SIR – A sorry battle is playing out between dedicated local campaigners in Manningham who want to keep their historic local pool, and Bradford Council, which has voted to close it.

Sorry because so much will be lost for such little gain. As a historic building, Manningham Baths is the most important of its kind in the country – a wonderfully intact, un-modernised ‘village’ pool of 1904. Nowhere else can you come so close to feeling like an Edwardian swimmer.

By their own figures, closure will save £120,000 – only 0.4 per cent of the £30 million in cuts the Council is seeking. Once closed, pools rarely reopen, so Manningham pool will most likely be lost for good to save a measly sum of money.

We should be encouraging people to swim, rather than stopping them, as swimming brings many benefits for physical and mental health.

Manningham has many young families living in crowded houses who won’t be able to and can’t afford to travel elsewhere.

I love it for its heritage, but for many people it’s just a nice place to swim. Close it, and everyone loses. Bradford Council must think again.

Dr Ian Dungavell, director, The Victorian Society, Priory Gardens, London