broomhill pool ipswich

[broomhillsaved]

my favourite pool is broomhill pool in ipswich, which closed in 2002; i have been part of a campaign group fighting continuously to save it ever since; this pool is one of the 1930's lidos: an outdoor 55 yard, eight lane paradise; over the last three years we have collected a petition of approx 18,000 people, and in the Council's own survey of all the Ipswich pools 88% of the respondents made Saving Broomhill Pool their first choice.

The Broomhill Pool Trust is now a regd. charity
The President is Mike Read, world record holder for cross channel swimming; and the web-site is www.savebroomhillpool.org

A grant of £58,450 was obtained from Ipswich Borough Council in 2005, which covered most of the cost of a proposed full-scale nine month feasibility study: this started in January 2006 and eventually ran right through to December 2006.

Ipswich Borough Council agreed (in March 2005) to provide £1million towards the cost of restoration if the Broomhill Pool Trust raised the remaining sum needed of £2.9million. The Trust now have until the end of 2009 to come up with the money. "Demoliton or repair" will be considered if fund-raising fails.

[broomhillsaved]

Have added a couple of photos to Pete's thread - pics of places you have swum; more photos on the flickr website (Lidos Group)

[broomhillsaved]

Log on to the News section for www.savebroomhillpool.org and under a heading about Ipswich Borough Council and the Broomhill Pool Trust, dated March 6th 2007, there is a press report on the Feasibility Study.

http://www.savebroomhillpool.org/supportPack.pdf

[broomhillsaved]

This is one of several photos taken when Simon Inglis and Jackie Spreckley of "Played in Britain" visited Broomhill Pool. Log on to www.playedinbritain.co.uk to view the books already printed on Britain's sporting heritage and news of new releases.

Janet Smith's book: "Liquid Assets - the lidos and open air pools of Britain" was published in 2005

A book called "Great Lengths" is due out this summer, on Britain's indoor pools.

[broomhillsaved]

The last time the sound of swimming was heard in Broomhill Pool was in the early autumn of 2002, so in September 2007 we move into the sixth year of our campaign.

For the third year running the site of the pool will be open for Heritage Open Days: Sept 8th and 9th 2007 (10am-5pm approx)

[Juicy Lucy]

This is an excellent campaign and you have done well to get much support. But realistically, how can this outdoor pool ever be profitable in the future when it will be available for public use only during the summer months?

Also, if we have more summers like this one then it will hardly be used. If (and I doubt it) the lido could ever be as popular again as it was in the 1950s and 60s I would guess the local residents wouldn't be too pleased to see lots of people arriving in cars and causing chaos in the nearby roads.

Lidos really are a waste of council-tax payers' money. During three months of the year when no more than a handful of people are likely to use them they need to bring in enough money to cover maintenance and repair costs incurred. The assault by the weather during the winter months, when the lido is open only to the elements and not to the public, would be considerable.

Good campaigning on your part, but I can't see you winning the battle.

JL

[Wildswimmer]

This is an excellent campaign and you have done well to get much support. But realistically, how can this outdoor pool ever be profitable in the future when it will be available for public use only during the summer months?

And in winter for canoeing, dinghy sailing (Broomhill is big enough), dive (SCUBA) training? Or dare I mention it: winter swimming?

I would guess the local residents wouldn't be too pleased to see lots of people arriving in cars and causing chaos in the nearby roads.

The car isn't the be-all and end-all (despite what some would have us think) - there are other ways of travelling.

Lidos really are a waste of council-tax payers' money. During three months of the year when no more than a handful of people are likely to use them they need to bring in enough money to cover maintenance and repair costs incurred. The assault by the weather during the winter months, when the lido is open only to the elements and not to the public, would be considerable.

I don't think the owners and users of Tooting Bec would agree with you.

Waste of council taxpayers' money?

