Saturday March 21st 2026
Laidlaw Memorial Pool
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A community-backed effort to save a Borders swimming pool is heading in the right direction, councillors will learn next week.
Laidlaw Memorial Pool closed following the insolvency of Jedburgh Leisure Facilities Trust in November 2024.
The pool has remained closed since that time, however, the facility continues to be maintained by the council and is classed as a vacant building within the non-operational estate.
Community engagement undertaken as part of the options appraisal confirmed a strong level of community attachment to the facility, alongside repeated calls for the swimming pool to reopen.
Last year an Integratis consultation report proposed that the pool should remain closed, with options for permanent closure, disposal and Community Asset Transfer (CAT) assessed and scored as part of the appraisal process.
The council subsequently agreed at its meeting in November last year that officers should support a community steering group in developing a business plan for the reopening of the pool, including the requirements necessary to bring the facility back into operation.
Ongoing support has been provided to the community steering group by South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) and SBC, including financial assistance to develop a business plan and verify costs.
The community steering group is being supported to develop a viable business plan for the facility.
Now the group is taking steps to become constituted under the name “Jed Valley Swim”, this will also include recruiting skilled trustees who can oversee the project through to delivery.
A report to a meeting of full council on Thursday, March 26, states: “Work is ongoing to liaise with Live Borders and share learning from other leisure facilities including Duns Pool in an effort to ensure the proposed operational management approach is sustainable.
“The Jedburgh Borderlands Town Investment Plan has been approved, and this includes the re-opening of the pool as a short-listed Borderlands Place Programme project for the town.
“The group expect to have concluded the business plan by May, allowing time to complete detailed financial modelling, develop operational planning and gather the information required to ensure the plan is robust, deliverable, and aligned with the requirements for establishing a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO).”
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