Look at the overspend on the Bath Spa

HAS anyone who is passionately in favour of keeping the Tropicana as a swimming pool ever costed its renovation, additional roofing, provision of a car park, and then on to running and servicing costs in years to come? It is a bald fact that our council, always trying to work within strict budget limitations, would keep as distant as possible from taking on this liability. Even if initial estimates were acceptable and put into action, one only has to look at the overspend on the Bath Spa project to get an idea of what could happen. A pool and a restaurant facility is just not viable.I have been in favour of the new Tropicana proposals but feel I can be flexible enough to look at alternatives. The town definitely needs a new swimming pool and a replacement cinema as the current one is unattractive, uncomfortable by modern standards, and poorly equipped.Other businesses, such as an ultra-modern hotel with conference facilities and restaurant would be a further asset. If the current Tropicana site is so hated then the Dolphin Square complex, revamped, would easily accommodate all these facilities. The Tropicana could then be dismantled altogether, and the old Odeon cinema would be ideal for adaption to a department store which this town badly needs. Backing on to Tescos, as it does, and with a through door between the two, it would be ideally placed there. A CHAPMAN - Via email