Hows about council parasites'.....sorry.... officers' salaries and inflation-proof pensions with we mugs made to cough up the shortfall in their pension funds. Fat fees to "consultants" to undertake the "work" which we've already paid council seat-polishers to do themselves.

And so on ad nuaseam.

You can tell I'm in Monday morning mode............. :mad:


Wildswimmer Pete

[Juicy Lucy]

And in winter for canoeing, dinghy sailing (Broomhill is big enough), dive (SCUBA) training? Or dare I mention it: winter swimming?


We all know you are a keen open (cold) water enthusiast, Wildy, but there are not enough of you to make this kind of place profitable.

Even if a canoe club uses it once or twice a week during a cold and icy winter, pool staff have to be paid, along with bills for rates, electric, gas, public liability insurance etc., etc.

I'm all for keeping a facility open if it is used and appreciated by the local community, but this open air pool is a relic of days gone by. Times have changed. The lido craze which peaked after the War is now well and truly over.

Broomhillsaved, however committed to the cause, must now realise that it's time to look forward and move on. He'll be putting us up chimneys next!

JL

[Breaststrokemum]

I have to say that I agree with JL. Lidos were great in their day, but times have moved on.........not necessarily for the better. My kids work as casual (as in casual hours, not casual attitude!) lifeguards and are presently doing some of their hours at the local(ish) outdoor pool. It's popular in the good weather but they have been sent home (without pay) when attendance is low due to the crap weather. Rather annoying by all accounts.

Broomhillsaved is to be congratulated for his campaining, but I wonder whether his commitment could be better placed in some other area? The site is lovely as a museum piece, but beyond that I don't really see the public supporting it. There will always be the few die-hard outdoor swimming enthusiasts, but they are surely a tiny minority. To be honest, I often think it would be great to go back to more simple times, but the fact is we can't and kids in particular are not interested in pools like this......and councils, for all their many faults need revenue raising projects, not museum pieces that will eat up funds year after year.

BM

[Breaststrokemum]

my favourite pool is broomhill pool in ipswich, which closed in 2002; i have been part of a campaign group fighting continuously to save it ever since; this pool is one of the 1930's lidos: an outdoor 55 yard, eight lane paradise; over the last three years we have collected a petition of approx 18,000 people, and in the Council's own survey of all the Ipswich pools 88% of the respondents made Saving Broomhill Pool their first choice.

The Broomhill Pool Trust is now a regd. charity
The President is Mike Read, world record holder for cross channel swimming; and the web-site is www.savebroomhillpool.org

A grant of £58,450 was obtained from Ipswich Borough Council in 2005, which covered most of the cost of a proposed full-scale nine month feasibility study: this started in January 2006 and eventually ran right through to December 2006.

Ipswich Borough Council agreed (in March 2005) to provide £1million towards the cost of restoration if the Broomhill Pool Trust raised the remaining sum needed of £2.9million. The Trust now have until the end of 2009 to come up with the money. "Demoliton or repair" will be considered if fund-raising fails.

I've just looked at the website mentioned here and I have to admit that the pool looks lovely in the sunshine. However, there must have been only about a dozen days this year when I would have been willing to visit, and a few of them were at the end of March, when it would certainly not have been open! If this were the south of France or somewhere you could guarantee good weather, then perhaps it would be worth it.

Perhaps I'm being more than a little naive, but what was close to £60,000 spent on on this feasibility study?

BM

[Wildswimmer]

We all know you are a keen open (cold) water enthusiast, Wildy, but there are not enough of you to make this kind of place profitable.

Even if a canoe club uses it once or twice a week during a cold and icy winter, pool staff have to be paid, along with bills for rates, electric, gas, public liability insurance etc., etc.


Tooting Bec? The largest freshwater lido in Europe? During the winter is run by the resident swimming club, presumably at a profit, or at least breaking even?

Tooting Bec Lido is also used daily, whatever the weather.

Why should Broomhill be any different?

Wildswimmer Pete

[Breaststrokemum]

Why should Broomhill be any different?

