Annual Report - Stevenage Leisure

L E I S U R E
Letchworth Outdoor Pool
The work started on the set up of the outdoor pool
as early as January, when the management team
from the North Herts Contract met on a weekly
basis to organise the set up process ready to open
between 29th May and 12th September 2010. This
process involved reviewing all risk assessments, pool
operating procedures and creating the promotional
planner for the season.
Schools and local clubs were included in this
planner and were contacted in March, booking
in all available slots for the summer season.
Advertisements were also placed to promote the
pool and also to recruit the team.
The Outdoor Pool celebrated it’s 75th anniversary during the
summer, therefore numerous events and promotions took place,
including a community fun day with a 75p entrance fee and a
celebration for regular customers, councillors and representatives
from SLL and NHDC which involved birthday cake, champagne and
speeches detailing the history of the site.
Following on from the success of operating the café in-house the
previous summer, SLL worked in partnership with NHDC to secure
a grant from the Letchworth Area Committee to relocate the
cafeteria from it’s existing location to an area which would enable it
to serve both swimming pool customers and those walking through
Norton Common. The £20k investment was a success, with income
increasing by 21% for the café throughout the season, (against
a target increase on 15%) whilst the pool usage remained fairly
comparable to the previous year.
Through the good working relationship between SLL and NHDC,
the pool covers were replaced, funded by surpluses generated the
previous year, which improved their operation and efficiency. This
improvement ensures that the pool retains more heat overnight,
reducing the need for additional gas to maintain the pool at a constant
temperature. The old pool covers were over 18 years old, therefore
it is hoped that the initial outlay for the new covers will last for a
number of years to come.
The centre performed well financially, considering the weather was
an average summer, and over 27,000 customers used the pool once
again. This figure was only 500 short of the previous summer, which
was one of the best for years. One of the key reasons for this is the
focus on increasing school groups and club usage. It is hoped that
this new breed of customers continues to use the pool for years to
come, ensuring that the town’s best loved facility is used to it’s full
potential.
40 Annual Report 2010/11