£1.6m Repair Approved for Blyth Sports Centre Pool Ceiling

Blyth swimmers finally have a timetable for the return of their pool. Northumberland County Council's cabinet has approved a £1.6m scheme to repair the suspended ceiling in the pool hall at Blyth Sports Centre, which has been closed since January after the ceiling began to sag.

The rest of the Bolam Park centre — the gym, sports halls, squash courts and soft play — has stayed open throughout, but the pool has been out of action for the best part of a year, and the news confirms it will stay shut for a good while yet. Reopening is now expected in the summer of 2027.

What the work involves

When the ceiling was investigated, engineers found more to deal with than the sagging panels alone. The approved works include the removal of asbestos-containing materials found in the roof void, the installation of new gantries, and other improvements while the roof space is temporarily exposed. The full suspended ceiling will then be replaced.

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Swim-only members have had their fees waived for the duration of the closure, so no one is paying for a pool they cannot use.

The council is also setting aside a further £745,000 to cover compensation to leisure operator Places Leisure for lost income while the pool hall remains shut. As one council report put it, the extra investigations uncovered "an opportunity to remove asbestos containing materials" at the same time as the ceiling repair — sensible, if it means a longer wait.

What it means for Blyth

For local families, swimming clubs and lane swimmers, it is a frustrating stretch — the town's main pool being closed across two summers. But the plan does put a firm end date in view, and doing the asbestos removal and gantry work now should mean fewer disruptions once the pool is back.

In the meantime, the centre's other facilities remain open as usual, and swim-only members are not being charged. You can read the council's decision in full via the Northumberland Gazette.

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