Protesters demonstrate against plan to bulldoze Coseley Baths
Nov 23 2009 by Chris Henwood, Birmingham Mail
NEARLY 200 protesters fighting to save Coseley Swimming Baths braved the cold and drizzle to demonstrate outside the pool.
Mums, dads, grandparents and children waving anti-closure placards and banners were joined by local MPs and councillors yesterday morning outside the Peartree Lane baths.
They gathered to show the strength of opposition to Dudley Council plans to knock down the baths, which were built nearly 50 years ago. The local authority shut the facility down at the end of August on health and safety grounds, claiming it could not afford the £2 million repair bill.
The council’s figures have been disputed by locals, who claim essential work could be done for around £600,000.
Among yesterday’s protestors was 31-year-old Sarah Hollington, of Milton Road, Coseley, and her four-year-old son, Ethan.
She said: “Ethan was only just due to start learning to swim here, but he couldn’t because it was closed down. I’m going to have to find somewhere else for him to learn now and the pool in Dudley’s been suggested, but it’s not as big and the facilities aren’t as good.”
Labour’s Dudley North MP Ian Austin, who was joined at the protest by Labour’s Wolverhampton South MP Pat McFadden, said he had called on Health Minister Andy Burnham to help. “I do however, think the responsibility for this lies fairly and squarely with the Conservative-controlled council and it is important this is not forgotten as they have had record increases in funding from central government in recent years, but they have chosen not to invest in the baths,” he added.
The Save Coseley Baths group has attracted more than 2,000 members to its Facebook page.
Campaign organiser Brian Guest said: “We’ve handed out around 1,000 leaflets telling people about what the council want to do and people are disgusted.”
Claire Gallagher, aged 49 and her 16-year-old son, David, from Sedgley, both used to go to the Coseley pool.
“It’s appalling that’s it’s been closed – especially as it’s the biggest pool in the area,” said Mrs Gallagher.
“You could have 100 people in the pool at one time and still have room for more.”
