Wine bottle smash causes pool closure

On Saturday, July 13, Arc Leisure staff were called to the Main Pool after a Matlock and District Swimming Club official dropped a bottle of wine on the poolside causing it to shatter near the edge of the pool.

The club had hired the pool for a swimming gala and as part of the hire agreement – take and accept full responsibility for the event.

Unfortunately, one Swimming Club official made a serious error in taking a glass bottle of wine onto the pool side. Its breakage resulted in the closure of both the main pool and teaching pool.

A club spokesperson said: “I am totally embarrassed by what happened and send my sincerest apologies to the council and all the people who have missed out on using the facility.”

A deep clean was ordered for both pools and bosses initially estimated things would be back to normal by Monday afternoon.

The teaching pool reopened on Tuesday but staff have still not been able to establish whether the main pool is glass-free.

It means the pool – which has eight lanes and is 25 metres long – could now have to be emptied.

A district council spokesperson said: “It is disappointing that the main pool at Arc has had to close as a result of one irresponsible Swimming Club official, especially with school summer holidays just around the corner.

“Our facilities are hired out in a manner where the there is a level of expectancy and responsibility required from the Hirer; unfortunately on this occasion, this hasn’t been taken seriously enough”.

“We are unable, at this stage, to give a date for the reopening of the Main Pool as cleaning and inspections are still ongoing. However, those inspections have so far been encouraging and we looking to reopen as soon as possible. We hope that our swimmers appreciate the position the District Council has been placed in. We do apologise to swimmers for this closure and the inconvenience it causes, since safety is our primary concern we cannot reopen until we are assured there is no glass in the Main Pool”.

Despite the temporary closure of the Main Pool, the teaching pool and Blueberry Café remain open along with the centre’s other facilities.