THE future of a £3.5 million swimming pool is officially in the hands of South Lakeland District Council after a long battle to keep the facility running, reports Lisa Higginson.

The keys to Berners Pool, in Grange-over-Sands, were handed over to SLDC on Tuesday (February 13) after the Cartmel Peninsula Recreational Trust (CPRT), which previously owned and operated the pool with Berners (Grange) Ltd, went into liquidation.

The pool was closed last summer despite CPRT's sustained efforts to keep it financially afloat, and, although its future still hangs in the balance, hope remains that the facility will eventually be reopened by SLDC.

Coun Peter Thornton, SLDC's cabinet member for communities and well-being, said that the first priority was to explore the chances of reopening the pool, although it was not the role of the council to take on and run the facility.

He added that a number of other parties had also shown interest in the site.

For full story see this week's Westmorland Gazette.

IN AT THE DEEP END: Alex Walsh (Berners trustee director) hands the keys back to Jon Shaw (SLDC conveyancing manager) with Jim Duncan and Deputy Mayor of Grange Counr Robert Leach looking on.