Wildswimmer Pete

Presumably the feasibility study should have come up with an answer to that question? :)

BM

[broomhillsaved]

Wow! I go away for 10 days and a whole debate breaks out!

Why not come and see for yourselves? Just to remind you:-

that the site of Broomhill Pool will be open the second weekend in September as part of the national Heritage Open Days: 10am-5pm Saturday and Sunday

It's too late to start rehearsing the economic arguments tonight, but not everything JL has to be about immediate monetary value: the British Heart Foundation has stated more than once that investment in gyms/pools etc will save you money in the long run, because what you "save" by closing down leisure facilities you will "spend" on the costs of increased obesity, diabetes, people taking time off sick etc

we live increasingly in a society where people spend hours in front of a computer to earn a living: damaging their eyesight, sitting often hunched up, using only the small muscle groups: a swim in a lido is a much needed antidote to all that (obviously not the only one)

lidos are like small theatres in some ways: you can use the space in many different ways, including training to swim the Channel, relaxing, socializing, diving (rather than tombstoning), swimming for miles for the sheer pleasure of it

if you want to attack the way money is wasted start with some of those useless quangos: their websites creaking under examples of the "bleeding obvious" ( eg advising sports teachers to help the children take turns) the chief execs taking home hundreds of thousands of pounds - many of them on salaries of a quarter of a million pounds or more: individually they could refurbish leisure centres simply by agreeing to make do with £100,000 a year instead of £300,000

[broomhillsaved]

Brockwell Park Lido celebrated its 70th Birthday this year; changing room space has been converted into facilities that can be used all the year round by Community Youth Groups, yoga classes, tai chi etc. The company who now run the pool (Fusion) are putting in spa facilities etc. The site is open all the year round and the additional activities help subsidise the lido if the summer is a poor one.

Project architect was Jo Edwards of PTEa

[broomhillsaved]

See www.londonpoolscampaign.com highlighting the Heritage Open Days and the 4 minute film called The Pool by James Sharpe.


In reply to the economic arguments the Feasibility Study showed that the lido should be able to run at a small profit as a heated outdoor pool, with cafe/restaurant etc

It did make a loss when it was last open but only (it seemed) because the Council were wanting to close it: eg they refused to allow season tickets, they didn't advertise the lido much; they introduced a pricing system that made swimming at the lido more expensive than the indoor pool etc etc.
The opening times were erratic and lifeguards were frequently sent home early "to save money".

No attempt was made to attract serious swimmers or provide time when people could do lane swimming; the sole exception was Mike Read the Channel swimmer, who was allowed to come after the pool had closed and train there, providing he was able to find someone to come and train with him.

[broomhillsaved]

http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/lidos/message/1773

James Sharpe's film on Broomhill is now on Channel Four's Four Docs

This is the only film i know of that shows Broomhill Pool alive and well: it was the first film he made.

[broomhillsaved]

http://www.channel4.com/fourdocs/film/film-detail.jsp?id=52345

This film can be rated but you have to register first; if enough people show an interest it may be aired on terrestial television.

The registration process is annoyingly fiddly with codes etc

[broomhillsaved]

http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/lidos/message/1861

Please help support the campaign to save Broomhill Pool as it marks its 70th Anniversary this year by sending in letters of support to the Evening Star (see link)

[broomhillsaved]

A Heritage Lottery Fund bid has now been submitted and an Open Day will be held on Saturday April 26th (to mark the pool's 70th anniversary on 30th April 2008)

September 2002 Broomhill Pool closes: no annoucement, no consultation

November 2002 First Question tabled about the pool's future at a full council meeting (Ipswich Borough Council)

Feb 2003 Local Evening Star makes the 'Broomhill is Doomhill' story its front page news

Friends of Broomhill Pool set up stall in market place and thousands of people signed up

A regd charity The Broomhill Pool Trust is formed and a website established www.savebroomhillpool.org

I stand in the local 2003 elections as a save -the -pool candidate

Summer of 2003 Council Executive promise that an all-party steering group will be set up to look into the future of the lido.

