Penrith Swimming Club fights GLL Learn to Swim ban

Penrith Swimming Club says it could cease to exist if it loses its ability to deliver children’s swimming lessons at Penrith Leisure Centre. The club believes GLL's move to prohibit its long-running Learn to Swim programme is an existential threat to the pathway that brings in new members.

Luke Brown, a club representative, stated the core issue. "Learn to Swim brings the next generation into PSC. Remove that pathway and, ultimately, Penrith Swimming Club could cease to exist." He argued the dispute is about more than lessons. It concerns whether generations of community investment and a 145-year legacy can be erased by operational decisions.

History and community investment at stake

Penrith Swimming Club has existed since 1881. It has been based at the current leisure centre since it opened in 1971. During the 1990s, the club and local residents raised about £40,000 towards the construction of the Frenchfield Teaching Pool.

Club representatives say this history was dismissed by GLL’s Partnership Manager for Westmorland and Furness, who called it 'not relevant' to discussions. Brown found this stance difficult to accept. He said generations of local people volunteered, fundraised, and invested in swimming facilities, only to be told their club's history does not matter while its teaching future is threatened.

GLL cites commercial concerns and seeks sole control

Freedom of Information disclosures reveal GLL's commercial reasoning. In correspondence with the council, GLL stated the club’s provision 'undermines our program and efforts to grow the swimming lessons membership'. The same correspondence noted 'a commercial element to this'.

GLL wants a single beginner offer for swimming lessons and announced it would be the sole provider of Learn to Swim at the pool. This position was formalised in a new booking form presented to the club, which states: 'Pool hire is for social, recreational and competitive purposes only. The teaching of swimming is not permitted.' GLL has apologised for how the initial situation was handled.

Timeline of escalation and ongoing talks

The dispute became public in August. GLL told the club its junior Learn to Swim sessions would not be authorised to restart after the summer break, with an initial deadline of September 1. That ultimatum was later withdrawn, and the timetable was moved to January 2027 while discussions continued.

Brown described a frustrating process. After GLL apologised and acknowledged a lack of proper understanding, the parties entered talks about coexistence. Now, before that work is complete, the club has been presented with new paperwork banning the teaching of swimming. "The goalposts appear to have been moved again," Brown said.

Westmorland and Furness Council says the review is part of a wider standardisation process across GLL’s leisure portfolio. It confirms the review concerns only PSC’s beginner Learn to Swim programme, not its competitive swimming, talent pathways, or club-ready sessions. The council is working with GLL, PSC, and Swim England to find a way forward, exploring options for either a single GLL-run programme or separate programmes.

Council’s role and club’s position

While the council describes Penrith Swimming Club as a 'long-standing' and 'valued partner', it has not guaranteed the club’s programme will continue. At a full council meeting, Cllr Vicky Hughes, cabinet member for planning and active wellbeing, did not provide a guarantee when asked. She said the council's role is not to determine operational arrangements but to support a process for a balanced outcome.

Brown questions the council's position as the owner of Penrith Leisure Centre. He notes the council described itself as involved in an unresolved review in August but now says it does not determine operational arrangements, even as its contractor introduces a teaching ban.

The club, which spends around £40,000 annually on pool hire, says it is not seeking to stop GLL from running its own lessons. It wants both programmes to have a genuine opportunity to operate alongside each other. A petition backing the club’s campaign has gained more than 2,500 signatures. Further discussions will determine whether both programmes can continue at the centre.