Splash Headline By Forum Member

Reports of Kirkham Swimming Pool being “Saved” have been somewhat exaggerated writes FYLDElife forum member.

The member keen to point out the recent misleading press headlines has posted the following within the FYLDElife Forum,

"The Charitable Foundation, Rural Splash has worked tirelessly to secure a happy fate for Kirkham Swimming Baths. They proposed to take over the running of the facility and improve it over the next decade.

"The Plans that had been drawn up looked really exciting, the business plan sounded convincing if not fairly watertight. However, these ideas had to pass go at Council Level.
THE COUNCIL HAVE GIVEN RURAL SPLASH THE GO-AHEAD!
Great, fantastic, superb news……….. Really?

"One thing the local rags have failed to report properly is that Rural Splashes Business plan hinged on whether FBC will subsidise the pool to the tune of  £120,000 in 2009 and continue subsidising it for the next 5 years.
HOW MUCH COULD THE COUNCIL AFFORD………£NOWT!
(Why, because year on year, the Central LABOUR Government cut funding for FBC)

So, is Kirkham Baths saved?....... ABSOLUTELY NOT! Nowhere near, nope ,not at all!

Rural Splash now have to find that £120,000 from somewhere, but where?

If  approx 95 fee paying adults walk through that door, every  day, over and above the current usage, they earn that £120,000.
If  they can get corporate sponsorship or a private company to supply that kind of funding, then the Baths are saved.

The Council can’t afford to run the Baths as it stands. It is making serious losses, year on year. What Private company would take on a business like that? So it is unlikely any private funding would be forthcoming. The only option would be to encourage more usage of the facility. If each of the 3000 people who took part in the Protest in 2008 were to use the Baths 11 times a week, at £3.60 a time, Voila……….. £120,000.  This would cost each user £39.60 a WEEK!!!! For £39.50 you can get a MONTHLY membership for Ribby Hall!!

I hope Rural Splash succeed, I commend FBC for giving them the chance, I hope St Annes’ residents take the opportunity to set up a similar Trust to re-open their baths.

I HOPE LOCAL NEWSPAPERS/WEBSITES START REPORTING THINGS ACCURATELY!!!!!!

Note from FYLDElife. Whilst this site carried an item of news supplied from a major broadcaster via an electronic news feed, FYLDElife have no control over the actual content. Third-party news items are published on this site in good faith. By publishing the above forum post we aim to correct the situation and provide a more realistic view of the present situation.

Please post your comments on this subject in the FYLDElife Forum.

Last Edited: 00/00/0000