Angry naturists are exploring legal options against leisure center management, accusing them of discrimination for abruptly canceling their longstanding nude swim sessions. Members of Northampton Sun Club, totaling about 200 individuals, have been informed that their monthly swims at Mounts Baths have been terminated after 40 years without prior notice, causing distress and confusion among the club members. The group has been exclusively booking the venue for their swim and sauna activities since 1982.
The new management, Everyone Active, has imposed a strict clothing policy, citing the unavailability of lifeguards during the club’s swimming schedule as the reason for discontinuing the naturists’ reservations. Members, who each pay £10 for the session that includes access to various facilities, including sauna and steam rooms, are left disappointed with no alternative arrangements, prompting organizers to contemplate their next course of action.
Expressing disappointment, Maggie Moreton, the chairwoman of the group, criticized the decision as contradictory to the leisure center’s goal of promoting social interaction and fitness. She emphasized the group’s respectful nature and the private nature of their sessions, highlighting the sudden and bewildering nature of the ban after decades of uneventful gatherings that attracted a diverse crowd.
The club’s treasurer, David Farnsworth, condemned the decision as discriminatory and unjustified, emphasizing that the club has diligently adhered to safety protocols and has been hosting these events for over four decades without incident. Despite the company’s stance on the ban, the naturist group is considering legal action and exploring their options in response to the abrupt cancellation of their long-standing swims.
Everyone Active, the new operators of the leisure facility, defended their decision, citing staffing constraints as the reason for discontinuing naturist swimming sessions at Mounts Baths. The company assured that they would reconsider the situation if circumstances change in the future, acknowledging the disappointment this decision has caused to the participants.