DON'T let the sun go down on Ilkley Pool and Lido - that's the message from the campaign to save the town's famous outdoor pool.
The plea was issued as more than 400 people took part in the annual Summer Solstice Swim last week to mark the mid-point of the year.
It's the 11th time the Lido has opened at 4.45am on the longest day to allow people to welcome the sunrise on this auspicious and ancient date in the calendar.
But despite the great turn-out, Ilkley Pool and Lido is under threat from the need to save £1.25 million from Bradford Council's budget over the next year.
The local authority has been carrying out a review of leisure services across the Bradford district and the Lido is one of the facilities that has been scrutinised as the subject of a potential cost-cutting measure.
Prof Becky Malby, chair of the Ilkley Pool and Lido Community Group, which has been set up to fight for the facility to stay, said: "It is now a matter of weeks before Bradford Council announces the results of its review of leisure services across Bradford.
"All the pools in the Bradford district are being scrutinised to see which will be saved, which will close, and which will enter into discussions for community takeover.
"The Pool and Lido are a vital part of our town's identity and economy, and a vital resource for the health and wellbeing of people living in Bradford district, and West Yorkshire."
The Ilkley Pool and Lido Community Group has been established to secure its future, by working with Bradford Council to increase usage and income and reduce costs immediately, and by developing proposals for community ownership if needed.
The Community Group carried out its own survey of Pool and Lido users to gauge how well it is used and to foster ideas that might help to secure its future, which garnered 745 responses.
Among the ideas suggested by respondents to make improvements to the Pool and Lido were having the indoor pool open from 6am and for longer periods over the weekends.
Other ideas included a longer season for the Lido, and a cafe serving “better coffee and food, open for the indoor pool users and to passing trade”.
There were also suggestions that the Lido should host more events to make it a destination for a wider audience, and that generally there should be better marketing to get across information about opening times and season tickets.
Prof Malby said: "Visitors came from across West Yorkshire, setting their alarms for 3.30am to be here for the Solstice Swim. But it is not just the Lido that matters, the pool is also unable to meet the demand for swimming.
"We have 145 plus swimmers aged from 8 to over 65 plus swimming up to three times a week in our swimming club. The waiting list for swimming lessons currently stands at 246 people waiting and shows how much people here need our pool.
"We are expecting the review findings to be presented at the Bradford Council executive meeting on the 17th July for consultation.
"The Ilkley Pool and Lido Community Group is holding a public meeting on the 18th July at Ilkley Grammar School to discuss the review findings, and you can sign up to take part from our websiteilkleylidoandpool.co.uk. Our Pool. Our heritage. Lets keep it afloat."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here