The power of pools

Natalie Gibson, Head of Insight at Alliance Leisure, explains how the aquatics industry can reframe swimming pools as health, economic and sustainability accelerators

As part of my recent insight work at Alliance Leisure, I’ve been looking at the age and condition of swimming pools across the UK. It quickly becomes clear that much of today’s provision were built to meet the needs, expectations and operating environments of a different era and are now being asked to deliver far more than they were ever designed for. My findings are reflected in the recent publication of The Deep End, an All Party Parliamentary Group for Swimming report supported by Swim England. It concludes that ageing facilities, rising costs and a system shaped by short-term decision-making are placing a vital part of our community infrastructure at risk.

When we view swimming pools solely through the lens of cost and constraint, we risk missing a huge opportunity to unlock decades of sustainable community return. When designed and delivered in response to local need, swimming pools can become powerful drivers of social, health and economic value supporting prevention, reducing inequalities and strengthening communities.

Swimming remains one of the most inclusive and accessible activities available, supporting people of all ages and abilities while delivering a critical life skill. Yet, as highlighted in The Deep End, participation is falling and fewer children are leaving primary school able to swim confidently. This is not about a lack of demand, it reflects a disconnect between what communities need and what existing facilities are able to provide.

According to The Deep End report, more than 1,200 pools are already beyond their expected lifespan. These buildings were never designed to meet modern expectations around energy efficiency, flexibility or integrated health provision. As a result, they are increasingly expensive to operate, difficult to adapt and vulnerable to closure.

This creates a cycle that is hard to break. Local authorities, under significant financial strain, are forced into reactive decisions, maintaining ageing assets rather than investing in long-term solutions.

UNLOCKING VALUE

What’s often missing from this conversation is the value that well-placed investment can unlock.

The report highlights that where facilities are modern, well-designed and aligned to local need, they deliver higher usage, stronger financial performance and greater social value, with facilities under 10 years old achieving around 20% higher throughput and impact.

We are seeing this in action. Warsop Health Hub was the first facility delivered through Sport England’s Leisure Local programme, which integrates pools with health and fitness provision with the flexibility to meet evolving local needs. Since the Hub opened, Year 6 school swimming attainment has risen from 40% to 80%. Beyond this, the Hub runs a range of pool programmes targeting the whole community, run by the centre and in partnership with community organisations.

Swimming pools are not just places to be active. They are increasingly central to public health. The Deep End reports that swimming pools already generate an estimated £2.4billion in social value each year and help prevent over 1.4 million cases of ill health. When embedded within wider health systems, their role expands further – supporting rehabilitation, prevention and community-based care.

INVESTING IN THE RIGHT FACILITIES

Viewed through this lens, the question is no longer whether we can afford to invest in swimming pools, but whether we can afford not to. Affordability, sustainability and access remain real challenges. Pools will always be energy-intensive, and financial pressures on councils are unlikely to ease in the short term. But modern design, smarter technology and early investment in efficiency can significantly reduce long-term risk, both financially and environmentally.

What my research and The Deep End makes clear is that the current trajectory is not sustainable. Continuing to rely on ageing infrastructure and short-term funding will only accelerate decline.

But when we invest in the right facilities, in the right places, we are not just maintaining buildings. We are creating needs-based active environments that drive healthier communities, reduce long-term public cost and secure the future of a vital service for generations.