Coate Water diving board clean-up called a 'waste of money'

The historic structure dates back to the 1930s and had much-needed refurbishment work that finished on August 5, 2022, which is believed to have cost somewhere between £100,000 and £120,000, and included a repaint, a replaced flagpole, and new handrails.

But one Swindonian argues that the project may have been a waste of money because the diving board is showing signs of disrepair again.

In a letter to the editor, Des Morgan, of Caraway Drive, said: “Leaving aside the silliness of the young people jumping off the Coate Water diving board, what really surprised and disappointed me was the condition of the board itself.

People pictured jumping off the Coate Water diving board this month (Image: Facebook)

“Little over a year ago, the council spent £100,000 painting the diving board.

“At the time, Adver journalist Daniel Wood wrote: “The grey, shabby and bird poo-ridden concrete has been cleaned and brought back to a creamy-white colour and blue safety barriers have been added”.

“I’m guessing Daniel would probably describe the current structure using pretty much the same language he did a mere 15 months ago.

“What a waste of money.”

Cllr Chris Watts previously suggested that the local authority would consider the possibility of carrying out regular cleaning and maintenance as part of a wider improvement plan for the park.