TWO Southend swimming pools will stay closed until the middle of May despite leisure centre bosses receiving nearly £2million in bailouts. The Government’s road map states pools can re-open from April 12 but both Belfairs Swim Centre in Leigh and Shoebury Leisure Centre’s pool will open on May 17. Fusion, which manages leisure centres across Southend, received £1.2million from Southend Council last year as well as £406,000 from the National Leisure Recovery Fund. Following a u-turn last week, the swimming pool at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre, in Garon Park, will re-open on April 12. But opposition councillors have been left frustrated that not all pools will re-open in line with the Government roadmap despite the huge bailout.
Southend swimming pools to stay shut until May 17 despite £2m bailout clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A HUGE new Covid-19 test centre - strictly for pupils - is being set up in Southend as part of a drive to get schools open again on March 8. Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre, at Garon Park off Eastern Avenue could soon be available to students as a school-only testing facility. The move comes as Southend Council urged whole families to attend community testing sites in the week prior to each child returning to school. Southend’s director of public health, Krishna Ramkhelawon said: “I must stress this won’t be open for the public, people shouldn’t be turning up there. It would be strictly only for the kids.”