New swimming pool too cold say visitors
It was opened with a fanfare, but Bilston's new £18.6 million swimming pool is putting visitors off – because the water is too cold.
It was opened with a fanfare, but the new £18.6 million Bert Williams Leisure Centre in Bilston is putting swimmers off as they claim the water is too cold.
Despite assurances from staff that temperatures are typical of a public pool, shivering swimmers are deserting the Nettlefolds Way centre.
One unhappy swimmer said she had stopped using the pool. Kathryn Evans, from Bilston, said she and her family found it too cold to bear.
Mrs Evans, from Hartshorn Street, said: "Some of my family pay regular visits to Walsall baths but when the new leisure centre opened in Bilston, due to its convenient position they decided to go.
"Two visits were made weeks apart and on both occasions the visits were cut short because the water was too cold.
"They have now returned to Walsall baths where the water is always warm."
However, council bosses say that the temperature at Walsall Gala Baths is between 27.2C and 27.8C - colder than the average of 28C at the Bert Williams Leisure Centre.
Wolverhampton City Council insists its staff monitor the pool four times a day to make sure people find it comfortable.
Alison Compton, facility manager at the leisure centre, said: "The pool at the Bert Williams Leisure Centre currently averages temperatures of 28C.
"A small number of customers have made comments with regard to this, but we reassured them that regular monitoring and checks are undertaken four times per day to ensure these temperatures are continually maintained."
She said the temperature was within the recommended guidelines of 27-29.5C.
The Bert Williams Leisure Centre opened in December. More than 60,000 people visited it in its first two months.
It is believed a total of 400,000 people will pass through the doors in its first year - more than double the number that used the old facility in the town.
So far, the number of people signing up to swimming lessons has increased by 77 per cent compared to the old centre and and more than 1,000 customers have signed up for a membership card.
