Edinburgh's Ainslie Park swimming pool to stay closed until 'early January'

A popular Capital swimming pool will remain closed until the new year despite having been due to reopen more than two months ago.

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The swimming pool, gym and fitness studios at Ainslie Park leisure centre were closed over the summer for maintenance and refurbishment and were due to be back in operation for the start of term.

The gym and fitness studios are now open again, but the swimming pool is still out of action.

The pool at Ainslie Park Leisure Centre is now expected to reopen in January

Edinburgh Leisure blamed “supply chain issues” and said it now expected the pool to be ready by early January.

One regular user, a father-of-two from Granton, said: “Although you expect there will always be these kind of delays – particularly in the current climate – it’s frustrating we’re having to wait this long for the pool to reopen.

"I’m sure the refurbishments will be great though and will really improve the pool. I think a little more communication and updates on progress would have been appreciated.”

Edinburgh Leisure said the facility had been open since 1989 and required extensive maintenance to protect its long-term future.

The maintenance and refurbishment work includes re-grouting and repairing tiles in the pool tank and full replacement of the poolside tiles, as well as removal of the bubble pool and a section of the small pool for health and safety reasons, allowing an extension of the spectator area and additional seating.

Further improvements include the repair of the underwater lighting, window replacement, replacement of pool hall lights to energy-efficient LED lighting and poolhall decoration.

Air handling units are also being replaced to prevent another prolonged closure.

An Edinburgh Leisure spokesperson said: “Unfortunately the major refurbishment works at Ainslie Park Leisure which were due to be completed by September have been delayed due to the current supply chain issues, which all industries are currently facing.

"We now anticipate the pool will be completed by early January. We apologise for any inconvenience this is causing our customers, but it is somewhat out of our hands.

“While the pool refurbishment hasn’t run to plan, we have however managed to complete the air handling replacement work in the gym and fitness studios. This was completed in August.

“So, while our pool remains closed, all other facilities and activities have returned including our gym and gym classes, fitness classes and all our activities in our sports hall such as our gymnastics programme and badminton.”

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