2004 Feb Griff Rhys Jones of Restoration fame visits lido and voices his support for our efforts

Spring 2004 The recommendation is put forward to submit a Heritage Lottery bid and £67,000 to cover the cost of preparing the bid.

I stand in 2004 local election as Independent Candidate with the lido as the single issue

Summer 2004 Labour Executive vote in favour of the above recommendation; but soon afterwards lose power to Conservative/Lib Dems
Adverse press coverage suggests that putting in a HLF bid would be a waste of time and money - better to spend the £67,000 on lottery tickets!

Autumn of 2004 Council announce that no work has been done towards the bid and that they are still considering their options

Nov 2004 I attend full council meeting and say I will stand in General Election with the lido as the single issue

March 2005 Ipswich Borough Council say they will give the Broomhill Pool Trust the chance to take over the pool if they can prove that the lido has a robust future; the £1million offer is made - payable only if the BPT can raise the rest of the money needed

I stand in General Election

Trust negotiate for the £67,000 still suspended in aspic since 2004 in order to carry out feasibility study

Janet Smith's book "Liquid Assets" is launched with Broomhill Pool being one of the Case Studies in the book

BBC Breakfast Show visits the lido

August 2005 Executive vote through just over £58,000 so that Trust can do Feasibility Study
Almost immediately more adverse press coverage ensues, with claims this time that the pool will cost £7million to restore - double all previous estimates!!! (I have since learnt that this tactic is known as 'goldplating') A clear attempt to discredit the planned study has taken place but fails to stop the Study going ahead.

Nov 2005 Kate Hoey puts detailed references to Broomhill Pool in her Telegraph article about swimmers being left 'high and dry'.

2006 Extremely detailed Feasibility Study takes place
Pool can be restored and re-opened as a heated outdoor 50metre pool for £3.9million (IBC have pledged one million pounds; Broomhill Pool Trust must raise £2.9million)

The Twentieth Century Society makes Broomhill Pool its Building of the Month (Feb 2006)
March 2006:Conference called Reviving Lidos takes place in London - several members of Trust attend

I stand in 2006 elections

Broomhill Pool takes part in the Open Heritage weekend in September

2007 Results of FS shown to Council who agree that Trust can proceed with the fundraising needed including the HLF bid. The Trust are made responsible for raising this money and are given until the end of 2009 to achieve this. IBC acknowledge that demolition remains one of many options.

I stand in 2007 elections

BBC Inside Out team do programme on lidos that are open (Peterborough) and closed (Broomhill Pool) - shown in East Region on 11th Sept 2007

Broomhill Pool participates in Open Heritage weekend in September

2008 Heritage Lottery Bid submitted

Broomhill Pool will mark its 70th anniversary on April 30th 2008 (1938-2008)

[Juicy Lucy]

A Heritage Lottery Fund bid has now been submitted and an Open Day will be held on Saturday April 26th (to mark the pool's 70th anniversary on 30th April 2008)



I hope your Lottery bid is successful. Maybe the first purchase on your shopping list should be some weedkiller?

I hope I'm invited to the Open Day, Broomy.

[broomhillsaved]

Anyone may come to the Open Day JL - i will treat you to as much blackcurrant cheesecake as you can eat in one sitting!

See Events Page on www.savebroomhillpool.org and News for item on HLF bid

The photo is an old one and weeds are under control as far as I know.

[broomhillsaved]

The Broomhill Pool Trust will be hosting an Open Day at Broomhill Pool on Saturday 26th April between 10am - 5pm

Safe areas of the pool will be open for viewing and there will be an exhibition of the pool's history and hopefully future too. You will not be able to swim of course!

In the evening there will be a party and barbecue at the Trust's "HQ" - the Emperor Pub on Norwich Road -from 6pm onwards.

