Council temporarily waives loan repayments for under-threat Settle Pool

North Yorkshire Council is waiving loan repayments for Settle Pool for six months to help the under-threat facility improve its cashflow situation.

The popular charity-run pool only reopened in October 2022 following an £840,000 redevelopment but there have been fears in the town it could close for good as it struggles to meet costs.

The Craven Herald has reported it’s been forced to increase the price of an adult swim by 75p and customers are being asked to make financial donations to keep the pool running.

In December, it received a further blow when the council missed out on funding through the government’s £60m Swimming Pool Support Fund — money aimed at supporting leisure centres hit by high energy costs.

To support the pool’s redevelopment back in 2021, the former Craven District Council approved a loan worth £135,000.

Terms of the original loan were that repayments would be made at a rate of 6% per year.  But with the pool in dire financial straits, North Yorkshire Council, which replaced Craven council, has agreed to have a payment holiday for six months. It means the next repayment is due in July 2024 with the interest rate remaining unchanged.

On Settle Pool’s new repayment programme with the council, the loan will be paid up in September 2032.

Meanwhile, this week the pool announced it has received a £4,000 award from the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust.