Latest news with #RichmondshireLeisureTrust
BBC News
21-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Pool's future in doubt due to 'historic issues'
The future of a public swimming pool has been thrown into doubt after council officials revealed that "extensive" work was needed on the Swimming Pool has been closed since April, when part of the ceiling fell down just weeks after the facilities transferred from the management of Richmondshire Leisure Trust to North Yorkshire to the council, investigations have since uncovered "several historic issues" at the pool will remain closed for at least three months while further surveys are carried out and "all possible future options" are considered. In a statement, North Yorkshire Council said: "In addition to the essential repairs required, we also know that other areas are in urgent need of improvement and key equipment requires replacement."We now want to take more time to assess and compare all possible future options available to us, including the costs and impact of these options." The council said it appreciated the closure was disappointing and apologised for the disruption statement added: "We thank you for your ongoing patience and would like to remind customers that you can use pool facilities at our neighbouring Active North Yorkshire sites."The café and adjacent gym remain open as normal, the Local Democracy Service site was previously owned by Richmondshire District Council until it was dissolved in district authority came under fire in 2022 for giving the trust almost 5% of its income to run the services - and then having to provide an extra £75,000 in funding to cover a 400% increase in energy council also agreed to pay compensation to the trust of up to £85,000 due to lost income from issues with a £1.9m revamp, which included a new heating system and solar panels on the upgrade work took longer than expected and meant the pool had to close for several months in 2023 due to issues with the heating system. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
26-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Richmond swimming pools closed after ceiling issues
A leisure centre that has battled with rising costs and problems with upgrade work has temporarily closed its pools at Richmond Swimming Pool have been shut until further notice after issues emerged with the ceiling, but the café and gym at the site remain Yorkshire Council's assistant director for leisure, Jo Ireland, said: "The safety of our customers and staff is paramount so we have closed the pools while we investigate the problem."All users of the pool have been made aware of the closure and we would like to thank them for their patience while we work to resolve this issue." The problems come weeks after the pool transferred from the management of Richmondshire Leisure Trust to North Yorkshire to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, trust bosses previously warned rising costs and a drop in users were threatening the future of the former Richmondshire District Council came under fire in 2022 for giving the trust almost 5% of its income to run the services - and then having to provide an extra £75,000 to cover a 400% increase in energy council also agreed to pay compensation to the trust of up to £85,000 due to lost income from issues with a £1.9m revamp, which included a new heating system and solar panels on the upgrade work took longer than expected which meant the pool had to close for several months in 2023 due to issues with the heating system. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Council takeover to secure swimming pool's future
The future of a community-run swimming pool would be secured by putting it under council control, it has been claimed. North Yorkshire Council is due to take on the running of Richmond Swimming Pool on 1 March, following issues with rising costs and upgrade work at the venue in recent years. The facility will be the latest in the county to be taken in-house following the launch of the unitary authority in 2023. Richmond councillor Stuart Parsons said the transfer to council control was a "good move", which would see an "almost seamless changeover". Similar venues in Selby, Tadcaster, Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon, have already been taken on by North Yorkshire Council under its Active North Yorkshire banner. The council is also set to take control of adjacent Liberty Health Club in Richmond from 1 March. The Richmond pool and gym are currently operated by Richmondshire Leisure Trust, with the charity given the lease by the former Richmondshire District Council in 2005. In recent years, trust bosses have warned that rising costs and fewer users had threatened the future of the facilities. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service the former district council came under fire in 2022 for giving the trust almost 5% of its income to run the services — and then having to provide an extra £75,000 in funding to cover a 400% increase in energy bills. The council also agreed to pay compensation to the trust of up to £85,000 due to lost income from issues with a £1.9m revamp, which included a new heating system and solar panels on the roof. Parsons said he had "felt sorry" for Richmondshire Leisure Trust. He added: "They were created on the understanding they could access funding that the council couldn't, but that wasn't really the case." Trust bosses said the facilities were being handed over in good shape with a record number of gym users and the highest number of swimmers using the pool for several years, despite a decline in swimming nationally. Chairman of Richmondshire Leisure Trust, Andy White, said: "As these special and vital facilities transfer to new management, we hope that they will continue to enhance the lives of all who are involved in their provision." Council officers said the swimming pool and health club would operate as normal during the transition and memberships and opening hours would remain unchanged. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here. Sports centres back under in-house management Pools to gain £288k for solar panel installation Local Democracy Reporting Service North Yorkshire Council
BBC News
31-01-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Hope of secure future for swimming pool after council takeover
The future of a community-run swimming pool would be secured by putting it under council control, it has been Yorkshire Council is due to take on the running of Richmond Swimming Pool on 1 March, following issues with rising costs and upgrade work at the venue in recent facility will be the latest in the county to be taken in-house following the launch of the unitary authority in councillor Stuart Parsons said the transfer to council control was a "good move", which would see an "almost seamless changeover". Similar venues in Selby, Tadcaster, Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon, have already been taken on by North Yorkshire Council under its Active North Yorkshire council is also set to take control of adjacent Liberty Health Club in Richmond from 1 Richmond pool and gym are currently operated by Richmondshire Leisure Trust, with the charity given the lease by the former Richmondshire District Council in recent years, trust bosses have warned that rising costs and fewer users had threatened the future of the to the Local Democracy Reporting Service the former district council came under fire in 2022 for giving the trust almost 5% of its income to run the services — and then having to provide an extra £75,000 in funding to cover a 400% increase in energy council also agreed to pay compensation to the trust of up to £85,000 due to lost income from issues with a £1.9m revamp, which included a new heating system and solar panels on the roof. 'Enhance lives' Parsons said he had "felt sorry" for Richmondshire Leisure added: "They were created on the understanding they could access funding that the council couldn't, but that wasn't really the case."Trust bosses said the facilities were being handed over in good shape with a record number of gym users and the highest number of swimmers using the pool for several years, despite a decline in swimming of Richmondshire Leisure Trust, Andy White, said: "As these special and vital facilities transfer to new management, we hope that they will continue to enhance the lives of all who are involved in their provision."Council officers said the swimming pool and health club would operate as normal during the transition and memberships and opening hours would remain to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
