Protest at Fleetwood swimming pool cancelled as Fylde coast enters Tier 4

The socially distanced protest at the YMCA leisure centre was supposed to take place tomorrow in place of the annual New Year's Day dip, which was itself cancelled due to coronavirus.

The Save Fleetwood Swimming Pool campaign group, which organised the event, announced that it had been axed due to Lancashire being placed under Tier 4 restrictions. People should not leave their homes or gardens unless they have a 'reasonable excuse', including work, shopping for food or other essential items,fulfilling legal obligations, education and childcare.

A spokesman for the group said: "As it was announced earlier today we have been placed in Tier 4, the protest outside Fleetwood Leisure Centre this Friday will have to be cancelled. The online protest will still be going ahead though."

The online protest can be accessed through the Save Fleetwood Swimming Pool Facebook page tomorrow.

It had been hoped that the pool, which has been closed since March, would be reopened next month. However, in November it was revealed that the centre had missed out on additional funding for leisure facilities.

Wyre Council bosses approved an additional subsidy of £340,165 in 2020/21 for Fylde Coast YMCA to help reopen fitness amenities at Thornton and Garstang once Covid-19 restrictions are lifted. But the centres at Fleetwood and Poulton will be kept under monthly review until it is deemed financially viable to reopen them.