Tranent: Loch Centre swimming pool's closure 'devastating' for club

With no cash to carry out £4.4m of essential repairs, the pool could be closed for several years.

Tranent Amateur Swimming Club has been based at the pool since the club was founded in 1973 and has a membership of 126 swimmers aged from six to 20.

It has had to move all training sessions and competitions to other pools, including those in Musselburgh and Prestonpans.

Julia Taylor (pictured below), head coach at the club, called on the community to “make as much noise as possible” against the delay in repairs.

She said: “It is devastating for the club, but also for the Tranent community as a whole.

“There are so many benefits to swimming, including mental health, and with all these new houses, I don’t know where people are going to be able to go to swim. I know Musselburgh is available and other pools too but they are busy – you can’t just close a pool and not expect it to have a massive impact.

“It has affected us a lot. Thankfully we have been able to use Musselburgh and the Mercat Gait [in Prestonpans], but I will need to go into discussions with them again soon because it was agreed as a short-term solution, not a long-term one.”

She added: “Because we are using multiple pools, I am now having to take sessions every day of the week apart from Saturdays. We could do sessions back to back at the Loch Centre but that’s not possible now.

“Our top two teams are certainly getting less pool time too. It’s impossible to say whether it has meant a loss in number of members, but the club certainly isn’t getting any bigger.

“This is a massive issue for Tranent. I understand money doesn’t grow on trees but I think if we can all make as much noise as possible, maybe something can be done.”

READ MORE: No money to re-open the Loch Centre pool, council admits

Kenny MacAskill, East Lothian’s MP, said the news “confirms the worst fears of many” in the community.

He said: “The Loch Centre is the hub of the community and alternatives either don’t exist or are limited.

“The costs are significant but funds need to be found. It will be for the council to explore all options and I sympathise with the challenges.

“It’s really a time for everyone to get their heads together to see what can be done. Blaming each other won’t fix and certainly won’t open it.

“It’s why working together to find a solution is essential.”

East Lothian MSP Paul McLennan said he would like to discuss the issue with East Lothian Council and would like answers on how often inspections were carried out to the roof.

Martin Whitfield, South Scotland MSP, said the council was facing a shortfall in funding from the Scottish Government, adding: “I know the council’s administration is committed to ensuring the pool reopens as quickly as possible, and I will be raising the issue with ministers and urging them to find additional funds to support the work that is required.”

Fellow South Scotland MSP Craig Hoy said the lack of funds available from the council was “concerning”, adding: “I will be making representations to the Scottish and UK Governments to support the reopening of the pool.”

Mike Falconer, chair of Tranent and Elphinstone Community Council, said: “I totally sympathise with the council’s financial trouble. No council should be expected to just find £4.4 million. However, our position as a community council is that access to the pool is essential for Tranent.

“The pool must reopen, closing it is not an option. Raising the funds is a must and, if that means seeking national government funding, I hope that option is explored.”

Ward councillor Colin McGinn added: “I think it all comes down to the fact that East Lothian Council is not funded enough. This is an impact of that lack of funding. It’s difficult because we’d like to be able to say we can fund it and get it done now but we simply can’t.

“I remain focused on getting the pool open as soon as possible and am advocating for securing the Loch Centre’s long-term future for Tranent and the wider community.”

Fellow ward councillor Lee-Anne Menzies questioned council leader Norman Hampshire’s comments in the Courier in August that the Loch Centre “will not be lost”.

She said: “As Councillor Norman Hampshire stated that this essential asset ‘would not be lost’, I will be contacting him to ask what his administration’s plans are to ensure it is open as soon as is humanly possible for the people of Tranent.

“It is not good enough to say it depends on the budget.

“Having the pool and other facilities available in Tranent, one of the poorest areas in the county, is essential. The people of Tranent and the surrounding villages should not have to wait until we find the money from somewhere.”

Mr Hampshire was asked to comment.