Swimmers will have to take to the water outside at a Richmond pool this summer as a £390,000 refurbishment is carried out on the indoor facility.

Users of Pools on the Park, which was last year visited by more than 280,000 people, will be directed to the newly made-over outdoor pool from now until September 21 while the main indoor one is given a complete re-tiling and new filtration system.

Richmond Council’s deputy leader, Stephen Knight said: “The choice was really to do it while the outdoor pool was available and people would still have the opportunity to swim there.

“If we closed it in the winter people would have nowhere to swim.

“This refurbishment will ensure we maintain an excellent swimming pool for the future.”

The work at the Old Deer Park leisure centre is set to be formally agreed at a meeting of the council’s cabinet on June 8.

What do you think of the council’s decision? Email rtt@london.newsquest.co.uk