No formal proposals yet for future of closed pool
THE CHIEF executive of Shetland Recreational Trust (SRT) says he is not aware of any formal proposals for retaining or repurposing the closed Scalloway swimming pool.
Robert Geddes added that any updates on the future plans for the building will be communicated in due course.
The building closed at the end of March amid opposition from a community campaign group, with the SRT saying it needed to shut one of its eight facilities to remain financially sustainable.
When asked for an update on the status of the building, Geddes said: “In the initial press release communicated back in January 2026, it did state that the trustees invited interested parties to participate in discussions to explore how the building can be retained or repurposed as a valuable part of the Scalloway community’s future.
“To date, I’m not aware of any formal proposals of this nature.
“The trustees agreed to protect the fabric of the building by maintaining some services for a period to allow for these considerations to be explored.
“We will communicate any updates on future plans over the next period.”
The timeframe on how long the SRT will maintain the building is expected to feature in future communication.
One criticism over the closure process was the timing, with the news announced in January and the pool having its last session at the end of March.
Campaigners felt this did not give enough time for any interested parties to consider any potential solutions.
The SRT said in March that it had “carefully considered” requests from the community for a one-year extension at Scalloway, but trustees of the charity said it would not have resolved the “underlying structural position” and would have risked the position of other SRT facilities.
It also said a delay in closure would have kept pressure on a “staffing model that isn’t viable to operate eight facilities”.
The SRT said it instead requested that core funder Shetland Charitable Trust reconsider its multi-year funding package to maintain operations across eight facilities.
But the charitable trust said it had to reluctantly turn down the request as it could “put at risk our guaranteed funding to other community organisations.”.
The topic got an airing at recent Shetland Islands Council meeting, where some elected members felt a report on the matter did not go far enough – with frustration simmering at an “impasse” in the situation.
The report said there was “no long-term sustainable plan” to maintain the pool.
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