The story so far
October 2005:
Reading Borough Council first announces plans to build a new swimming pool in Palmer
Park and says that Arthur Hill Pool will close when the new pool is built.
29 November 2011:
The Centenary of the opening of the Baths is celebrated with a commemorative event,
organised by The Friends of The Arthur Hill Memorial Baths. The Friends publish the
Centenary booklet about the Baths and the people behind it - Arthur Hill himself, his eminent
family members, and Charles Burt, renowned swimming teacher at the Baths for decades.
28 May 2015:
Specialist consultants present a Condition Survey of the building to Reading Borough
Council; it lists features that need redecoration, repair or replacement in the medium or long
term.
30 November 2015:
Reading Borough Council publishes a Leisure Review stating it will undertake a feasibility
study into providing a new swimming pool at Palmer Park as a replacement for Arthur Hill
Pool.
25 December 2015:
Charlie Burt, legendary swimming teacher at Arthur Hill since 1959, passes away aged 98.
16 September 2016:
The Council announces that Arthur Hill Pool will close on 19 December 2016. It claims that
budget constraints mean that it can no longer afford to keep the pool and gym open, and
“huge investment” would be needed to complete repair work. A new pool will be opened in
Palmer Park “in 3 to 4 years’ time”.
26 September 2016:
Campaigners present a petition to the Council’s Policy Committee, calling for the Baths to be
kept open until a replacement is available; the petition had secured over 2,500 signatures in
just over one week. The Policy Committee defer the decision to the next full meeting of
Reading Borough Council on18 October.
6 October 2016:
Around 100 people cram into a packed Community Meeting at the Warehouse Centre to give
their ideas on how to keep the Arthur Hill pool and gym open.
18 October 2016:
Despite massive opposition from local residents and users of the pool and gym, a meeting of
Reading Borough Council votes to close Arthur Hill Pool. Labour Councillors vote en bloc
in support, rejecting an amendment by all other Councillors to defer closure until a
replacement is available.
17 November 2016:
A second Community Meeting takes place at the Warehouse Centre and agrees to set up a
new Community Interest Company (CIC) to take forward the project to keep Arthur Hill Pool
open.
20 November 2016:
A crowdfunding appeal is launched on the internet and by leaflets, aiming to raise £10,000 by
31 December to fund preparation of a business plan to reopen the pool and survey work into
its condition.
31 December 2016:
The crowdfunding appeal closes having met and exceeded its target: online donations
eventually reached £10,727.
