| Campaigner
believes public protest was vital
David Giles, the Chiswick resident who has been the moving force behind the campaign to save the Chiswick Pool, believes that sustained public pressure was crucial to the Council's final decision. In a statement, Mr Giles said: "Great credit is due to the people of Chiswick, to pool users and pool staff who united behind the campaign to keep Chiswick New Pool open as a public swimming pool open to all upon payment of affordable fees. There is no doubt in my mind that without the strength and mobilisation of public opinion, the Pool could have been sold off or shut by Hounslow Council. "We are a particularly grateful for the steadfast support of our local councillors in Chiswick Riverside Ward, Paul Lynch, Robert Kinghorn and Jo Langton and to their colleagues in Turnham Green Ward, Adrian Lee, Peter Thompson and Samantha Davies. Veteran Chiswick Homefields Councillor Norah Atkins spoke up strongly for the Pool in November and her Homefields colleague Councillor Pat Sterne deserves credit for persuading her Labour colleagues to keep Chiswick New Pool open. "When Frank Dobson expressed his support through his campaign manager, Ann Keen, I knew we had probably won the fight. A politician of Mr Dobson's stature and experience does not like to be associated with failures and Ann Keen has a well documented history of associating herself with popular causes. "Conservative mayoral candidate Steve Norris and Liberal Democrat hopeful Susan Kramer went out of their way to associate themselves with support for the campaign some weeks ago and we are delighted that Frank Dobson has followed in the footsteps of his Labour colleagues, Ken Livingston and Glenda Jackson. We are also grateful for the support of Olympic gold medallists Duncan Goodhew and Daley Thompson, for the support of the Head Teachers and parents of our local primary schools and to the many thousands of people who signed petitions and wrote letters. "Chiswick united, can never be defeated!" "I would like to say a particular word of thanks to John Bingham, a Chiswick resident who organised a letter writing campaign to the Brentford, Chiswick and Isleworth Times. "Let us hope that when we see the details, that this is a really good deal for Chiswick, pool users and pool staff. Right now we should all celebrate with a few pints of Fuller's London Pride and salute Chiswick's success with Chiswick's own excellent beer."
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4th Feb: Frank Dobson is the only London Mayor candidate not to declare himself for the campaign to save the pool. 7th January 2000: Council representatives
endure a
barrage of criticism from hundreds of residents at a public meeting, but make no promises
on the pool's future.
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