Swimming is the most popular form of physical activity in the UK, the newspaper said. However, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the national governing body for swimming in the UK, Swim England, published a report according to which almost half of the 4,000 pools in the country would close by 2030 as they became too old and expensive to upgrade, the newspaper added.
With debts piling up following the pandemic and energy price rises of between 100 and 150 percent since 2019, that closure number is likely to be much higher, Jane Nickerson, the head of Swim England, told the newspaper, adding that "every pool is at risk now."
Eighty-five percent of surveyed public pool operators say they will reduce services in the next six months, while 63% say they are likely to cut staff, the newspaper noted, citing a UKActive poll.
The current situation has forced the UK gym and leisure centers to take such measures as lowering pool temperatures, turning down lights, and urging swimmers to reduce showering times to save on energy costs to keep pools open, the report said.