Kingfisher Leisure Centre pool to reopen in February

The swimming pool at Kingfisher Leisure Centre in Sudbury will not reopen until February 2025.

The pool was initially forced to close on 23 August after damage was identified to a glass roof panel directly above it. There were hopes it would be a quick repair, but further investigations revealed other roof panels – made of specialist safety glass – were also showing signs of delamination, presenting a more complex problem than first thought.

It was then hoped swimmers could return on 11 December. However, Babergh District Council, which owns the leisure centre, has been taking the opportunity to carry out additional repairs and surveys on the pool while it is empty. This has revealed a new problem which requires additional structural work to the pool. This further work is expected to be finished by mid-February, with a new opening date to be confirmed as soon as possible.

Councillor Laura Smith, Babergh’s cabinet member for Thriving Communities, said: “We’re devastated that we’ve had to delay the pool reopening, and we are sorry for the additional disruption.

“We announced a reopening date with full confidence, and it was unexpected when the survey said this additional work was needed.

While it is deeply frustrating that we now have a delay, it is unavoidable. We want the pool to reopen as soon as possible, but we have to put people’s health and safety first.”

The additional work will mean the wave machine is temporarily out of action when it reopens.