Talks to take place to save pool

Talks are to be held in an effort to save a swimming pool forced to close because of financial problems.

Bosses at Berners pool, in Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, shut at the weekend blaming rising energy costs.

But Sport England, which helped finance the £3.5m facility, said it was holding a meeting this week to come up with an action plan to save the pool.

The centre is owned and run by The Cartmel Peninsula Recreational Trust and Berners (Grange).

Stuart Kellet, director of Sport England North West, said: "We are not prepared to see our investment go to waste.

Without subsidy

"We are hoping to help the Berners management find new sources of funding, from the public or private sector, to allow it to reopen with a secure future."

Although the deficit is understood not to be a large amount, as a charity, the centre is not allowed to operate in the red on an ongoing basis.

The pool went into liquidation at the weekend. A statement from the trustees and company directors said: "Building Berners was a huge community achievement and in only three years the centre has established itself as one of Grange's assets.

"We regret very much that our efforts to make it pay its way have been in vain.

"But it is a fact of life that few public pools or leisure centres can now keep going without subsidy and Berners has never received any help with running costs."