Swimming Teacher Wins Fight To Keep Business Open

A Market Harborough swimming teacher says she is thrilled after winning a planning appeal enabling her to continue to offer specialist one-to-one lessons.

Mel Aldridge successfully challenged a decision by Harborough District Council, which ordered her to stop using the pool in an outbuilding in the garden of her home on the Ashley Way estate.

She had been granted permission to use it on temporary basis, but was denied a subsequent application to enable the business to continue running permanently.

The decision was appealed and a government-appointed planning inspector has now approved the application, allowing Mel’s Swim Hub to continue operating indefinitely.

Mel told HFM how it felt when she found out she had won the appeal and the support she has received:

Mel Aldridge

While the appeal was pending, Mel purchased the former Swim Gym and Broadway Nightclub premises on Market Harborough’s Riverside Industrial Estate and still plans to transform the site into a hydrotherapy centre to run alongside the facility at her home.

She told HFM it was a ‘plan b’ :

The outbuilding where the pool is located

Mary Dell, who is in her 50s, has been attending lessons at Mel’s Swim Hub for the past 12 months.

She said: “Having been terrified of water since a near-drowning incident as a child, I have never learned to swim. Personally, I would find it very difficult to learn in a large pool with varying depths. Group lessons would not be suitable for me due to my severe fear of water.

“Mel’s facilities are unique for the local area and, due to the lessons being on a one-to-one basis, she is able to focus entirely on the student without any disruption. It’s less noisy than a leisure centre due to being a smaller, less public environment too. My own self confidence has improved considerably since starting lessons with Mel. They have also had a positive impact on my mental wellbeing. I am thrilled Mel’s Swim Hub can continue as it would have been a great loss to the local community.”

Sachin Parmar, planning director at Marrons, which supported Mel’s Swim Hub throughout the appeal, said: “Mel’s Swim Hub had already established and embedded itself within the local community, so we were absolutely dedicated to ensuring Mel could continue providing such a vital service to the local area.

“As a result of the pandemic, many people have creatively utilised their skills, which has led to a rise in the number of home businesses. Mel used her initiative to set up a bespoke swimming school, providing one-to-one specialised sessions to local people.

“For the young people and adults who rely on Mel’s one-to-one teaching methods, we are thrilled the planning appeal was successful that will ensure Mel’s Swim Hub can continue operating.”