Kenilworth Lido Campaign: Group launches Christmas wish for outdoor swimming initiative at town's festive market

Kenilworth shoppers at the town's Christmas Market Fair have shared their thoughts on why they think it is important to keep a public outdoor swimming facility in the town.

The Kenilworth Lido Campaign group launched its Christmas wish for outdoor swimming initiative at the festive event in Talisman Square last Saturday (December 11).

Shoppers were invited to write their thoughts down on Christmas postcards about Warwick District Council's (WDC) plans to demolish the lido at Abbey Fields and replace it with a second indoor swimming pool.

The postcards will be sent to Cllr Liam Bartlett who is Warwick District Council's portfolio holder for culture, tourism and leisure, to highlight the strength of feeling on this issue.

A spokesperson for the campaign group said: "From the moment the stall opened there was a steady stream of visitors throughout the morning all keen to put their thoughts in writing.

"We were absolutely delighted with the response from the public particularly as on this day one of our nearest outdoor pools at Droitwich was open for business and oversubscribed, yet Kenilworth’s pool remains closed and woefully neglected.

He added: "Interestingly whilst local MP Jeremy Wright took time to visit the stall and have a few words only one of a number of local councillors who were present at the market, felt able to come and have a chat which was perhaps rather telling."

The group said that most of the comments left related to the health and tourism benefits that such a facility should bring and "disbelief that WDC is prepared to sacrifice what should be one of the town’s top two attractions".

One family wrote of the sensory benefits that swimming outdoors brought to their very young son who has autism and their great disappointment that the lido is likely to be demolished in the new year.

The campaign group will be back in Talisman Square on Saturday (December 18) from 9.30am to mark the final day of swimming at the Abbey Fields facility and the event will culminate in a procession starting at around 10am from outside Kenilworth Books along Warwick Road to the pool the pool.

The group is urging any members of the public who feel that the outdoor pool should be retained to join the procession.

The postcards can be picked up from and left completed at Kenilworth Books in the run up to Christmas.