The swimming pool at Rye Sports Centre is to close due to the unprecedented increase in energy costs.
Freedom Leisure, one of the leading charitable and not-for-profit leisure trusts in the UK that manages Rye Sports Centre in partnership with Rother District Council has had to announce the temporary closure of the swimming pool at the sports centre from November 1, 2022. The gym and other sports facilities at the centre will remain open.
Following discussions with Rother District Council, Freedom Leisure have taken the decision to close the pool due to escalating energy costs. The pool will close over the winter and the decision will be reviewed again in the spring. This review will be dependent on whether there is a significant improvement in the wholesale price of energy or further government support.
Freedom Leisure has recently seen its annual energy bill move from £8m to £20m and this is despite the recent government announcement outlining the short-term support available for businesses.
Ivan Horsfall Turner, Freedom Leisure’s CEO says; “We are frankly devastated that it has come to this and that the people of Rother will be without this vital community facility. Operating and maintaining swimming pools is a large proportion of our overall energy costs. As a not-for-profit leisure trust, we operate at very low surpluses and these increases simply cannot be absorbed by Freedom Leisure.”
Cllr Hazel Timpe, Rother District Council’s portfolio holder for communities, culture and tourism, said: “It is extremely important that facilities supported by the public purse remain as accessible as possible. However, we appreciate that many individuals and organisations up and down the country are facing soaring energy costs and are having to make some very difficult decisions which are sadly unavoidable.
“We are committed to working with Freedom Leisure to find a way forward that may enable the swimming pool at Rye Sports Centre to reopen as soon as possible.”
Freedom Leisure will be contacting all its customers affected by this decision including those on their swimming lessons programme to discuss the options available to them including relocating to nearby swimming pools operated by Freedom Leisure.
Image Credits: Kenneth Bird .
So Cllr Hazel Timpe talks about rising energy costs on the decision to close Rye Swimming pool, and in the next breath says go to other Swimming pools run by Freedom Leisure, which are financed by Rother. Talk about double standards,obviously there is no energy crisis in Bexhill.
Freedom Leisure will be contacting all its customers affected by this decision including those on their swimming lessons programme to discuss the options available to them including relocating to nearby swimming pools operated by Freedom Leisure.
I find this paragraph a bit confusing and disappointing, why have Freedom Leisure chosen to shut Rye but leave others open which are obviously within travelling distance to Rye.
It sounds as though they’re on a money saving exercise without losing too many customers.
I would imagine, given the energy cost rises, that the decision for a non profit organisation would be based on where can they save the most money with the least effect on its user base. With a population of only 5.5k Rye is the obvious choice. Rother should step in with a financial package to ensure the pool remains open but that will of course impact on other services or ultimately on community charge. Disappointing yes, confusing ? Not really
Why does John assume that the other local pools jointly operated by Freedom Leisure are in Rother district, specifically in Bexhill? They might be in Hastings/St Leonards or for that matter in Kent. This seems to be a knee-jerk reaction; there might be truth in it, but there might not. We need more information.
This is such a tragedy for our community – for physical and mental health, education, rehabilitation and leisure. Not to mention our civic pride… How many of us have taught our children the vital ability to swim at Rye Leisure Centre? We all know that the war in Ukraine has increased energy prices, but energy prices have been on the rise since the middle of 2021. These circumstances have been entirely foreseeable and yet the government has only offered a six month package of support for business with a vague pledge of a three month review. Just like the government’s disastrous, inflation-fuelling, mortgage-mauling ‘Mini-Budget’, the imperious message is, ‘wait and see’… What business can possibly operate under such conditions of chaos and uncertainty? It’s no surprise Freedom Leisure’s hand has been forced. In the meantime, Rye’s children are going to pay the price for the government’s incompetence.
It seems to me that our local decision makers need to to better than this! No consultation about how “facilities supported by the public purse remain as accessible as possible” … when it already been agreed the pool will be closed.
If this matters to you please sign petition below.
https://www.change.org/KeepRyePoolOpen
Let’s get this changed!