Access to the lido is via Sherrington Road and NOT Broomhill Road which goes up to a dead end behind the back of the lido.

If you want to spend a weekend in Suffolk I can recommend some B&B's or can put one or two people up here on Saturday evening.

Please post on this thread if you might be interested in a little April pilgrimage to see, at first hand, what it is I've been moaning on about for the last three years on here!

[Juicy Lucy]

The photo is an old one and weeds are under control as far as I know.

This is a better photo. What a beautiful Art Deco structure.

[broomhillsaved]

Broomhill Pool was stunningly beautiful when it was first opened; you can see in this 1938 picture that it isn't quite finished!

The kids who lived opposite or near the pool in Sherrington Road were in seventh heaven when it opened. They would rush home from school and spend the rest of the evening at the lido.

[Wildswimmer]

The kids who lived opposite or near the pool in Sherrington Road were in seventh heaven when it opened. They would rush home from school and spend the rest of the evening at the lido.

Oh dear, that would never do nowadays.

Firstly, the appropriate risk assessments would have to be in place. Then according to ISRM rules each kid would need to be accompanied by 0.5 of a parent. Needless to say the Sunday Tit and Bum would be only too quick to remind us about all those perverts hanging around ready to grope little boys in the changing rooms.

Finally, the corporate interests that really run things wouldn't be happy about kids playing outdoors when they should be sitting on the sofa consuming violent computer games and and McCrap junk food, or mindless dumbed-down television indoctrinating them into being good little future shoppers in hock to the loan-shark banks.

I imagine things were much nicer seventy years ago. They certainly were fifty years ago.

Wildswimmer Pete

[broomhillsaved]

http://www.eveningstar.co.uk/content/eveningstar/features/story.aspx?brand=ESTOnline&category=Features&tBrand=ESTOnline&tCategory=Features&itemid=IPED03%20Apr%202008%2012%3A04%3A12%3A550

Double page spread on Broomhill in the Ipswich Evening Star

[broomhillsaved]

Small reminder:
SATURDAY 26TH APRIL 2008 - OPEN DAY

70TH ANNIVERSARY FOR BROOMHILL POOL 1938-2008

10AM -5PM at the pool site

From 6pm Barbecue and Party at the Emperor Pub in Norwich Road

ENTRANCE FREE

DONATIONS WELCOME

Inside this rather sad photo is a beautiful lido waiting to be restored as a heated 50 metre pool suitable for serious stamina and endurance training.

[broomhillsaved]

Many thanks to those who have written into the local papers supporting the effort to see Broomhill Pool restored and re-opened. Every effort counts and makes an impact.

One day I hope we'll be joining Brockwell Park Lido (pictured in the photo) and others that are OPEN and make our lido a going concern once more. It won't be for want of trying anyway. :zip:

[Juicy Lucy]

Many thanks to those who have written into the local papers supporting the effort to see Broomhill Pool restored and re-opened. Every effort counts and makes an impact.


Maybe you extend an invitation to share some blackcurrant cheesecake with you as a 'thankyou' to anyone who has written to the papers in support?

[broomhillsaved]

Maybe you extend an invitation to share some blackcurrant cheesecake with you as a 'thankyou' to anyone who has written to the papers in support?

Certainly! :)

[broomhillsaved]

The Open Day was blessed with particularly good weather and there was a very comprehensive exhibition and archive of all the efforts made over the past six years and a whole folder of letters from those supporting the Broomhill Pool Trust's HLF bid.

The amount of press coverage the campaign has generated is quite impressive, especially when people like Kate Hoey start weighing in with full page Telegraph articles on swimmers being left 'high and dry.'

The actual work needed could be completed within six to nine months once the funding is secure......

[broomhillsaved]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7483749.stm

BBC news - another attack at Broomhill Pool. I don't know how long the link will apply for but someone has apparently broken in underground and smashed a hole in one of the underground portholes.

