Sunderland Aquatic Centre boss pledges customer care after complaints over pool's temperature and facilities

The pledge came complaints were raised about the temperature of the water at the main pool and the removal of the steps used by customers to climb in and out at the Aquatic Centre.

Customers have also complained about issues with the showers not working and the lockers not accepting tokens.

Steve Dougal, General Manager at Sunderland Aquatic Centre, pledged to “offer as much notice as possible” to families who attend the pool before repairs are carried out.

He said: “We have recently reconfigured the layout of our pool slightly, but have continually ensured our members can access steps to get in and out of the pool safely.

“The temperature of the pool is tested six times a day to ensure it is always within the correct range of 28-29°C for the main pool, and within 29-30°C for the dive tank.

“We value feedback from our customers and take utmost care to schedule any necessary maintenance work to our leisure facilities as and when required, offering as much notice as possible to customers ahead of repair works.”

The Aquatic Centre first opened to the public in 2008 at a cost of £20million and is run by Everyone Active on behalf of Sunderland City Council.

The centre is set to be closed for several months at some point this year so that major repair work can be carried out on the roof.

Leaks had been reported above the area of the pool, and buckets were laid out around the spectator area to catch drips.

The council has previously said there were also leaks elsewhere on the Stadium Park site, including the gym, plant room and the exercise studios overlooking the Olympic-sized pool.

Following further discussions between the council and Balfour Beatty, which built the centre and will be carrying out the repair works, the centre’s six to nine month closure has now been rescheduled for spring/summer 2020.

An out of court settlement was agreed between the council and the building firm after months of discussions last year.