Proposals for East Sussex pool reopening put forward

The pool at Rye Sports Centre was closed in November last year due to the soaring cost of energy bills faced by Freedom Leisure, the not-for-profit charitable leisure trust that manages the facility on behalf of Rother District Council.

Working together, Rother District Council said it, Rye Town Council and Freedom Leisure have agreed a proposal in principle that could see the reopening of the facility.

Last October protestors held a demonstration calling for the pool to reopen. At the time Freedom Leisure said the decision to close the pool would be reviewed in the spring of this year.

Rother District Council added that the authority is supporting Rye Town Council in its efforts to establish a community-based group which would work with Freedom Leisure for a period of time before taking over the operation of the centre. The end result being that the operation of the centre would be in the hands of local people for the benefit of local people.

Cllr Hazel Timpe, the district council’s cabinet member for communities, culture and tourism, said: “There is still a lot of work to do, but plans are moving forward to ensure this facility reopens and remains available to the local community.

“We would ask residents to bear with us while we work through the detail. We will share more details and a timescale as soon as we are in a position to do so.”

Cllr Andi Rivett, mayor of Rye, said: “The town council welcomes this opportunity to develop a community-based model of governance that provides the Rye Leisure Centre with a long-term, sustainable future.”

Ivan Horsfall Turner, chief executive at Freedom Leisure, said: “We are very keen to work with all parties to ensure the long-term future of Rye Sports Centre and Swimming Pool as it is a valuable and well-loved asset to the local community.

“Once the local organisation is set up, and in a position to open and run the facility, we will ensure that we support the new organisation in continuing to provide much loved health and wellbeing facilities to the Rye community.”