Could not the original planning and designing of the swimming and sports centre have thought of using renewable energy to run the centre have been factored in..ie sola panels, wind turbine…
I recall I think I thought that at the time.. I wasn’t living in Rye at the time. When the fund raising etc went on…
Now reaping the consequences of not having long term vision…
So very sad to hear that its come to having to close the pool…
But on its web page I think I read earlier that they suggested people turning of lights when not using rooms and turning off air conditioning when not in use..
Too much wasteful use of energy for too long.
Hope fully there will a sound solutions to make the venue energy efficient …and the use of the pool etc will be here in Rye for future generations to come..
How many towns with a population of 5 – 6K are blessed with a public swimming pool. Freedom leisure operate all over the country and I’m sure they have a good knowledge of sports centre costs. This winter sensible decisions will have to be made in many places. We are lucky there is a sports centre, and that is staying open through the winter.
Speaks volumes though that almost 1,500 have already signed the petition to keep it open. I swim there almost every day, the pool is a vital outlet for so many people, regulars, the schools, babies and parents, learning disability groups. This should be a public service commissioned by Rother and this decision is unacceptable. It is not a privilege, access to these essential services should be a right. When did we become so accepting of this kind of treatment. It’s a public outrage!
One comment to add. The users if the pool are not just Rye residents. Many travel distances for this excellent facility and going further will be a deterrent.
This is a huge loss .. physical exercise is so important to mental well-being, at Rye not only are we getting the physical exercise but there is also a social element attached.
Sadly once again the silence is deafening from our two elected representatives on Rother district Council,ever since Sam Souster fought tooth and nail for the citizens of Rye,we have had nobody fighting our corner, on all issues that affect our town.
Your comment is very unfair. I am a colleague of both Rye District Councillors. Cllr Howard Norton has worked tirelessly for the town, regularly attending Town Council meetings, arranging Rye / Rother meetings over issues such as the Landgate and Rye Hire and committing a great deal of his time and energy to the planning committee. (Last week we spent nearly all of Tuesday examining sites and on Thursday were in committee from 9.30am to 5.30pm with a 177 page agenda reports pack). You have a highly diligent and intelligent councillor fighting for your town.
I know Cllr Genette Stevens less well, but while she is not of my party she has troubled to comment here and with Cllr Norton serves on the planning committee.
Your comment is not justified.
Cllr Andrew Mier
Southern Rother Ward
The villages of Fairlight, Guestling, Icklesham and Rye
I don’t know how the leisure centre is currently heated but, with a large expanse of roof available, solar energy might be a way forward. If Rye Hospital can have the foresight to install alternative heating – because the lives of their patients demands that they are proactive rather than reactive – then where does Freedom Leisure stand? UK companies with high energy requirements have long been aware that this energy crunch point was coming (or should have been) but, as ever, the UK seems to lag behind Europe when it comes to forward planning …..
By all accounts, we are not as reliant on Russia’s gas as those in Europe but we are still the worst affected by rising costs – something is badly wrong in the UK, I wonder what!?
Let’s all sign the petition and swim not sink!
How sad and disappointing for those who live in and around Rye.
I am 72 and have been going to this pool for the last seven months in an attempt to get fitter, I have gone from one length to twenty in that time. I even taught my Granddaughter to swim there in the Summer. As for using Bexhill who can afford the fuel and time to get there, its an impossible ask, and what happens to the money I forked out to become a member?
“We are committed to working with Freedom Leisure to find a way forward that may enable the swimming pool at Rye Sports Centre to reopen as soon as possible.”
Quotes the Councillor for Rother responsible for this, if so what is she doing about it? we all need to know!
I have witnessed all of the makeup of the community that uses this facility:
Children with learning disabilities
Older Adults keeping fit
Serious swimmers practicing
Children learning a life long skill
Adults learning to swim
Holiday visitors
What will be the outcome if this facility shuts for good? more strain on health services, and less leisure choice for the people of Rye. Rye is a wonderful place to live but it does seem we are made to suffer for it.
I URGE EVERY ONE to join the petition mentioned earlier which I have done, also to email their local MP
sallyann.hart.mp@parliament.uk
There are some good suggestions put forward to this ‘problem’ they should be heard by Freedom Leisure before this happens.
