By Dave Lord

THERE HAS been an alarming slump in visitor numbers at Perth Leisure Pool—but figures show it remains one of Scotland’s most popular attractions.

Use of the pool dramatically fell by 35,000 over the last year—a decrease of 15% on the previous 12 months.

While admitting the “honeymoon” is over following 16 years of operation, not-for-profit contractor Perth and Kinross Leisure (PKL) insists the pool is continuing to exceed expectations.

When it first opened, almost 750,000 people passed through the leisure pool’s doors, but now the annual figure lies at around 400,000.

“In the period up to the end of September, Perth Leisure Pool saw total use fall by some 35,000,” said a PKL spokesman. “An analysis of usage patterns shows that this decline is due to a reduction in casual swimming, in particular by visitors.”

He added, “This is a trend that the pool has been aware of over the last 15 years since the initial ‘honeymoon’ period when the facility was virtually the only leisure pool of its kind in Scotland.

“Demographic and social factors, the growth in the number of competing visitor attractions and changes in leisure behavioural patterns have contributed to a situation where a fall in the numbers attending the pool was inevitable.”

PKL is keeping abreast of changes to ensure the pool remains popular.

“The numbers now achieved (around 400,000 per annum) are actually at the level that was predicted for the pool prior to it opening and mean that it remains one of the busiest attractions of its kind in Scotland,” the spokesman said. “The late 80s and early 90s saw the appeal of leisure pools reach their peak as many similar facilities were built throughout the country.

“Recent trends have seen a switch back to the provision of more traditional ‘tank’ style pools and indeed demand for recreational lane swimming in the training pool is now often greater than for the ‘free form’ leisure pool.

“PKL has taken steps to address this decline and initiatives such as the introduction in 2004 of a new national swimming lesson programme resulted in a 45% increase in uptake over six months.”

The spokesman said that as well as the fall in casual swimming, there is evidence, both locally and nationally, of a drop off in participation in traditional sports.

To counter this, the company has continued to expand the Motiv8 activity programme and invested in gym provision at Rodney Fitness Centre and Loch Leven Leisure in Kinross.

“As a consequence of this pro- active approach, ‘dry use’ (excludes swimming) across the company increased by some 20% over the last year,” he added.