FUNDING body Sport England this week refused to provide any additional money for repair work to Berners Pool despite fears the building could face demolition unless a private company is willing to take it on.

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron had contacted the sporting arm of the National Lottery in the hope it would commit extra funding for repairs to the fabric of the building to make it a more attractive proposition for a private operator.

He claimed an extra contribution from the organisation could help prevent its £2.5 million investment in the project four years ago from being lost completely.

But a spokesman for Sport England told The Westmorland Gazette that although the situation was disappointing, it would not allocate any additional cash to the pool.

"We committed £2.5 million of National Lottery investment into Berners Pool.

"Although we are keen to see the pool re-opened, Sport England will not be committing any further funding to the project.

"Unfortunately, despite all efforts, the pool remains closed.

"We will continue to support and advise South Lakeland District Council as it decides the future of the site."

But Mr Farron, who has also organised a meeting with the minister for sport, Richard Caborn, said he believed Sport England should have been more involved in offering professional advice and guidance to the trustees in the first place.

"It strikes me there are two issues here. Sport England should have provided professional advice to make sure the business would be a success and the body should also have assisted the trustees in making sure they got a building that wouldn't require a high level of maintenance."

But a spokesperson for Sport England again refuted the claim.

"Sport England provides detailed guidance to assist applicants in building quality sports facilities. Funding decisions we make are based on an applicant's ability to demonstrate general planning specifications have been met."

South Lakeland district councillor Peter Thornton, portfolio holder for communities and well being, said the council's priority was to try to put the situation right.

"I don't know who's to blame here. But I know SLDC reluctantly inherited this building and it is doing its best to find an operator.

"However, there are lessons to be learned. Troutbeck Bridge swimming pool is a far less ambitious project that has kept going for some 30 years, even through some difficult periods.

"But it had a head start in that it is easy to manage in terms of maintenance.

"Berners Pool is a beautiful building, but perhaps this type of modern, adventurous design is more suitable for private organisations that can afford the maintenance and upkeep.

"This may be a case of the wrong building in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Now, a group of parents in the town, whose children enjoyed regular swimming lessons at the pool, are urging people to send a postcard to the district council on Monday, June 11 as part of their campaign to see Berners reopened.

But council chief executive Mike Jones said the council did not have a bottomless purse.

He added that the solution to reopening Berners Pool had to be double-edged - in terms of repairing the building and ensuring it had a viable future.

"The solution here is not for a philanthropist to donate the money needed to make the repairs.

"It has to work as a business."