High Life Highland confirms Inverness leisure swimming pool operating hours to be slashed amid financial pressures – but it means more lessons for youngsters
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High Life Highland will cut the operating hours of the leisure pool at Inverness Leisure as the charity is under financial pressure to reduce its operating costs which have risen sharply over the last year.
However, officials say the move will help address a backlog of children waiting for swimming lessons.
Earlier, Highland Council’s at-arm’s-reach leisure provider that runs libraries, sport centres and thousands of other services across the region revealed it would also no longer provide in-house outdoor activities.
Now, the leisure pool operating hours will be curtailed as well – currently it is open from Monday to Friday between 10am and 8pm and at weekends from 9am to 5pm but that will only last until May 1.
From May 2 changes will come into effect which will see the hours change to 4pm to 8pm on Mondays and Wednesdays; on Tuesdays the pool will be open from 10am to 1pm and then from 4pm to 8pm.
Then Thursdays operating times will be 10am to 2pm and 4pm to 8pm, Fridays from 1pm to 8pm and finally the weekends will remain the same 9am – 5pm.
A spokesman for High Life Highland said: “Like so many other charitable organisations, High Life Highland has seen its operating costs rising over the last year.
“As such, we have had no alternative but to review our operating model to ensure the charity is sustainable and able to continue delivering important services and protecting jobs around the Highlands.
“Part of this review will see the weekday operation of the leisure (fun) pool at Inverness Leisure becoming more focused on delivering public parent and child swimming lessons at the quietest times.
“The changes will see HLH able to offer an additional 39 group lessons per week, which will also assist the charity in further clearing the backlog of children who were unable to access classes during the lockdown.”
