MORE than 150 protesters turned up for Lydney Town Council's Monday meeting at which the future of Bathurst open-air swimming pool was raised.
Organiser Jane Matthews said she and her committee fighting to open the pool through summer were overwhelmed by the support shown by the people of Lydney even though notice had been short.
"It was wonderful – people really reacted well. There is so much support out there," she said.
"Our petition has now reached 2,500 and still more are signing."
No decision on the future of the pool was made during the meeting but the issue was raised in public questions, including a query about the terms of the deed giving the pool and land to the town.
Mrs Matthews said her group was in the process of obtaining a pools operating licence, which was one of the requirements for opening the pool for a six-week period, but the major stumbling block of public liability insurance remained.
At the moment it did not look as if the council was prepared to offer any help with this matter, and they had been told that reopening the pool could add nine per cent to the town's council tax precept .
"That's roughly 9p per person per year, which hardly seems a lot," said Mrs Matthews.
She said that in addition to Monday's meeting they had also talked with the original town pool committee members who were asking for a 100 per cent guarantee to provide funding and labour.
"However they have not given us actual costs. We need to know this before we can work things out," she said.
On Monday the council queried the make up of the protest group and details of this were being forwarded, said Mrs Matthews – then it was very much a matter of waiting for the council to come back on the issue.