Frome’s swimming pool is still closed with anger in town

Concerns over the long-standing issues at Frome’s Fusion Swimming Pool have been aired. At the meeting on Wednesday, 15 January, residents and councillors expressed frustration over persistent problems, particularly the failure of the pool’s boilers, and sought solutions to secure the future of the much-needed facility.

The swimming pool has been closed since December 31. It is hoped that it will be reopen by the end of next week.

Charlotte Carson from Frome Medical Practice voiced concerns from a personal and professional standpoint, highlighting the impact on the community’s health and well-being.

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“I have a question, but also a proposal,” Ms Carson stated. “At Frome Medical Practice, we’ve had conversations around the lack of sports facilities due to issues with the boilers at Fusion Swimming Pool and a lack of lighting at the football pitches. We advocate for a healthy, sustainable, and well community, and we feel that this is at risk.”

She elaborated that the pool should operate with two boilers, but one had been out of service for a long time. “Now, the second one has broken, leaving the pool without a proper heating system,” she explained. “They have funding to repair one, but ideally, both need to be operational.”

Rachel Griffin from Frome Town Council confirmed the breakdown: “The boiler is broken, and they have an engineer coming on Monday. However, there have been instances where scheduled repairs did not happen on time, so there’s some uncertainty about the timeline.”

Questions were raised about Fusion’s responsibility to maintain the facility. Resident Nick White pointed out that when Fusion obtained the lease from Mendip District Council, they committed to significant infrastructure upgrades.

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“When Fusion got the lease, it was sold to them for £1 under the condition that they would carry out major upgrades, including replacing the boilers,” Mr White stated. “It’s been a constant problem ever since. If Frome Town Council doesn’t have the power to hold Fusion accountable, Somerset Council should.”

Councillor Fiona Barrows echoed this concern, noting that residents had contacted the town council multiple times regarding the ongoing issues. “This is just the latest in a long-running series of problems,” she said. “Fusion made a deal with Mendip District Council for all the leisure centres in the district. I don’t think it was a 99-year lease, but likely a 30-year lease, and we’re about six or seven years into that.”

She further emphasised the need for clarity on Fusion’s financial commitments. “They pledged to invest around £1 million in infrastructure. It would be useful to determine whether that money was spent where it was needed.”

Nick White responded with information about how Fusion allocated its funds. “The money went towards a major gym upgrade, which they viewed as a revenue stream. They also converted the indoor bowling green into a larger gym and repaired the reception roof. There were minor upgrades to the changing rooms, but the showers have remained unreliable, and the boiler issue was never fully addressed.”

Cllr Barrows suggested a proactive approach. “Rather than continually addressing issues as they arise, we need a comprehensive strategy,” she said. “Can the town clerk contact Somerset Council to identify a contact person managing this? Perhaps we can collaborate with the medical practice to unite all stakeholders.”

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In a statement, Frome Sports and Fitness said: "Contractors have been out to assess the initial issue, but during their inspection, another problem was identified. Unfortunately, this means the timeline for reopening the pool will be longer than initially anticipated.

"Please know that we are working closely with the manufacturer to identify the best solution and resolve these issues as swiftly and thoroughly as possible. Whilst the pools are closed, members are welcome to use any other Fusion centre; Wells Sport & Fitness and Strode Sport & Fitness.

"We plan to share further updates by the end of next week and will keep you informed every step of the way. Members - please be sure to keep an eye on your emails.

"We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused by this delay and appreciate your understanding as we work to get the pool back in operation. We wanted to provide you with the latest update on the pool at Frome. The necessary parts are being sourced from Italy and are expected to arrive and be installed on Monday 27th January. If everything goes as planned, we’re hopeful the pool will be ready to reopen by Wednesday 29th January.

"Additionally, we’re currently experiencing an issue with the hot water due to a fault with one of our machines over the weekend. Our team is working hard to resolve this, and we anticipate it will be fixed by the end of the week.

"Thank you for your understanding and patience as we work through these challenges. We’ll continue to keep you updated and appreciate your support."