Abingdon pool announces opening after residents frustration

Abbey Meadows Outdoor Pool, in Abingdon, failed to reopen as temperatures soared to 30C over the bank holiday weekend.

The Radcliffe Meteorological Station in Oxford said it was “a record breaking day” with a provisional May maximum of 33.4C, 2.8C above the previous 1944 record.

In a statement on Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the outdoor pool said: “We are delighted to announce that we plan to open Abbey Meadows in mid-June, on a dynamic programme subject to weather conditions, as trialled in 2025.

“Whilst this faced its challenges last year, and with costs continuing to grow, we are doing all we can to ensure that we maximise the potential of this fantastic facility.

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Abbey Meadows outdoor pool (Image: Oxford Mail)

“The contract we have to operate Abbey Meadows is for the summer school holidays only and we are continuing to seek additional funding to help the pool open earlier.

“More details will follow in the coming weeks so please keep your eyes on our social media.”

Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL), which operates the pool under the brand Better UK, said it had planned to reopen on July 18.

“We schedule reopening to coincide with the beginning of the school summer holidays, when we know the pool will be busy,” it said in a statement.

“However, if the current warm weather continues, we are exploring the option of opening early, in mid-June this year.

“This would be the minimum turnaround time, to get the pool, cleaned, operational and fully staffed.”

The plash pad and kiosk at the pool opened last weekend.