Portishead pool trust is handed the keys

Campaigners who fought to save Portishead's Open Air Pool from closure have been handed the keys.

North Somerset Council representatives have given the keys to the lido, one of the only remaining open-air pools in the South West, to pool campaign leader Roger Whitfield.

The handover follows on from the successful Save the Open Air Pool (STOP) campaign, backed by the Post, which was launched last year after North Somerset Council announced it was going to close the pool because it was costing £130,000 each year to run.

As a result of the campaign the Portishead Pool Community Trust in the hopes of taking over the running of the attraction.

And earlier this month, following weeks of negotiations, the council agreed to lease the pool to the trust.

The trust now has been granted a 12-month lease, which will be extended to 99 years when it is renewed next spring.

Mr Whitfield said: "To finally have the keys to the pool in our hands is a fantastic achievement.

"We could not have won the campaign and taken over control of the pool without the tremendous backing of the local community. We are really excited that now work can start to get the pool ready for the enjoyment of the people who fought so hard to save it."

Inspections of the pool to assess the work needed to get the attraction open for business for the summer 2009 season on May 23 are now being carried out.

The trust is also expecting to hear by the end of the month if it has been chosen for a makeover for a UKTV show.