A long-term lease to run Portishead Open Air Pool has
been agreed.
North Somerset Council, which owns the site, has signed a lease
with Portishead Pool Community Trust to run the facility on a
99-year lease.
Cllr Carl Francis-Pester, North Somerset Council's executive
member for asset management said: "We agreed a short-term lease for
the trust to open and run the pool for the first year.
"This gave us the opportunity to see how it worked and also that
the trust was in a position to satisfy conditions which would mean
we could offer a longer-term lease to them.
"I am pleased to say that those conditions, such as fund raising
and having a sound marketing plan in place, have been met and we
have now concluded terms for a 99-year lease with the pool
trust. I know last year was successful and I sincerely hope
that local people will once again make good use of the facility in
this and subsequent seasons."
Roger Whitfield from the pool trust said: "After a shaky start
initially we have built up a good rapport with North Somerset
Council who have been supportive in our continuing efforts to
ensure that the open air pool remains a viable leisure facility for
the people of Portishead and beyond.
"We have had fantastic support from the community and beyond and
we hope that it will continue, we will be opening on 30 April
this year with newly refurbished changing rooms and many other
changes. I would like to thank the officers of the council and all
the legal teams involved for their continued patience in
negotiating this lease.
"Last season saw over 31,000 visitors to this pool and we hope
that this coming season will see an increase in those numbers; key
to the expansion in usage of this pool has been keeping the water
nice and warm, so we are currently looking into solar heating which
we hope to have an announcement on that soon."
