A CARDIGAN town councillor has described the closure of the town’s swimming pool as ‘premature’.

Cllr Richard Davies suggested to colleagues that more avenues could have been explored to try to keep the facility afloat prior to the closure announcement last month.

In a statement released on March 11, the trustees of Cardigan Memorial Pool and Hall revealed that they had made the ‘difficult decision’ to close the pool at the end of the month.

“Due to the increase in energy costs and reduced income levels, as well as the significant costs associated with maintenance and repair to bring the site up to standard, operating the swimming pool in its current form is no longer financially viable,” they said in a statement.

However, Cllr Davies has now questioned the timing of the closure a little over a year after trustees received a Sports Wales Capital Grant of £207,000 from Welsh Government to carry out essential repairs and upgrades.

“The Friends of Cardigan Swimming Pool had numerous fund-raising activities planned and the trustees were obviously fully aware of that,” he said.

“I just feel that as they’d spent this grant on a new boiler the announcement to close the pool came before the horse had actually bolted.”

Cllr Davies made his comments as the council agreed to send a letter of thanks to Chair of Trustees Matt Newland for his efforts to keep the facility – which was opened in 1977 – going.

“I feel the trustees have worked very hard under very difficult conditions to try and keep the pool open,” said Cllr Richard Jones. “In view of this we should thank them for their efforts.”

Cllr Philippa Noble advised colleagues to wait for the Charities Commission report into the matter, while at the same time also paying tribute to Mr Newland’s contribution.

“Perhaps we can meet with the trustees to see if there’s any way we can help them in the future?” she added.