Done both Ronald. Let’s overturn this terrible decision
As a disabled (from polio as a child) Rye resident who uses Rye pool for my only possible form of exercise, I was horrified to hear that Rye pool is to close! I use my mobility scooter to travel to the pool three times a week, and am able at Rye, to drive it to the changing area, as I couldn’t walk the distance from the car park. Alternative pools in this area or Bexhill, don’t have suitable access to the water for me as I can only walk short distances with the aid of 2 sticks.
This is actually discrimination for myself and other disabled people who use Rye pool. Our health will suffer and cause an additional burden on the NHS.
What has happened to Rye? It’s just full of eateries and estate agents. Now we can’t even take our kids swimming! Very expensive council tax, and no facilities!
I will fight to keep Rye swimming pool open
Mental health is important more than ever after covid !!!
And it is also widely used by our schools
Learning to swim near the coast is paramount ,after what happened in camber a few years ago
Be assured I will fight for this even though some negative posts
Cllr Gennette Stevens
Agree with the views of most comments. This is a vital community facility, built with hundreds of donations from local people and groups and years of lobbying. Plus of course National Lottery funding.
I am now 80 and have used the pool since it opened. Apart from walking, it is my main exercise.
It is especially important in winter when outdoor exercise can be unpleasant.
My favourite memory is of swimming when it was snowing outside!
Another couple of points:-
Think of the £millions saved by the NHS by having a fit healthy population.
The water and space are almost certainly heated by burning gas, so pv panels wouldn’t help. The roof should be covered anyway as a matter of course.
Russia only supplies 4% gas to the U.K. which is almost self-sufficient. The problem is mainly government ineptitude and laziness.
According to the Freedom Leisure statement, their overall energy bill is £20 million per year, the current running costs of the Rye swimming pool is £92,000, so by closing the pool they are saving less than 0.5% of their energy costs, I’m not sure that is a big enough saving to warrant closing the pool?
Keith Beadle’s petition has attracted the attention of the BBC and he is being interviewed by BBC South East, to be aired on Sunday morning.
Prior to covid I with a number of others went swimming everyday in the week at 6.30 am before work but sadly when the pool reopened at 8 am this put a stop to this valuable service to us let alone the loss of revenue! Learning to swim is so important particularly living in Rye being more or less surrounded by wonderful beaches and I know a number of the local schools also use the facility plus it brings money in from the tourists too! It’s an an activity that all ages can participate in and it is so important for general fitness, mental well being and socially. I do appreciate the rising costs we are all experiencing at the moment BUT PRESSURE needs to be put on Rother Council and the Town Council to increase it’s support in some way eg thinking of ways to save energy at the facility plus further investment as it is proven that the benefits of fitness does save money in the bigger picture! We CAN’T let this valuable asset in Rye to DISAPPEAR!
I support Cllr Mier’s statement above. I know there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes trying to make this as temporary a situation as possible but, given the contractor side of things (an arrangement for which previous councillors are responsible, and the quality of which I personally have grave concerns about across both Hastings and Rother) time and thought is sometimes needed in order to make judicious statements which don’t need an immediate u-turn.
We have seen the cost of that elsewhere, have we not?
Such a shame, when many GP’s are now prescribing exercise to help with mental health issues and all the other benefits of exercise, swimming is a great choice for all ages and many rely on this leisure centre. We were there Friday, I was watching teenagers having lessons and thinking, what a great facility for young people, only to hear that it’s closing. Call out to local councillors MPs and anyone who can help, please don’t let this happen, this is the 21st century, it feels like we are going backwards!
The closure of Rye swimming pool will be a loss for the rural communities in eastern Rother as well as for the residents of Rye. While the lack of financial support by central government for leisure facilities that are so important for our well-being is lamentable and short-sighted, Freedom Leisure should properly explain all the options they considered before making this decision.
Support all the comments so far, to help save the pool – why winter, if you had to close it why not do it in the summer months when schools are out and weather warmer for those that can swim in the sea…. if we really had to at all, as more important to keep it for the welfare of the community all year. Being disabled it is a priority.
The decision to close the Rye pool has come as a shock to all of us. Everyone very much hopes that this will be a temporary closure because we know what an important resource this is to many people, not least those struggling with mental health problems, but we are hostages to events in Ukraine and the resulting energy crisis.
