Kirkcudbright Swimming Pool will remain closed until 2023 and a funding dispute is resolved.
Crisis talks were held in the town’s Johnston Centre yesterday in a bid to find a solution.
The three parties involved – Kirkcudbright Swimming Pool (KSP), Friends of Kirkcudbright Swimming Pool and Kirkcudbright Development Trust – took part in the meeting.
And there are hopes that they will be able to thrash out an agreement at a further meeting next week.
The key issue was the division of profits from the council-owned Silvercraigs Caravan Park to which the trust holds the lease.
Pool staff under manager Colin Wyper operate the facility which is now a highly profitable operation.
The News understands the pool was handed £8,000 of the park’s £79,500 annual profits – despite staff being responsible for its success.
Under a separate management agreement the pool is also paid £30,000 annually to cover staff and other costs at the site.
Speaking after the meeting, KSP chairman Brian Matthews indicated a way forward might be found.
He said: “At present the pool will not be opening before Christmas. People deserve to know that.
“It was an amicable meeting between representatives of Kirkcudbright Development Trust and Friends of Kirkcudbright Swimming Pool. There was also a representative from Silvercraigs Caravan Park present.
“The Friends have asked for a five-year business plan from the pool before we get money from the investment account the Friends hold for us. Our board has also been asked to look at savings and increase the swimming pool fees.
“Kirkcudbright Development Trust has offered to take back to their next meeting an increase in our share of the caravan site profits.
“They will see what they can afford. We are only getting ten per cent at the moment which just does not cut it.
“KSP does not feel that’s a fair share of those profits.
“We have requested that money be released in time to pay the December staff wages.”
The pool had been looking for 75 per cent but Mr Matthews would not be drawn on what any potential deal would look like.
The KSP board will meet later this week to discuss next steps.
And the three groups will hold talks again next Wednesday at the same venue.
Meanwhile, in what has been a dramatic week, pool manager Colin Wyper quit on Friday.
Mr Wyper told the News: “I have resigned and am trying to put it out of my mind. It has driven me crazy for three or four months now. I have done all I can.
“The pool closure never needed to happen. I have lost my job – I did not want to resign. But I could not work for a company with certain individuals involved.”
