The plight of campaigners aching to save Jubilee Pool

A community group scrambling to save a treasured pool in Knowle under the looming threat of closure has revealed the monumental practical challenge and emotional toll of its endeavour.

Friends of Jubilee Pool, a group of volunteers committed to saving the leisure facility, hope to undertake the facility as a Community Asset Transfer (CAT) to stop it from being permanently shut down.

But the group is lamenting the “extremely short timetable” that gives them “no time to stand still” established by Bristol City Council.

As well as bureaucratic obstacles, Friends of Jubilee Pool say that the process of bringing the pool into community ownership is emotionally costly, calling their campaign “incredibly time-consuming and exhausting”.

Jubilee Pool in South Bristol is under threat of closure – photo courtesy of Bristol City Council

Deadlines dictate the confirmation of a preferred operator by February 16 and the submission of a detailed business plan by March 31.

When contracts expire with the facility’s private provider Parkwood Leisure in March, the council’s ‘leisure investment strategy’ will see funding withdrawn for Jubilee Pool.

Despite this, the group is currently “chasing the council” to get an extension to Parkwood’s contract to operate the pool beyond March. The group suggest the council is deliberately ‘delaying’.

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Read more: ‘Jubilee has been part of the beating heart of south Bristol for 83 years’ 

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“Running the campaign to save Jubilee Pool and moving forward with our desire to secure a long term, sustainable future for Jubilee Pool is effectively a full-time job for us all”, they explained.

“The Friends of Jubilee Pool management group are giving all their time free and are running this alongside our own full-time jobs and businesses, voluntary work and family commitments.

“We are all professionals in our own fields but the majority of us have no experience of running a leisure facility.”

Jubilee Pool has already avoided permanent closure several times – photo courtesy of Save Jubilee Pool

For the management company, the production of the ‘expression of interest’ to bid for the CAT itself has been a “huge learning curve”.

Challenges include the “setting up a formal company, researching and finding the right people to help us with a range of issues for advice on the correct company structures, financial advice, building surveys, fundraising, increasing our links with other community organisations in South Bristol and ongoing support and advice”.

Recent figures published by Swim England reveal that swimming pools are at risk of being erased from communities across the country. The national governing body warns that, without urgent action, up to 2000 municipal pools could be lost within a decade.

As part of an ongoing effort to keep the pool open for the Knowle community, the group is holding a 24-hour, non-stop, sponsored swim at the end of January.

They said its purpose is to “raise awareness of the need to secure the future of the pool and raise money for costs towards the work and professional help that will be needed to produce a detailed business plan if we are confirmed as the preferred operator”.

The group revealed that all costs so far associated with the campaign to keep Jubilee Pool open post-Coronavirus, respond to the various consultation processes and associated publicity have come from their own pockets.

Despite their struggles, Friends of Jubilee Pool said their campaign is “also one of the most rewarding things to be involved with”.

They said: “If we can ensure the long-term future of Jubilee Pool, then it will all be worthwhile.”

To get involved with fundraising efforts, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/24-hour-sponsored-swim-for-jubilee-pool-tickets-229761572047

Main photo by Ellie Pipe

Read more:

• How one street is highlighting the plight of a much-loved pool
• South Bristol swimming pool saved from closure – again

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