BOSSES at the troubled Five Rivers leisure centre are warning of regular pool closures over the summer holidays due to staff shortages.

Since Salisbury district council took over the running of the facility two months ago, it has struggled to recruit lifeguards and catering staff, resulting in many disappointed customers.

The beach pool, teaching pool and cafe have been the worst casualties, and are often forced to close at weekends and weekday afternoons.

There have also been complaints about cold showers and lack of cleanliness and, while the council says there have been many improvements, it accepts that there is a long way to go.

"Staff recruitment has been a real problem," said general manager Rick Weston.

"It means we are not able to offer our full programme.

"We are running lifeguard training courses and the situation will improve but, with the police and medical checks that also need to be carried out, it all takes time.

"There will have to be pool closures over the weekends and summer holidays, because health and safety must be our number one priority."

Despite the reduced facilities, the council has no plans to cut the £3.10 and £1.90 swimming charges.

"It is not something we are considering at the moment," said Mr Weston.

"We have a notice board displaying which pools are open before people go in, so they can make up their own minds.

"It isn't the standard of service we'd like, but turning this pool round is a large undertaking."

The council says staff morale, opportunities for customer feedback and maintenance have already improved since the previous operator, Leisure Connection, moved out in April. Some sports equipment has been replaced and engineers have tried to discover the problem with the showers, without success.

"We often focus on the negatives but we have to remember this is a great facility," said Councillor John Cole-Morgan.

"It is very reasonably priced, can be used by anyone and is a real asset to the city, which would be hard to match."

But a disgruntled Journal reader doesn't agree: "It is ridiculous to suggest that people simply turn round and go home if the pool they want to use is closed," she said.

"How do you explain to a child that the swim they have been looking forward to is off?

"The least the council could do as a gesture of good will would be to offer a discount off the price for each facility that is not open.

"Over the past bank holiday weekend, I went three times, and not once were all the facilities I had paid for available. I was charged full price and told to take my six-year-old into the adult pool.

"But she is not a confident swimmer yet and being thrown in with adults is no way to encourage her to enjoy learning to swim."

Details of the imminent pool closures will be posted on the district council's website at www.salisbury.gov.uk