Holywell Mead Pool

Introduction

The Holywell Mead Pool is a classic open air pool that has been much used and loved by the High Wycombe community for over fifty years. It is set within a beautiful open public space easily accessible by Wycombe town and public transport connections. The decline in attendance is multi-factorial including a lack of marketing strategy. Due to current financial climate Wycombe District Council has made the decision to close the pool to help it stem costs within a much larger programme of cost pressures.

The members and supporters of Holywell Mead Trust Steering Group recognises this cost pressure and has focussed its attention on turning round the Holywell Mead Pool from a loss making liability to a long term sustainable community asset. We see Holywell Mead Pool as part of the renaissance in Wycombe rather than as part of the problem. Our plan based on extensive local and national research is as follows:

The Plan

Within the steering group and its wider support data base we represent a wide and diverse group of people who have come together and formulated a workable solution. In brief, we propose the following changes:

1. Establish a registered charity which is tasked with assisting the pool financially (we need to raise capital of around £400,000) and providing sustainable strategic direction – we believe we gain significant benefit by becoming a not for profit organisation allowing us to seek capital and revenue benefits that a for profit model would preclude.

2. Service delivery would be a Partnership model, with a split purchaser/provider function. Our preferred partner having mutual interests in key outcomes, the key being a not for profit operational entity to run the pool on a day to day basis to a Trust agreed set of outcomes. Our preference is that we will partner with Longridge for the bulk of the day to day operation and supplement this partnership with other value added organisations.

3. Change the pool for a quality customer swimming experience  with the following:

Mandatory
• Upgrade the paddling pool to become a teaching pool and allow flexible and extensive usage 
• Add a modern child friendly aquatic play area
• Retain a sympathetic approach to the setting
• Changing room upgrade for all the year round use

Aspirational
• The pool to become low/no chemical
• National beacon green solution to provide water, heat and light in a low carbon economy fashion
• Telescopic roof to the main pool and therefore extend the swimming season to allow sustainability

Planned change will take around four months to achieve, as due to the high quality of the maintenance by the Council we are looking mainly at additional works rather than structural change.

4. Our expectations at present are based on development of a mixed revenue model and extended opening hours. We forecast income  generation in excess of  £300,000 per annum (after year three and benchmarked by several public domain examples) with a projected surplus of 10% reinvestment into the pool and the users – adding further revenue downstream will increase the surplus and allow additional employment to be generated in the area. Our financial plan is commercially sensitive and not for publication currently.

5. Establish a learn to swim provision as a means to raise revenue across the year and support the main pool.

6. Invite societies, educational establishments, clubs and charities – we have interest from clubs, societies, sports charities and educational establishments who collectively have over 10,000 local members – harnessing these alone would produce a viable and sustainable community swimming pool.

7. Establish an Amateur Swimming Association education centre where we train our local community with relevant and commercially useful life skills particularly when carried out in partnership with local education providers.

8. We also believe in the long-term value added opportunities that this site offers including the potential for an active social destination.

Time scales

•       Launch of charity - June 2009

•       Negotiate lease with Council - July 2009

•       Raise Funds with launch - July 2009

•       Launch Membership Scheme - July 2009

•       Pool improvements begin - September 2009

•       Re-open pool -  Jan 2010

The Steering Group

The Holywell Mead Pool Trust Steering Group is made up of a group of 20 committed local professionals with a wide and diverse set of skills. Sports coaches, graphic and website designers, healthcare management and service provision. Fundraisers, legal, marketing and PR expertise, project and facilities managers.