MAYOR Charles Vernon says he had been kept in the dark on next week's opening of Malmesbury's new swimming pool. As a row broke out about publicity for the £2 million building he admitted he did not know the pool was opening its doors on Monday.

North Wiltshire District Council claims mail shots advertising the opening time of the pool were sent out to 7,400 homes on Tuesday.

But it has come under fire for leaving its publicity campaign so late.

Speaking yesterday, Mr Vernon said: "I have received nothing as of yet. I would have hoped that there may have been something about the opening. I don't know anything about it."

Excitement has been building over the last few months as work on the pool, adjacent to the Activity Zone on Bremilham Road,neared completion.

But there was concern in the town that more had not been done to advertise the pool was finally opening at 7am on Monday.

Malmesbury Tourist Information Office said it had had no publicity material about the opening and only knew the date after looking at North Wiltshire District Council's website.

County councillor John Thomson, who is on the Activity Zone management committee said the opening had not been well organised.

He said: "I am as much in the dark about the pool as the people of Malmesbury seem to be.

"I think the publicity has been mishandled. There should have been a big opening for the pool."

Town councillor Judy Jones also said she was surprised more had not been done to advertise such a major new leisure facility in the town.

She said: "I have heard nothing about the pool. There should have been more publicity about it.

"I am potentially a regular user of the pool. It is wonderful that we have got it. I just hope enough people know about it to make it the success it deserves to be."

But North Wiltshire District Council hit back at claims it had not promoted the opening.

Spokesman Paul Langcaster said it had delayed sending mail shots until this week to avoid the pre-Christmas postal rush.

He said most of the town would have full details about opening times and schedules by the end of the week.

A banner will also be raised over The High Street in Malmesbury on Monday, promoting the opening day.

Mr Lancaster said: "I think it is unfair to say we haven't publicised the opening of the pool. Most people are aware that the pool was being built. It is a project that has been going on for some time.

Mr Lancaster added there would be a big opening later in the year at a date yet to be arranged.

He said this had been delayed to allow time to make sure the pool was up and running.

Martyn Dipper, sales and marketing officer at North Wiltshire Leisure Limited, the company charged with managing the pool, refused to comment on the lack of publicity for the pool. He said 300 people were already signed up for swimming lessons.

Although both North Wiltshire Leisure and the district council said they had issued press releases to the media, the Gazette had received nothing this week.

Our reporter was also been unable to interview Michael Tansley who won a competition to be first to swim in the pool. An enquiry to the district council was referred to North Wiltshire Leisure and he was told the officer responsible, Barbara Gray, was on holiday

Mr Dipper would not issue him with the family's details.

Despite the criticism levelled at the promotion of the pool, local groups are already enthusiastic about the prospect of swimming in the state of the art indoor facility.

All Malmesbury's schools have allotted swimming time, and Malmesbury School will be first to use the 25m long by 8.5m wide four-lane pool at 9.15 on Monday morning.

Ann Napper, head of PE said: "Year 7 are very excited about their first swimming lesson.

"From a school's point of view it is very much looked forward to as a way of extending the curriculum.

The Marlins swimming club will have three training sessions a week at the pool which will mean the end of travelling to train at the pools in Chippenham and Cirencester during the winter months.

Members feel the pool's movable floor, one of the few in the country, which allows the depth to be changed, will be a boon to the younger swimmers.

Marlins spokeswoman Barbara Maidment said: "The kids are all very excited about it. They can't wait.

"We have youngster as young as five who will be able to use the pool because of the movable floor which is great."

The pool will be open from 7am to 10pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 6pm at the weekend.

Some times have been booked for groups. Call The Activity Zone on (01666) 822533 for more information.