Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon Pools Stay Shut

Three popular paddling pools in North Yorkshire are temporarily closed after maintenance checks found drainage concerns that need further investigation.

The closures affect the Valley Gardens paddling pool in Harrogate, the Bebra Gardens paddling pool in Knaresborough and the Borrage Green paddling pool in Ripon. Engineers are due to visit the sites later this week, with reopening timescales depending on what those inspections find.

North Yorkshire Council said it hopes the issue can be resolved before the school summer holidays begin in mid-July, but the pools will stay shut while the checks and safety work are carried out.

Three family pools affected by the closure

The temporary closures apply to:

The pools are well-used by families during warm weather, particularly on weekends, bank holidays and school breaks. Their closure meant they were not available for the recent Bank Holiday, when demand would normally be expected to rise.

Families planning short visits, picnics or park days around these pools should check for updates before travelling, as there is not yet a confirmed reopening date for any of the three sites.

Drainage system concerns found during maintenance

The council said the issue was identified during a more stringent inspection process introduced after responsibility for the venues came under its control.

The concern relates to the drainage system. Further investigation is needed before the pools can move through the usual annual maintenance process and be cleared for public use.

That means the closures are precautionary rather than part of a scheduled public reopening delay. The council has linked the decision directly to public safety, saying the pools will remain closed until the drainage issue has been resolved.

For paddling pools, drainage is a basic safety and hygiene requirement. If water cannot be drained, refreshed or managed properly, operators need to understand the fault before allowing public use, especially where young children are the main users.

Engineers due on site later this week

Engineers are expected to visit Valley Gardens, Bebra Gardens and Borrage Green later this week. Their findings will shape how long the closures continue and what work is needed at each location.

At this stage, the council has not given separate timelines for Harrogate, Knaresborough or Ripon. The same broad position applies across all three pools: inspections first, then any necessary drainage work, followed by the usual annual maintenance before reopening.

The council said it hopes to have the situation resolved by the start of the school summer holidays in mid-July. That date matters for parents and carers because the pools are free or low-cost outdoor leisure facilities typically used during the busiest family period of the year.

If the inspections find more complex repairs are needed, the closure period could extend. If the required work is limited, the pools may be able to reopen once the drainage issue and normal maintenance checks are complete.

Council says safety is the priority

Karl Battersby, North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director for environment, said the authority had taken a more thorough approach to inspecting sites of this kind.

He said engineers had identified a potential issue with the drainage system that needed further investigation, and that the council’s priority was public safety.

“Once the issue has been resolved, the pools will undergo their usual annual maintenance to ensure they are safe and ready to use,” Battersby said.

He added that the council understood how valued the facilities are by local families, especially during warmer weather, and said work was under way to resolve the situation as quickly and safely as possible.

Further updates are expected once engineers have completed their site visits and the council has assessed what work is needed at each pool.

Source: North Yorkshire Council