The pool and other Rother leisure facilities are run by Freedom Leisure with financial support from Rother District Council. Freedom’s costs of running the pool have risen dramatically, particularly their heating and staff costs. Normally Rother might be expected to increase its subsidy to cover the additional expenses, but sadly, we are also facing the same acute financial crisis.
Our costs are rising steeply as contracts come up for renewal. We budgeted for only a 1% increase for our own staff wages, which at the time seemed reasonable. What should we do now? Council Tax can be fixed only once each year and, anyway, increases are capped by the government at 2%. Many other charges are fixed by law, leaving little room for manoeuvre. Rother’s share of your Council Tax is £193.38 for a Band D property, the rest being County, Police, Town Council and Parish Councils.
The present Alliance administration gained control in 2019. At that time Council Tax had not been increased for five years and the gap between income and expenditure was being met from reserves. Draining reserves could not continue indefinitely and we have put in place a credible Medium Term Financial Strategy to balance income and expenditure. With the present energy and inflationary crisis that plan is in jeopardy. Expenditure on leisure cannot be increased without damage to core services. Increased subsidies for leisure facilities can only happen with further central government support, which seems highly unlikely.
All of us, from the new Chancellor of the Exchequer down, must act in a realistic manner. Local authorities all over the country are having to make similarly painful decisions as they respond to the country’s dire financial situation.
I’m appalled by this decision. The Rye & District Swimming Pool raised £35,000 over ten years in support of a Lottery Bid to build the pool in the 90’s.
Support all the comments made!
Housing Rye Harbour now recently clad with solar panels and Deep Heat Pumps. Why could this not be extended to swimming pool!? Plenty of roof area!
I used this pool in winter 2019/20 while living nearby. Freedom Leisure quote overall energy costs increasing £8m to £20m, but what is the cost to keep Rye pool operational? Bearing in mind energy costs are likely even higher next year, it would seem unlikely this will reopen anytime soon. Possibly the only way would be much more energy efficient operational costs one way or another – whether that’s solar panels or new plant, it would likely need fund raising efforts by the community.
I think I’m right in saying that the CEO of Freedom Leisure referred on Radio Sussex to a £92k shortfall. But presumably that’s just for this financial year, at current energy costs and with the existing Govt support package? We don’t know what support the Govt will provide in the Spring. I think that’s possibly half the problem.
As regular users, we are devastated at the decision to close Rye Swimming Pool, even with a possible review of reopening. We totally understand the financial reasons, however …..
What options have been investigated to keep it going:
1. Have any alternative forms of funding been considered, and if so what are these?
2. Considering the Government health agenda for ‘exercise on prescription’, this conclusion seems to oppose such a policy. Currently, for those with mobility and transport issues there are no accessible facilities in the immediate area in Rye, to undertake exercise without this facility. Have you a suggestion for this demographic?
3. What was the decision making process which resulted in the closure of Rye specifically?
Please revisit this decision. It is so integral to the community.L
What is so bad about this decision is that it has been taken without any consultation with the community or those who use the service. What thought was given to options that raise more funds? To encourage more paying customers to cover the costs? To fundraise for the additional costs? And our local council should have said no closure until options explored. Is there an election soon?
“The not-for profit mutual that is Freedom Leisure made a surplus of over £1 million last financial year for which accounts are available and they have £8 million in reserves. There are no share holders or profits to be paid. Can’t some of the last surplus or reserves be used to keep the pool open. That is why the company exists, to help people keep healthy.
Save Rye Pool FB Group… https://www.facebook.com/groups/1735822723456971
With annual free money given out by the Rye Fund,Ted Baker fund,and the wind farm,maybe use these funds to kick-start funding too keep the swimming pool open, which is far more important for the wellbeing of the regulars of this important asset of the town.
Regarding cost savings, have those within the management of Freedom Leisure been considered?
I totally oppose this appalling decision by Freedom Leisure and will work with everyone else who opposes this to try and get it reversed. At such difficult times for so many, community facilities that promote health and well-being are needed more than ever and should not be withdrawn. This is not the first time that the people of Rye and Eastern Rother have had to fight to keep this pool open.
