Mountbatten Centre to reopen swimming pool to public in Portsmouth

A CITY swimming pool is set to reopen to the public for the first time since lockdown began.
By Matthew Mohan-Hickson
Published 18th Aug 2020, 16:28 BST
Updated 18th Aug 2020, 18:19 BST
The swimming pool at Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth. Picture: Kimberley BarberThe swimming pool at Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth. Picture: Kimberley Barber
The swimming pool at Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth. Picture: Kimberley Barber

BH Live has announced that public lane swimming and selected aqua classes are set to resume at Mountbatten Leisure Centre in Alex Way, Hilsea, on Wednesday.

Swimming lessons are also set to resume in September and the company has said that customers will be contacted about this in the coming days.

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Operating to Swim England guidelines, public lane swimming sessions at Mountbatten Leisure Centre will be available in 50-minute slots. Capacity will be limited at first to promote social distancing.

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Mountbatten and Pyramids Centre operator BH Live announces 200 redundancies

It comes as BH Live is set to tmake 200 redundancies across its sites.

Sessions and aqua classes will have to be booked in advance either via the centre’s website or BH Live Active’s mobile app and will be available to members and on a pay as you go basis.

Portsmouth Northsea Swimming Club will also be resuming their training sessions.

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Rob Cunningham, BH Live’s head of leisure, said: ‘We know that our customers are looking forward to getting back into the pools and, together with the council, we are pleased to be able to make this happen.

‘A number of new procedures will be in place and our team will be available in centre to help customers adjust.

‘While some of these safety measures may feel a bit different to what people have been used to, we ask our customers to work with us, support us and to play their part in helping us get back to normal service as soon as possible.’

SEE ALSO: Portsmouth City Council announces dates when Southsea seafront road closures will be lifted

Cllr Steve Pitt, deputy leader at Portsmouth City Council, added: ‘I am delighted that BH Live are able to confirm Covid-secure public lane swimming will be available to residents at Mountbatten and that swimming lessons can re-start at Mountbatten and Charter.

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‘It is essential that our pools are able to meet all of the guidelines and we must delay any further pool openings until the guidance allows.’

To help minimise time spent in the changing rooms and maintain water quality customers will be asked to arrive swim ready with swimwear underneath clothing – they will also be encouraged to shower before and after at home.

The swimming pools at Eastney and Pyramids remain closed at this time.

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