Temperature checks and changing pods at Brighton pool

Brighton Swimming Centre is the only pool in the city to reopen, welcoming swimmers yesterday for the first time in months for lessons only.

Managing director Paul Smith has brought in rigorous measures at the Eastern Road centre to ensure swimmers are kept safe.

Children may only be accompanied by one parent or guardian to decrease the risk of the virus spreading.

All swimmers will be checked for their temperature before they enter the centre.

They will then be directed through a one-way system to poolside changing pods – but everyone using the pool is advised to wear swimwear underneath their clothes.

Swimmers will be taught in individual lanes to ensure social distancing in the water. And all teachers must wear face masks if they enter the pool. Once swimmers are done, the one-way system will take them to a socially distanced changing room. They can then leave via the nearest exit.

Managing director Paul Smith said staff are ecstatic to begin teaching again

The centre will be deep cleaned every night and throughout the day with anti-bacterial sprayers.

Mr Smith said staff are “ecstatic” they can finally teach lessons at the centre again.

“We have been planning our reopening since the lockdown began and have introduced some innovative ideas about how we will be safely operating,” he said.

“We decided to develop a video for all customers to showcase the process we will be following.

“Westover Productions were brilliant in creating our video and we are very pleased with the response so far.

“It’s been a big hit in the swimming industry with many other swimming schools approaching us saying they are impressed.

“We have been delivering swimming lessons since 1987 and are now back to make splash.”

The swimming centre currently offers intensive weekly lessons over the summer school holidays.

The centre is the only pool in Brighton to reopen so far

It is also developing a timetable for September to ensure everyone gets a chance to swim.

Mr Smith also hopes to restart the Pool to Pier programme, which teaches people how to swim in the sea.

And he soon plans to bring back the pool’s Lane Lights sessions, where the centre’s ceiling lights are turned off and only underwater lights remain.

The good news came after industry body Swim England said only a fifth of the country’s pools reopened on Saturday.

Chief executive Jane Nickerson said 40 per cent of England’s pools were facing closure before the end of the decade even before the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

“We know every single pool returns around £7.2 million in community benefits –in social cohesion, crime prevention, and health benefits,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday.

“A little bit of support from the Government will have its payback within months.”

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