We need more detailed information from Freedom Leisure about the swimming pool usage and the cost of heating the pool. How many people use the Rye pool? How does this compare to other FL pools? Is Rye a loss-making facility? How do heating costs compare? If heating costs are £92,000, but FL made a £1m+ surplus last year and holds £8m in reserves, one would think there is room for Rye pool to stay open, but it seems to me that Rye pool would need to be subsidised by the other facilities in FL’s portfolio. Having visited the sports centre, the pool does often appear to be underused at many times, but we need FL to confirm whether this is the case. Rye and district’s population is far lower than Bexhill. The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly reduced numbers using the pool. Despite this, I feel the pool remains an essential facility for Rye and district, especially for the disabled, elderly and children learning to swim. We should fight to keep it open. Solar panels would help a bit, but would not provide enough power to heat the pool significantly. A more viable alternative would perhaps be for Rye to consider investing in a couple of community wind turbines, erected at the existing Little Cheyne Court wind farm. These would provide sufficient cheap energy for the whole of Rye, including the pool. Similar community wind turbine projects exist elsewhere.
Thank you Chris Lawson for your very balanced article. We in the Alliance were as shocked as you and our residents were at the Freedom Leisure announcement to close the pool. This was without warning, without consultation. Even though the word temporarily was used, as Chris says this raises many more worrying questions.
Our Chief Executive is meeting with Freedom Leisure and Rye Mayor today and as a matter of urgency we are seeking ways forward to prevent the closure.
It is ironic that our Cabinet will be discussing our Leisure Strategy and having carried out an extensive survey of what our residents want, by far the most popular wish was laned swimming!
We must find a way to keep this wonderful Rye asset open.
It seems it has been okay for Rother district council to fund the loss making della warr pavilion on bexhill seafront for over a decade, with ratepayers money in Rother, but when it comes to saving a much needed swimming pool in Rye it’s a different matter.Sadly it’s all about bexhill, and the rest of Rother can suffer.
I’m not defending anyone but Mr Tolhurst knows as well as I do the the Della Warr Pavilion is a grade 1 listed building so the council’s hands are tied when it comes to spending money on its upkeep.
If they do not mothball the pool properly and have a planned maintenance program (especially for the filtration and pumping systems) the pool will become a ‘wasting asset’. The longer it is left unused the greater the cost to recommission. At some stage it’s return to use will become unviable due to costs. Sadly, (and somewhat cynically) I’m betting within a short time the next suggestion will be to fill it in and grow potatoes.
Freedom Leisure are rightly trying to minimise their foreseeable costs. Rye pool serves a population of about 5,500, Bexhill pool’s local population is about 42,000 – so what would you do? I suggest for the proposed period of closure, look at using Summerfields pool in Hastings – if that is not a viable choice, could local interested bodies engage with Freedom Leisure and arrange payment that would enable the pool to be heated? I learnt to swim in the ’50’s in an unheated, sea water filled pool but people’s expectations have changed! Local stats source:- https://www.ilivehere.co.uk/statistics-rye-east-sussex-33179.html
Just a quick reply to Tony Edwards Post,isn’t our Landgate tower a listed monument, which Rother district ignored for years,until they were forced to pay thousands of taxpayers money, too repair,because of their negligence.
Rye itself may only have a population of 5,500 but the pool serves a much bigger area with all the surrounding rural villages and local primary schools to be considered. To suggest travelling to Hastings’ Summerfields pool is not feasible for the many disabled users and schools will be unable to spare the transport costs and the travelling time out of their impossibly stretched budgets. Children deserve to learn to swim – it is a life skill. After ‘the period of closure’ I am of the cynical opinion that the pool will then be deemed too expensive to reopen as it will need resanitising and reheating from scratch. I foresee a winter of discontent all round.
Why don’t they just deal with it, stop ringing there hands and making excuses, in Wales swimming for the over fifties is free, the Welsh Government feels it important that people over fifty keep fit, I use to visit pool 2 or 3 time a week, no one asked me if I would pay more, I use to take my disabled wife who would sit in observation area and watch, she really enjoyed her self, The South East is one of the richest areas in the country, yet we cannot afford a swimming pool,