Council mulls £6m spend on town's swimming pool

A swimming pool could be in line for a £6m overhaul, according to a local authority's proposed budget.

Folkestone and Hythe District Council is proposing setting aside funds from developer contributions and capital reserves to revamp Hythe Swimming Pool in its draft financial plans for 2026-27.

A district council spokesperson said a refurbishment was "one of the options that councillors will be considering over the coming months".

Folkestone Swimming Club chairman Ian Howes told the Local Democracy Reporting Service a refurbishment would "make absolute sense".

"That is quite a big investment in terms of the redevelopment of a relatively small facility, so hopefully that would allow them to sort out a lot of the problems they have there," he said.

The club was based at Folkestone Sports Centre but was forced to relocate after the centre unexpectedly shut in 2024.

Folkestone Sports Centre's new operators have said they hope to open the pool there by August.

Howes warned that closing they Hythe pool for refurbishments while Folkestone Sports Centre remained shut could be "a travesty for swimmers".

"There will therefore be no swimming pool available in the district for any club to train," he said.

The possibility of building a new pool on council-owned land at Princes Parade was ruled out by the district council in August.

Mayor of Hythe, Stephen Bailey, said: "Having the facility locally for children to learn to swim is so important for me as a father, but also for the community in general."

He said he would "wholeheartedly welcome any money being spent on the pool".

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