Still no reopening date for Wem swimming pool

Plans to reopen Wem's swimming pool are yet to be finalised - more than two months after it was forced to close after its operator was declared insolvent.

Wem Swimming Pool closed in May and today the landlords Wem Town Council say no new lease has yet been signed with their preferred operator Teme Leisure, despite weeks of talks.

The town council had hoped to have the pool up and running again early this month but there is still no firm date for its reopening.

It is also currently undergoing a revamp.

Town leaders say they now hope to open the pool again in time for childrens' swimming lessons to resume in September.

Wem Mayor, Councillor Mandy Meakin said: "At the moment it's being cleaned and redecorated — they are sprucing it all up.

"We want it open before the schools go back from the holidays."

But she said talks are ongoing with Teme Leisure and they are yet to sign on the dotted line.

"No lease has been signed. Discussion are ongoing."

The pool has been shut since May 9 when Wem Swimming Centre Ltd was declared insolvent.

Glynis Sheppard, of Shrewsbury, who owned Wem Swimming Centre Ltd, had stepped in to save the pool in 2005 when it was facing closure because of district council cuts.

But when she put the operating company up for sale for £65,000 last year to concentrate on her other business interests, the council terminated her lease before she was able to sell it.