If Maindee Pools Opened Today, Who Would Come?
It is a question I get asked fairly often by people who remember the building: if Maindee Pools were open today, how many people would actually come through the doors? I would love to give a neat figure, but I would only be guessing. What I can do is set out what would decide the answer, and compare it with the trouble other sporting venues around Newport have had in filling their sessions and seats.
Why I won't put a number on it
Maindee Pools closed in 2005, after opening in 1938. In all the years since, habits around swimming, leisure and money have changed. Any figure I quoted would be invented, so I would rather talk about the conditions that would shape attendance.
The building also has a complicated recent history. It suffered fires and passed through sales and restoration efforts, so any reopening would mean major work first. A pool is not like a field where you can put up the goalposts and start again.
What the struggling venues across Newport tell us
Newport has lost or seen decline in a number of sporting venues and grounds over the years. The reasons I see repeated are not usually a lack of affection for the place. They tend to be practical.
Running costs
A swimming pool is one of the most expensive public buildings to run. It needs heating, water treatment, lifeguards and constant maintenance. A venue can have a loyal following and still struggle if each session does not cover those costs.
Competition for people's time
Years ago, a local pool or ground was often the obvious place to spend an evening. Now people can choose between large leisure centres, gyms, home fitness and many other options. A venue has to give people a reason to choose it week after week, not just on special occasions.
Attendance driven by occasions
Some venues do well on big days and then sit quiet. I saw something like this at the Maindee Pools fun day, where the crowd showed how much goodwill there still was. A single busy day is not the same as steady use through a wet Tuesday in February.
What would work in Maindee's favour
- Location: it sits in a busy, densely populated part of the city, within easy reach of many homes on foot or by bus.
- Character: an art deco pool is a rare thing, and people value places with a story and a look of their own.
- Memories: generations of local people learned to swim there, and that goodwill would bring in the first visitors.
- Community backing: the fundraising and volunteer effort over the years shows people care about it.
What would work against it
- Size and age: an older, smaller pool cannot offer everything a modern leisure complex can, such as larger pools, flumes or on-site gyms.
- Restoration costs: a pool that has been closed for so long and damaged by fire would need a great deal of money before it could open safely.
- Novelty fading: the first year might be busy, but the harder test is the third or fourth.
The likely shape of visitor numbers
Without figures, I think the pattern would be the one most revived community venues follow, though I would not put it forward as a prediction.
| Stage | What I would expect |
|---|---|
| Opening months | Strong interest from people who remember it and want to see inside |
| Following year | A settling down, with attendance depending on the programme of sessions |
| Longer term | Steady use only if the pool is affordable to run and offers clear reasons to return |
The venues that survive are usually those that keep a mix of users: school lessons, clubs, casual swimmers and older people looking for gentle exercise. A pool that relies on only one of these is vulnerable.
Lessons from the old days
The pool in its heyday had swimming clubs, galas and water polo, and those regular groups gave it a heartbeat beyond casual visitors. If it ever returned, I would hope for the same: clubs and lessons as the backbone, with the public coming in around them.
My closing thoughts
So, how many visitors would there be? Honestly, I cannot say. I think curiosity and nostalgia would bring people in at first, and that the long-term picture would depend on costs, management and a good timetable rather than on affection alone. The struggles of other Newport sporting venues are a reminder that goodwill is a good start but not enough by itself.
I would be glad to hear what you think. Would you have gone back, and how often? Memories like yours are a big part of why I keep this archive going.