“We worry they won't come back": Owners of Derbyshire park attraction losing trade amid paddling pool row

As previously reported, Derbyshire Dales District Council is working on big-budget plans to give the park a facelift, including the replacement of the paddling pool in the play area off Causeway Lane.

The suggestion that a splash pad will be installed in its place has sparked outcry among local families, and in the meantime the pool is out of action and said to be awaiting repairs.

Alison Coffey, who runs the boat hire and miniature train next to the play area with her husband John, said: “The pool is normally up and running by this time of year. Allegedly there is fault they’re trying to rectify but for now that doesn’t help us. You can’t blame people for going elsewhere and we worry they might not come back.

“The last couple of weekends have been the kind of days we pray for after awful weather at Easter. We look forward to full-on days of good weather, but we’ve noticed it’s not been as busy as similar days in the past.”

John said: “It has a domino effect on the whole park. People come from all over for a low-cost day out and all the facilities and local businesses feed into each other.

“The paddling pool might seem a small thing, but it’s like removing a cog from the wheel. It’s not just about what we offer. What the park does for all of Matlock is brilliant.

“Everyone asks us why the pool isn’t open, and we don’t really know. A lot of them pack up and go somewhere else.”

The couple had previously been told the pool would reopen in time for the May half-term holiday, but were informed on Thursday, May 16, that was no longer the case.

Alison said: “What concerns me is if they’re looking at ripping it out and replacing it, they’re unlikely to invest in mending what they’ve got.

“In the ten years we’ve had the business, we’ve always had a good relationship with the council. They’ve always supported us. They’ve said they’re aware that this will affect our business but they still can’t do anything to change it.”

Even if temporary repairs are carried out, Alison and John echo the concerns of many local families that replacing the pool with a splash pad might be permanently detrimental to the park’s pulling power.

Alison said: “I agree the pool we’ve got is not fit for purpose and needs upgrading, but you have to put something there that everybody wants to use. The council’s got a lot of money for this and I think we can make something better than what we’ve got.

“We’ve been told again that there will be a public consultation when whoever wins the tender presents some options. Whether that will happen or not, I don’t know.”

John added: “If we all worked together as one big team we could get something people in Matlock feel really proud of.”

A spokesperson for Derbyshire Dales District Council said: “We have advised the operators of the boats and train that we are currently in a tendering process for the replacement of the paddling pool.

“Unfortunately, the pool will not reopen in time for the May half term, but once a successful bidder has been appointed we will be able to agree and confirm the various timescales with elected members, including the planned public consultation. This will be publicised in the usual way and we will have direct conversations with all our park operators to keep them updated.”

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