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The James Square residents’ swimming pool
James Square Leisure Facilities

Pool Safety & Operations Centre

Current safety and operations information for the James Square swimming pool, gym and sauna. All three facilities are temporarily closed pending assessment and further works.

Live status

Current facility status

The swimming pool, gym and sauna are temporarily closed pending assessment and further works. This page will be updated as the refurbishment progresses.

Swimming pool

Closed

Temporarily closed pending assessment and further works

Gym

Closed

Temporarily closed pending assessment and further works

Sauna

Closed

Temporarily closed pending assessment and further works

Interactive plan

Explore the facility

Tap or hover the markers on the corrected floor plan to learn about the pool, equipment and key safety notes. The plant room is external and is not shown as part of the pool hall layout.

Floor plan of the James Square pool area
Photo gallery

Inside the facility

Select any photograph to expand it and read how it fits into the safe operation of the pool.

House rules

Pool & recreation rules

Grouped by topic — expand any card to see the detail. These rules are displayed at the main entrance.

This is an unsupervised facility. There is no lifeguard on duty at any time. Residents and guests are expected to exercise personal responsibility, and children under 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times.

In an emergency

Emergency information

Know what to do before you need it. In any serious emergency, call 999 first.

Emergency services

  1. 1Call 999 for any serious medical, fire or water emergency.
  2. 2Give the address: James Square leisure facility, Edinburgh.
  3. 3Stay with the casualty and send someone to guide responders in.

Fire

  1. 1Raise the alarm at the nearest fire call point.
  2. 2Leave via the nearest exit — do not stop to collect belongings.
  3. 3Call 999 once safely outside and do not re-enter.

Water rescue

  1. 1Shout for help and throw a lifebuoy or reach with the pole.
  2. 2Do not enter the water unless absolutely necessary.
  3. 3Once out, keep the casualty warm and call 999 if needed.

Electrical emergency

  1. 1Do not touch anyone in contact with a live source.
  2. 2Call 999 and keep everyone clear of the affected area.
  3. 3Report the incident to the caretaker or committee as soon as it is safe.

First aid

  1. 1Assess the scene for danger before approaching.
  2. 2There is currently no first aid kit on site — call 999 for anything serious.
  3. 3Reassure the casualty and monitor their condition until help arrives.

CPR

  1. 1If unresponsive and not breathing normally, call 999 immediately.
  2. 2Start chest compressions: 30 compressions to 2 rescue breaths.
  3. 3Send someone for the nearest AED (see below) and continue until help arrives.
Defibrillator

Nearest AED

There is currently no AED (defibrillator) inside James Square. In a cardiac emergency, call 999 and send someone to the nearest public AED.

Nearest AED

St Bride’s Community Centre

Orwell Terrace — approximately 100 metres from the pool building, around a two-minute walk.

PoolSt Bride’s

~2 min walk · ~100 m

Walking directions
Second AED

Dalry Leisure Centre, Caledonian Crescent — a further public defibrillator within the local area.

Always call 999 first. The 999 operator will tell you where the nearest registered AED is and give the access code if one is needed.

On-site equipment

Emergency equipment

The safety equipment available in the facility, what it is for and when to use it.

LifebuoyLifebuoy

Two ring lifebuoys mounted on the pool hall walls.

Purpose:Provides buoyancy to keep a casualty afloat during a water rescue.

When:Throw to anyone in difficulty in the water. Emergency use only.

Rescue poleRescue pole

A reach pole stored poolside near the ladders.

Purpose:Lets a rescuer reach a swimmer without entering the water.

When:Extend to a casualty who is close enough to grab it.

Fire exitFire exit

Dedicated fire exit with break-glass release.

Purpose:Provides a protected escape route from the pool hall.

When:In a genuine fire or emergency evacuation only.

Fire alarmFire alarm

Fire alarm call points with fire action notices displayed nearby.

Purpose:Raises the alarm to warn everyone in the building.

When:Activate immediately on discovering a fire.

CCTVCCTV

Two CCTV cameras cover the pool hall: one on the right/north side pointing south across the pool, and one to the left of the internal entrance.

Purpose:Supports security and incident review.

When:Does not imply constant live monitoring and is not a substitute for personal supervision.

How it works

Pool operation

A brief look at the systems that keep the pool running. Expand any topic for a little more detail.

An air source heat pump installed in 2025 keeps the water at a comfortable, consistent temperature efficiently, drawing heat from the outside air.

Document library

Documents

Key operating and safety documents will be published here as the facility is refurbished.

Risk Assessment

Coming soon

Pool Operating Procedure

Coming soon

Emergency Action Plan

Coming soon

Maintenance Records

Coming soon

Inspection Reports

Coming soon

Committee Updates

Coming soon
Questions

Frequently asked questions

The pool graduates from 0.80m at the shallow end to 1.70m at the deep end, and is approximately 11m long by 4.5m wide. Depth markers are displayed at both ends.

Evolving

This page will keep improving

The Pool Safety & Operations Centre will continue to evolve as refurbishment works progress. Future additions may include:

Inspection reportsMaintenance logsRefurbishment updatesOperating manualsTraining materialEmergency documentation