The newly refurbished swimming pool
Work to refurbish the swimming pool at Bishop’s Castle Arts and Leisure Centre (also known as SpArC) is now complete – with the pool set to reopen to the public on Friday 17 July [2026].
The work – carried out by Shropshire Council – has included installing a new pool lining, a new pool surround, repainting, and the installation of a new pool filtration system and pumps.
Essential repairs to the building’s roof and the installation of easy access steps were also caried out making the facility more accessible, especially for older people, families with babies and toddlers and the disabled.
The next stage of the project is a decarbonisation project that will replace the aging and expensive to run oil-fired boiler with an all-electric heating system, significantly reducing carbon emissions by 70% and lowering running costs. This work is due to be completed in November this year.
The work has been funded with £250,000 raise by the trustees and the local community, together with funding from Shropshire Council’s capital programme, and CIL (community infrastructure levy) funding.
Trustees and councillors inspected the pool ahead of its reopening.
Sarah Marston, Shropshire’s Council’s Cabinet member for community and environment, said:
“I’m delighted that work to refurbish the pool has been completed and it will soon be open to the public. This is such a good example of how funding from the council and from housing developers can be added to grant funding and money raised by the local community to make a real difference to a local community.
“People in Bishop’s Castle and across southwest Shropshire will have a pool that they can be proud of, and one that will be more cost effective to operate and accessible for all.”
Ruth Houghton, Shropshire Councillor for Bishop’s Castle, said:
“It is wonderful to see our new swimming pool which will serve the local community for many years to come and, along with others, I’m looking forward to using it over the summer.
“The work undertaken by the dedicated trustees of the Save the SpArC charity and the generosity of the local community in contributing £250k,000 is something to be very proud of.
“Thank you as well to everyone that has made a contribution either through volunteering, fundraising or by making a donation. Built originally by public subscription in the early 70s , residents in and around Bishop’s Castle have stepped up and contributed again.”
The total cost of these improvements is expected to be £3.93million, with funding coming from many different sources as follows:
- £2.454 million from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.
- £680,000 from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)*.
- £505,000 from the council’s capital repairs budget.
- £250,000 donated by the Trustees of the Bishop’s Castle Save the SpArC charity. which has been raised by the local community
