Richmond Swimming Pool users have raised concerns that the venue is missing out on long-term investment — despite £1.1m being allocated for emergency repairs

North Yorkshire Council’s housing and leisure overview and scrutiny heard today (TUESDAY) about plans by the authority to invest more than £40m in its leisure centre.

Four leisure centres in Pickering, Selby, Skipton and Whitby would share £36m to become health and well-being hubs.
Meanwhile, a further £3m would be used to update gym and fitness equipment across 12 leisure sites operated by the authority.

The council has also announced plans to fund emergency repairs at Richmond Swimming Pool after the venue had to close when the ceiling fell in.
But users told councillors they were still worried about the pool’s long-term future and questioned why it had missed out on the hub investment given that it serves a large rural area.

Resident Matthew Ward told the meeting: “We are delighted that our pool has received a recommendation of funding for it to reopen as soon as possible. It is an iconic, award-winning asset used by the whole community for health, well-being and fun.
“However, it is extremely worrying that it has not been included in any longer-term plan for investment, it has just been allocated money from a discretionary fund for a set of immediate issues.”

He added: “After two long closures and under investment in facilities – not just the structure of the building, but the changing areas, reception, café, and staff – it’s incredible that our pool has the visitors it does. If it is given the right investment, the periodic closures are put to an end and it is run properly, you will see visitor numbers increasing even more.”

Another pool user, Julie Young, said: “While the council has agreed to repair the roof and heating system at Richmond Swimming Pool, there is concern that these works may only represent a short-term fix. It would be helpful to have confirmation that the repairs will ensure the long-term integrity of the building, and that the existing heat pump and solar panel systems will be fully serviced and optimised for maximum efficiency.”

On the decision not to invest more money in the site, David Ashbridge, the council’s head of sport and active well-being, said the centre had performed poorly in comparison to other leisure sites around the county.  He said: “The pool operates with a subsidy in excess of £400,000, due mainly to comparatively less throughput than our other facilities. For example, in 2024/25, usage was 56,000 compared to the second least used facility at 89,000 visits. A full options appraisal was carried out, including significant development options, however, these options were not feasible due mainly to financial performance and comparatively well served local provision, including facilities at Catterick, Bedale and Northallerton.”

Mr Ashbridge added said that while the Richmond facility was not earmarked for hub funding, a ten-year asset condition assessment had been carried out and further work was planned to keep the facility open. “There is no timeline to indicate the lifespan of the pool; the asset condition programme includes all required work and associated costs to keep the site operational,” he added.