SAVE your local swimming pool.

That will be the message at a public meeting to discuss the future of Cardigan swimming pool to be held on Monday, January 14 at 7.30pm at the pool.

Concerns over the future viability of the pool have been raised in recent years, with rising costs, an ageing building needing increased investment and staffing issues.

In a letter to the town council, the trustees said they were struggling to make ends meet and had recently reduced the opening hours in a bid to cut costs, focusing instead on priority groups and swimming lessons for children.

The trustees said: “To lose the facility would be heart-breaking for the community. Hopefully, our determination to succeed will get us through another difficult period.”

The pool trustees have now decided to call a public meeting to try to drum up much-needed support and to come up with fresh ideas both for the short and long term to keep the pool going.

Trustee Matt Newland told the Tivyside that one of the plans on the table was to launch a Friends of Cardigan Swimming Pool scheme where people would set up a regular donation to the pool, possibly with reduced admission rates as a benefit, to provide a regular income stream.

“We are scrabbling around every month to cover our costs. It costs us £18,000 a year in gas and £15,000 in electricity as well as day-to-day running costs, maintenance and staffing,” he said.

“We simply don’t have the luxury of a pot of cash to try out various options.”

All are welcome to the meeting.