September when surveys revealed it needed a complete rebuild.

Owner Babergh District Council will meet to discuss possible options - to open up the pool again and how it will be funded - on 10 November.

Laura Smith, cabinet member for thriving communities, said that with rising costs, "it simply isn't possible for most local councils to save enough" for a brand new leisure centre, but all options would be explored.

The pool had been due to undergo £875,000 worth of repairs and maintenance to keep the 39-year-old facility going for a few more years.

Alliance Leisure, a development partner of the council, was commissioned last year to explore long-term options - which initially recommended a major refurbishment of the pool costing an estimated £17.75m, or an entire new leisure centre at a cost of £28.2m.

However, the council said it had recommended this report to be updated to set out revised options and funding strategies, in light of the structural information in September.

About £400,000 had been spent since 2024-25 to ensure the pool could be kept open.

The council said there was £1.7m available from 2025-26 to 2030-31, but it would cover little of the cost of a rebuild.

"It simply isn't possible for most local councils to save enough money to build a new leisure centre," Smith said.

"We face rising costs and must continue funding vital, statutory services that residents rely on, many of which we still subsidise.

"However, we will explore all feasible options and funding opportunities, and we are also starting conversations with funding bodies such as Sport England and Swim England."

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