Ashburton Swimming Pool is to reopen tomorrow (Friday August 22) after it was forced to shut due to gas works closing nearby roads at the start of the school summer holidays.

An opening time is yet to be confirmed, but the pool management have confirmed that the facility will definitely open for the planned night swim and barbecue at 7.30pm.

The pool will be running a slightly adjusted timetable until September 7 when it is scheduled to close for the season. The timetable includes morning fun swims, aqua fit, an additional quick dip at lunchtime and inclusive sessions on a Wednesday lunchtime for families who home educate, and those with additional needs or social anxiety.

Ashburton Swimming Pool trustees were ‘devastated’ at being forced to close the pool on August 3 because nearby road closures linked to the Wales and West Utilities gas works prevented emergency access.

The unexpected closure was an additional blow to the trustees who had battled raise money to fix leaks in the pool ahead of the vital summer season.

‘Our trustees, our manager, our lifeguards, everyone involved, has poured time, energy and care into getting the pool open this year despite enormous setbacks,’ said Ashburton Swimming Pool trustee Lucy Wood when the forced closure was announced. ‘To now be shut down not by weather, not by funding shortfalls, but by roadworks completely outside our control—it is heartbreaking.’

Ashburton Swimming Pool has used the downtime to carry out essential testing and to progress with the next stage of its fundraising and long-term sustainability planning.

Ashburton Swimming Pool was one of two organisations to benefit from a substantial grant from Ashburton Town Council, generated by an increase in the precept, earlier this year, which it used for essential repairs.

The trustees said earlier this year that they were extremely grateful to Ashburton Town Council, the local community and every individual who had supported them.