[broomhillsaved]

Broomhill Pool is now on Facebook - a friends group has been started by Daniel Sawyer

[broomhillsaved]

http://www.savebroomhillpool.org/downloads/TheBroomhillPool.pdf

Memories of Broomhill by John Carter - former lifeguard.

[broomhillsaved]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/london2012/2609855/Olympics-Youth-sports-struggle-as-British-win-gold-at-Beijing-Games.html

Broomhill chosen to illustrate a closed public pool. Very pleased to see this article given such prominence - page four of the main newspaper.

[Juicy Lucy]

Very pleased to see this article given such prominence - page four of the main newspaper.

The call for more 50 metre pools is still there, as pointed out in the article...

Just one 50m swimming pool for every 2.5 million people in Britain. France, by contrast, has one for every 650,000 of its population;

As Britain finished ahead of France in the swimming medals table, maybe we don't need any more 50 metre pools after all?

[broomhillsaved]

Stir, stir, stir. :wave:

[broomhillsaved]

The Broomhill Pool site is open during the Heritage Open Days Weekend.

13th and 14th September 2008

Entrance free, but donations appreciated, of course.

Access is via Sherrington Road, off the main Norwich Road



www.savebroomhillpool.org (Click on Events)

[Dunc]

The call for more 50 metre pools is still there, as pointed out in the article...

Just one 50m swimming pool for every 2.5 million people in Britain. France, by contrast, has one for every 650,000 of its population;

As Britain finished ahead of France in the swimming medals table, maybe we don't need any more 50 metre pools after all?


Or Australia, who have a third of our population, reputedly 2.5 times as many 50m pools, and get more swimming medals.

Proving for every statistical case there is an opposite one.

Maybe France had a greater depth of swimmers, with more finalists?

[NotVeryFast]

Maybe France had a greater depth of swimmers, with more finalists?
It's actually very interesting to compare further down the national rankings between France and GB. Below are the times at various places down the rankings for mens LC 100m free in 2008:
Rank France GB
1 47.20 48.20
4 48.52 49.55
10 49.56 50.35
25 51.58 51.27
50 52.48 52.43
75 52.95 52.92
The top 10 French swimmers have a significant advantage over the GB swimmers, but once you get lower down in the rankings there is very little in it, indeed GB has a slight advantage in depth below the top 12.

[Dunc]

Interesting result NVF, thanks for that.

I wonder whether that applies to women too?

Do you draw any conclusions from that.

The only feedback I can give is that France has approximately 120 sports colleges where one can study and swim.

That's far more pervasive than the handful we have.

Though they still have issues with the popularisation of crass games like football.

[broomhillsaved]

Did the Orwell 25 Walk yesterday to raise money for the Broomhill Pool Trust, but only managed 17/18 miles this year. Bit disappointed in myself as i did the whole 25 miles in 2007 and 2006. However, the course was quite slippery in some points and just after 16 miles I slid on a muddy corner and fell into a small ditch! Took that as a 'sign' that discretion was the better part of valour and opted for the lift back to the starting point at the next check-in point.

Anyway, well organized as usual by the Rotary Club of Ipswich East who mark out the course and man the checkpoints and refreshment tents! Have received pledges of £140 so far: 25% goes to the Rotary who distribute it to other charities and 75% goes towards one's chosen cause!

That means £105 for Broomhill Pool so far, with any further donations appreciated of course.

[broomhillsaved]

Heritage Open Days seemed to go well - maybe around 700 - 800 visitors, although not everyone signed in. Lots of families, with the dads saying how much they'd enjoyed the pool when they were young.

Exhibition of past photos and other archive material and drawings of what the pool could look like when restored.

The photo was taken in December 2006 not today!

[broomhillsaved]

Have started blog to document recent events.

http://broomhillblogger.blogspot.com/

[broomhillsaved]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MMGSGJoeS9w

James Sharpe has made a film called Halfway to Heaven which will be released in January 2009

Part of it was shot at Broomhill Pool and 40% of the profits will be donated towards the pool campaign.

