St Annes paddling pool set to make a splash again after repairs funding agreed

Friday, 18 September 2026 16:32

By Central Radio News

Essential repairs will be carried out on the paddling pool at St Annes after funding was agreed by Fylde Council.

The attraction in Promenade Gardens, first built in 1912 as a boating pool beside the Grade II listed bandstand, was closed this summer after surface cracks turned out to run far deeper than first thought.

Investigations found water had worked beneath the historic structure after decades of use, weakening the layers below and creating a safety risk for children. Rather than patch over the damage and risk failure again, the Council chose a thorough repair that tackles the problem at its root.

£86,284.35, funded from the council’s Capital Investment Reserve, will pay for the repair carried out by specialist contractor GJN & Son Ltd – removing the damaged material, rebuilding the base and finishing with a fresh coat of paint carefully colour-matched to the pool’s classic blue.

Councillor Jayne Nixon, Lead Member for Tourism, Leisure and Culture, said: “This paddling pool has been bringing joy to St Annes families for well over a century, so it was vital we got this repair right rather than rushing a quick fix that wouldn’t last.

“I’d like to thank our officers and contractors for their hard work getting to the bottom of a genuinely tricky problem, and I’m really looking forward to seeing children splashing about here again.’’

The pool will now stay closed over winter and reopen fresh for the start of the 2027 season.

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