Settle pool was officially re-opened on Saturday October 29^th by Julian Smith MP and chair of the pool trustees Pat Taylor. This follows the completion of a year-long redevelopment programme.

School swimming classes will start this week and it is hoped to start taking bookings for public sessions within the next few days.

 Locally born, champion swimmer Ned Sharp completed the three- strong opening team by means of a video message– Ned, who was unable to attend in person, had already tried out the new facilities in a visit to the pool earlier in the month.

The unveiling of the commemorative plaque to mark the re-opening was followed by the cutting of a specially commissioned cake that featured the pool logo. The cake cutting was undertaken by special guest – singer songwriter James Newman, who like Ned Sharp learned to swim at Settle Pool.  James happened to be in Settle for a family visit.

Also present at the opening were pool trustees and staff, together with representatives of Craven District Council, the local town and parish councils who have supported the pool, and representatives of other funding bodies.

Among the guests were some of the local people who helped to raise funds for the original building programme back in the 1970s.

In thanking all those who had helped carry the new project through, pool chair Pat Taylor said the secret of Settle’s success at a time when swimming pools around the country were being forced to close was the tremendous commitment of the local community to the pool, shown both through financial support and especially through the number of people who volunteered to support fund raising  ventures such as the pool charity shop. 

Julian Smith also praised the local commitment to the pool and the way that helped gain funding from public bodies such as Sport England and the local authorities.

A key part of the redevelopment is the creation of the new wellbeing centre fitSpace which is now coming into use for a wide-variety of activities and events.