IN another return towards normal, people will be able to take a Sunday swim at Tenbury pool from this week.

From this Sunday, Freedom Leisure and the Tenbury Community Pool will be open for three lane swimming during two sessions.

Early risers will be able to book a slot between 8am and 10am with those who like longer in bed able to book between 10.30am and 1.30pm.

The Sunday swim sessions will be returning for the first time since the Cavid-19 pandemic.

They had not been possible because of problems recruiting and training staff. An appeal for lifeguards was made earlier this year.

It has been a frustrating time for the newly refurbished Tenbury swimming pool and gym that was forced to close because of Covid restrictions last year just days after revealing plans for limited opening.

Work on a big refurbishment of the pool and gym was completed in the autumn of 2020 but an extended full re-opening was frustrated by coronavirus restrictions.

The swimming pool dates back to the late 1960s and was in need of major refurbishment.

This refurbishment was undertaken largely during the period of the first lockdown.

Improvements include new changing rooms, better accessibility and measures to cut the impact on the environment.

Much of the refurbishment was able to be done at a time when the pool would have had to be closed anyway because of the coronavirus restrictions.

But the virus took a toll on the pool as revenue was lost and the Trustees that run the venue were not able to fund raise.

In 2020 it was decided that with the town hit by flooding and the pandemic it would be the wrong time to ask local businesses for sponsorship.

The pool is operated on a day-to-day basis by Freedom Leisure but is community and not local authority owned, although there is an annual grant from Malvern Hills District Council, but this is discretionary and vulnerable to local authority funding cuts.

Family Swim Phone to Book- 01584 810448 or book online - Tenburyenquiries@freedom-leisure.co.uk for Family Swim Gym Open Sunday 8am - 2pm.