[wasntbtf]

Sorry for being a bit behind the times but I've only just caught up with the forum after the summer and the UK vs. France 50m pool comments in this thread caught my eye.

There might be 4 times as many 50m pools in France as there are in the UK but how often do the French swimmers get the chance to swim in them? A goodly number of French 50m pools are outdoors and only open during June,July and August and therefore are not available to competitive swimmers for training or for competitions below National level.

Where we are in Southern France the departmental (county) and regional circuits are almost exclusively in 25m pools many of which are outdated and very cramped for swimmers and spectators. My son has only been able to swim in a 50m pool a handful of times in the last two seasons mainly because he has moved up to the inter-regional circuit.

Conceptually France does have an excellent programme and structure which allows people to reach the top in sport while they are in full-time education. This didn't help them beat the UK in the Olympic medal table or as importantly the FINA rankings of their respective Olympic performances (UK 3rd and France 8th) where the UK ranked higher because they had more finalists as well as more medals.

You can only gain access to the top facilities if you have the top times but you need access to those same facilities to get the top times, good old Catch-22. At the same time not all the so-called sports colleges put sporting qualities on a par with the academic qualities, and you may need above average academic results even to be considered, there are others where swimming is simply just another subject on the curriculum.

Yes, there are the centres of excellence such as Font Romeu and Canet 66 but these take swimmers who have national times or better. There are about 20 of these across the country .

Many of the French world class swimmers reach the top outside the elite system.

All in all comparing the UK and France doesn’t seem relevant. Perhaps Australia but certainly the USA is the benchmark we need to address.

Apart from better facilities what the swimmers, and their parents, do need is the encouragement and support to stick with it in the crucial teenage years and not be put of by all those people who think swimming is easy, soft, not a real sport and even a bit of a skive.

For us this season's routine will be all too familiar for many, a 50 mile round trip to get to a club with a trainer running the sort of 10 sessions/25 hours per week training needed. Even then it is only a 25m pool but it is the only one in the department running this sort of program and is the only one we know of that has a coach with a track record of helping swimmers get to international level. To do this our son will be doing his school work at home by correspondance.

The reason that the UK, and France for that matter, needs better facilities together with easier access to those facilities is to encourage more youngsters to dream the dream and to believe in themselves. Without the dream and the belief nothing else counts.

If the UK’s aquatic athletes can produce world class results as they did in Beijing, what could they do if the UK at large took the aquatic sports as seriously as the USA or Australia do? What might happen on home ground in 2012?

Allez les anglaises et les anglais !!

[Dunc]

Interesting Wasnt, but you may have posted this on the wrong thread.

[broomhillsaved]

Perhaps general discussion of 50 metre pools could go on the 50 metre pool thread?

Had good news today when the latest copy of Private Eye magazine arrived; Broomhill Pool and Ipswich Borough Council are featured in the Nooks and Corners article by 'Piloti'. He writes that IBC have effectively sabotaged the campaign by submitting a "rival" HLF bid with far more 'commitment.'

[wasntbtf]

H,

sorry if it is the wrong thread I was just following on from the discussion that Juicy Lucy, Dunc and NotVeryFast were having on this one in August.

Perhaps somebody who knows how to do these things could get these general 50m pool discussion posts moved to the appropriate thread, TIA.

[broomhillsaved]

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=52.068378&lon=1.1412075&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2

Aerial view of our lido in Ipswich, Suffolk from WikiMapia

[Juicy Lucy]

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=52.068378&lon=1.1412075&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2

Aerial view of our lido in Ipswich, Suffolk from WikiMapia

Is that rubbish that's been thrown in the pool? Looks like it has floated down to the far end.

[broomhillsaved]

Yes, rubbish has been thrown in and often not cleared away either. IBC have now put a tall metal fence around the lido to reduce the chances of break-ins and vandalism.