Scuba club swims off to new waters

9:29am Friday 12th January 2007

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A SCUBA diving club that has been running for more than 15 years has had to move because its pool is closing.

Scuba diving instructor Mark Horton, of Sea Horse Diving Club, moved back from the Caribbean and set up the club for diving fans to practice at the Lime Kiln leisure centre in Wootton Bassett.

But with the Lime Kiln set to close in two months' time because of funding problems, the club has moved to the Ridgeway leisure centre in Wroughton.

Mark said meetings could see anywhere between five and 30 scuba fans come along each Saturday to the Lime Kiln.

Now the group, which has 50 members, will meet on Wednesday evenings instead. But Mark hopes it will not deter people from coming along.

The 41-year-old, who has been a scuba diving instructor for more than 20 years, said: "The facilities at Lime Kiln are fantastic, the pool is fantastic, it's a real shame it's going to close.

"I've had bad vibes from Lime Kiln for a while and suspected it would close down. And now that it is almost certain, I thought if we don't find somewhere new soon we are going to be stuck."

Club members will have to pay an extra £5 on top of their £80 annual membership fee, but will get an hour less time in the water every week.

But Mark doesn't think members will be put off using the new venue.

"There are lots of scuba diving instructors in the area, but no other clubs like this, where people can come and practice their skills and try out their equipment between holidays," he said.

"The manager here, Chris Powton, is a great guy and runs a tight ship and he managed to find us a slot even though they are already really busy, so we are really grateful."

Cash-strapped North Wilts Leisure Ltd which runs Cricklade, Wootton Bassett and Calne leisure centres, announced plans to shut all three leisure centres in November when North Wiltshire District Council confirmed it could not continue subsidising the company.

It prompted hundreds of protesters to vent their opposition at public meetings and protests in the towns concerned.

But just a week later, NWL granted the sports centres a stay of execution by confirming it would keep them open until March 31.

And just two days before Christmas, more than 300 Lime Kiln protesters staged the latest in a series of demonstrations when they released orange balloons after forming a life ring around the centre.

The Save Our Sports campaign has been backed by North Wiltshire MP James Gray and campaigners are set to hold another protest against the Lime Kiln closure on January 23.

For more information about the campaign log onto www.save limekiln. co.uk