THE ongoing pool closure of Parr swimming baths is costing St Helens Council hundreds of thousands of pounds in lost income, it can be revealed.

Since October of 2019, the main pool at Parr Swimming and Fitness Centre has been closed for ceiling works.

A decision was also taken in November to temporarily close the learner pool due to safety concerns.

The financial implications of this prolonged closure have been revealed in the council’s latest financial monitoring report.

According to the report, £134k has been lost due to lost income resulting from the closure of the pool at Parr swimming baths.

Of that figure, £67k has been lost from swimming clubs and the general public and a further £67k has been lost from school swimming income.

It is still unclear at this stage when the pool at Parr swimming baths will be reopened.

A final surveyor’s report – detailing the scale of the repairs needed to make the venue safe for public use once again – is due to be completed this month.

A spokesman for St Helens Council said: “The final surveyor’s report is expected in the next week, which will accurately determine the work needed to fix the pool ceiling at Parr Swimming and Fitness Centre, and the time in which it will take to complete.

“Pool users were updated on the situation before Christmas and we have committed to a further update before the end of January.”

The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported last month that the council had explored the feasibility of re-opening the pool at Sutton Leisure Centre, which has been closed since 2013, in light of the situation in Parr.

However, the council decided against doing this due to the length of time it would take to bring the pool up to standard.

Prior to closing in October, Parr swimming baths was forced to temporarily shut in June after a 12-year-old boy fell through the roof the building’s roof.

Ben Smith miraculously survived the fall but broke his back, femur, ankle and elbow.