Forfar leads the return of swimming as library services also set to resume in Angus

Angus swimmers are back in the pool for the first time since March.

Forfar community campus has led the way with a resumption of public lane swimming, but leisure chiefs have said the return of family fun, inflatable sessions and aqua aerobics will remain on hold.

Arbroath sports centre, Brechin community campus and Montrose sports centre are all scheduled to re-open on October 12, with swim club sessions set to return a week later.

Operators Angus Alive have put in place tight safety measures to ensure pools are Covid secure, including the need for swimmers to arrive “pool ready”.

Specially allocated containers and cubicles to store clothing and change after use are in place and customers also have to book and pay for sessions online in advance.

Angus Alive senior manager for sport and leisure, Colin Knight said: “We know that some people will be disappointed that we are not able to provide family swim sessions, lessons, inflatables or aqua aerobics at the moment but we’d like to reassure people that we hope to be able to offer these at some point in the future.”

Angus Alive began reopening its sports centres from September 14 and they have so far welcomed more than 8,100 visitors through their doors.

Customer income from leisure facilities accounts for almost 90% of Angus Alive’s operating costs and it has been effectively wiped from the balance sheet since the March lockdown.

Angus Alive’s hopes of achieving a 17% savings target by 2023 have been wrecked by the crisis and a radical redesign of services is in the planning.

Meanwhile, the authority has announced the return of drop-in services at local libraries for people who cannot access the council’s services online or by phone.

Arbroath library will be first to offer Access services from October 5, followed by the other burgh libraries in the coming two weeks.

Angus communities convener, Montrose independent councillor Mark Salmond said: “Wherever possible, we want people to use our digital services. This is more important now than it has ever been as we all try to minimise face-to-face contact during the coronavirus pandemic.

“But we also realise that the Access service provided in Angus Alive libraries are an important lifeline for a small minority of our citizens who, for whatever, reason cannot access our services online or by phone.”

The move follows concerns raised by Arbroath independent councillor Lois Speed that the vulnerable were being placed at further risk by being unable to get through to the council’s Access hotline.