Seawater baths ‘won’t become a dinghy park’ (From Daily Echo)

Lymington seawater baths ‘won’t become a dinghy park’ say councillors

12:56pm Friday 20th July 2012 in New Forest By Chris Yandell, Chief Reporter, New Forest

COUNCIL chiefs have angrily denied that Lymington ’s famous seawater baths could be turned into a dinghy park.

Former mayor Martina Humber claimed that the Royal Lymington Yacht Club had persuaded the town council to consider converting the loss-making site into a storage area for boats.

But she was criticised by fellow members, who described her remarks as “absolutely outrageous”.

They were debating a recent decision to remove the current mayor, Cllr Jacqui England – a keen supporter of the lido – from the chairmanship of the seawater baths sub-committee.

It comes just weeks after councillors agreed to review the future of the pool.

They denied that the facility was in danger of being bulldozed but refused to give a guarantee that the baths will remain “exactly as they are”.

Cllr Humber said the yacht club had repeatedly expressed an interest in the site over the past 20 years.

She added: “I think the club, which has a lot of members on this council, may have persuaded the council to think about having a dinghy park at the seawater baths.”

But Cllr John Oliff-Cooper, chairman of the amenities committee, said her comments were “completely ridiculous”. Forecasting a bright future for the baths, he described her statement as “absolutely outrageous – and probably slanderous”.

She made the claim during a long and ill-tempered debate over the way that council sub-committee chairmen were appointed.

A yacht club spokesman was unavailable for comment.