Hundreds of Swimming Pool Closures Leave Children ‘At Risk of Drowning’, Union Warns

Published: 26 August 2025. The English Chronicle Desk

A decade of austerity, rising energy bills and strained local authority budgets have contributed to the closure of hundreds of public swimming pools across England, sparking warnings from unions, campaigners and local government leaders that thousands of children are now being denied the opportunity to learn a basic life skill. The GMB union, which represents thousands of workers in the leisure sector, has described the closures as a “terrifying example” of the long-term scars left behind by Conservative austerity policies, arguing that the absence of facilities is putting young people at increased risk of drowning.

Research published this week reveals that more than 500 swimming pools have shut down across England since 2010, with nearly half of those closures occurring within the past five years alone. The sharp decline has coincided with soaring maintenance and energy costs, coupled with reduced funding to local councils, which remain the primary supporters of public leisure centres. While campaigners have long warned that sport and recreation infrastructure is under severe strain, the rate of pool closures has accelerated in recent years, leaving many communities without access to a swimming facility.

The figures have added fresh controversy to past criticisms of government priorities, particularly after it emerged that in 2023, then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak authorised tens of thousands of pounds in expenditure to expand the electricity supply for his private swimming pool. Critics argued that the move highlighted a sharp contrast between the ability of wealthier households to maintain personal facilities while local authority-run swimming pools across the country were being forced to close their doors.

Kevin Brandstatter, the GMB’s national officer, condemned the situation in stark terms, stressing that the closures were not only a blow to children’s recreation but also a matter of public safety. “The Conservatives’ grim legacy of austerity has left brutal scars right across society,” he said. “Local authorities being forced to close so many swimming pools is a particularly terrifying example. Learning to swim is a basic life skill, splashing in a pool is a fundamental childhood joy – two things being potentially now denied to thousands of youngsters. Taken to its extreme, it leaves young people at risk of drowning. It’s going to take years to repair the damage the Tories did, but Labour’s fair funding review must start funding local authorities properly again.”

The closures have also sparked alarm among those working in the fitness and leisure industries. A coalition of local government leaders and leisure sector representatives has urged the government to allocate greater resources to preserve community facilities, warning that 60 percent of existing swimming pools are already beyond their expected lifespan or in urgent need of refurbishment. Without significant investment, many more are likely to close in the coming years, potentially leaving entire towns without a public pool.

Liz Green, chair of the Local Government Association’s culture, tourism and sport board, underscored the importance of these facilities to communities across England. “Local communities rely on sport and leisure facilities every day, whether it is swimming for the family or going to the gym,” she said. “The benefits to both physical and mental health can be life-changing, yet without urgent investment we risk losing these altogether.”

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has sought to reassure the public that action is being taken. A government spokesperson stated: “As part of our Plan for Change, we are absolutely committed to building a healthier nation and reducing pressure on our NHS. Having pledged £400 million to support grassroots facilities, we are now working with the sport and leisure sector and local areas to understand what’s needed to get people active in their community. We will ensure that this funding promotes health, wellbeing and community cohesion and helps to remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups.”

Nevertheless, questions remain as to whether the pledged funding will be enough to counter more than a decade of under-investment and the spiralling costs faced by local councils. For many parents, particularly those in lower-income communities, the closure of nearby pools has already meant fewer opportunities for children to take swimming lessons, raising concerns that a generation may grow up without acquiring an essential safety skill. Campaigners warn that unless urgent action is taken, England risks not only losing a critical part of its sporting infrastructure but also endangering children’s lives.