Due to escalating safety concerns with an increasing number of surface tiles become loose at, the main swimming pool and learner pools at Carmarthen Leisure Centre, Carmarthenshire County Council has taken the necessary decision to close both pools from 14 April 2025 to allow for essential repairs to be carried out.

The repair work is expected to take approximately 3 months to complete.

Unfortunately, there is never a good time to undertake such works, however, the escalating risk has meant these planned works have had to be brought forward to be completed as soon as possible.  

We understand this will be disappointing news, however this difficult decision has been made to ensure the long-term safety and quality of our facilities for all users.

It will be closed from Monday 14th April for approximately 3 months.

The 3-month closure of both pool is necessary to carry out a full refurbishment, which involves several crucial steps including draining, resurfacing, lining, and refilling. This work is complex and requires careful timing to ensure the pools are properly prepared for future use. While we understand that 3 months sounds like a long time, it’s essential to get the best possible results for a safer, smoother, and more enjoyable swimming experience.

Fully refurbishing both pools at Carmarthen Leisure Centre is a complex process that requires precision at every stage. Here’s a breakdown of what’s happening:

Step-by-Step Process

• Draining the Pools (First 2 Weeks)
  Draining the pools isn’t as simple as pulling the plug! With such a large volume of water, removing it too quickly could put pressure on the pool structure and even risk wall collapse. That’s why this step must be done slowly and carefully over two weeks.
• Tile Removal
  Every single tile needs to be removed—much of it by manual labour. This is a big job that takes time to do properly.
• Drying the Concrete (7–10 Days)
  Once the tiles are off, the concrete underneath needs to be fully dry before new lining is applied. Concrete is porous, meaning it soaks up water over time. During this stage, you may not see contractors on-site, but rest assured—this drying process is crucial and cannot be rushed.
• Resurfacing the Pools (7–10 Days)
  A fresh cement render is applied to all surfaces—walls, floors, and steps—to create a strong foundation. This also needs time to dry fully before we move to the next stage.

• Lining & Finishing
  Once the pools are dry, we move into the detailed lining process:
• Base coat of epoxy resin applied and dried
• Fibreglass sheeting installed (with the dimpled texture), needs time to dry
• Two layers of epoxy paint, with approx 72-hour drying time between each coat
• Final top coat applied, including pool line markers (up to a week for completion) and again needs time to dry

• Refilling the Pools (approx. 2 weeks)
  Just like draining, refilling must be done slowly to protect the pool structure. This can take over two weeks. To put that into perspective:
  🚰 If you filled it using a standard household tap, it would take nearly two months of non-stop running water!
  🛁 If you filled a 150-litre bathtub every day, it would take over 9years to match the amount of water needed!

• Water Treatment & Gradual Heating
  Once filled, the water needs careful chemical treatment and the temperature must be increased slowly to avoid damaging the new lining.

Additional Upgrades

While the pool is closed, we’re also using this time to:
✔️ Carry out essential maintenance in the plant room
✔️ Perform maintenance work in the male and female toilets, addressing the current drainage issues that have caused standing water and an unpleasant smell. This will be looked at and resolved for an improved experience.

Once all of this work is done we hope you have a safer, smoother, and more enjoyable swimming experience!

We truly appreciate your patience while this vital work is completed, and we can’t wait to welcome you back!

Amman Valley, Llanelli, Llandovery Swimming Pools

When we initially close the pool on 14 April, the Health Suite will also be closed as we create a safe route for customers to access the area. We will keep you updated on access arrangements to the health suite and its reopening date shortly.

Due to escalating safety concerns with an increasing number of surface tiles become loose at the main swimming pool and learner pools at Carmarthen Leisure Centre, Carmarthenshire County Council has taken the necessary decision to close both pools from 14 April 2025 to allow for essential repairs to be carried out.

The repair work is expected to take approximately 3 months to complete.

Unfortunately, there is never a good time to undertake such works, however, the escalating risk has meant these planned works have had to be brought forward to be completed as soon as possible.

To be eligible for the options below, your home site must be Carmarthen Leisure Centre and attended at least one swimming session since January 2025.

Your options are…

1. 33% discount: From the 14 April 2025 until the pool reopens, you'll receive a 33% discount on your membership. This allows you to continue using your membership, including access to our other pools at Amman Valley, Llanelli, Llandovery, or Newcastle Emlyn.
2. Freeze your membership: We know travelling to other sites may not be convenient for everyone, so the other option would be to freeze your membership from 14 April for 3 months and your membership will restart automatically when we reopen.
3. Cancel your membership: While you have the option to cancel, we recommend freezing instead. This way, you avoid re-joining fees and can easily return once the pool is back in use.

Yes, for members who have used the pool at least once, you will receive a 33% discount on your membership while the maintenance work is carried out.

Your April direct debit payment (on 1st April) will reflect this 33% discount. However, we understand that you may not wish to continue swimming at our alternative leisure centres. If you prefer to freeze your membership instead, please let us know.

If you choose to freeze, we can then credit the amount taken in April Direct Debit collection and apply this credit when the pool reopens.

We understand you may have questions about what this means for your child's Learn to Swim sessions or adult swimming lessons.

We plan to freeze Learn to Swim membership Direct Debits from 1st May.

Your Options

1. Continue at another site – If you wish your child to continue with their swimming lessons at another location, we would love to arrange this. If this is your preferred option, please complete the below form so we can check availability at your preferred site. While we can’t guarantee slots for everyone, we’ll do our best!  Only complete the form if you intend on continuing lessons at another leisure centre. If not, you don’t need to do anything.

Click here to access the form

2. Take a break – we understand that travelling to another centre may not suit you and therefore you may want pause lessons until we reopen Carmarthen Leisure Centre’s pools. If this applies to you, don’t worry, we’ll freeze your Learn to Swim membership automatically and keep a place for you in the programme. When we get closer to reopening the pool, we’ll be in touch to confirm if you'd like to continue with your lessons.

We understand that if you occasionally swim at Carmarthen Leisure Centre, the closure may be an inconvenience. However, if your home site for your membership is Amman Valley, Llanelli, Llandovery, St Clears, or Newcastle Emlyn, we are unable to offer a discounted rate. The discount only applies to those who use the pool as part of their Carmarthen Leisure Centre membership