Swimmers plunged into dark after council covers swimming pool windows 'to protect Muslim women's modesty'

A council has sparked anger after officials blacked out windows on a glass-panelled swimming pool to protect the modesty of Muslim women.

Darlaston Leisure Centre in the West Midlands' town of Walsall, was hailed for its 'ultra-modern' design when it opened ten years ago.

But now council staff have covered 250 windows with dark-tinted film following complaints from Muslim swimmers.

Dispute:The swimming pool in Darlaston, near Wolverhampton, West Midlands, where some users are unhappy by the council's decision to cover windows with an opaque film

No looking please: The clear glass panes towards the bottom of the pool's outer wall have been covered in a frosted film to prevent people outside looking in

But other users say the move has plunged the pool into almost permanent darkness and branded it 'political correctness gone stark-raving mad'.

Pauline Poole, 65, a retired legal secretary from Walsall, said: 'I returned to swimming after having a cataracts operation some months ago and was looking forward to looking out on some lovely trees while swimming.

'What I found was a situation that reminded me of how it felt like before my operation, like looking at a horrible cloudy view.

'If it was done for a minority of people, then why was there no vote on it?'

Retired building surveyor John Ewart, 63, from Walsall, added: 'I cannot believe this council has agreed to something so loony.

'The whole thing smacks of political correctness gone stark raving mad.

'A lot of the people who swim are elderly or retired and they now have to swim in the gloom.'

A worker at the pool, who did not want to be named, said: 'The windows were covered up and it's probably cost a few hundred pounds.

'Several customers complained it made the pool dark and dingy but we didn't have a choice.'

The council initially refused to replace the windows with frosted glass because it was too expensive.

Today, the council defended the decision, saying they had 'listened to the concerns of users'.

Councillor Anthony Harris said: 'I'm pleased that we've been able to make these modifications because not only does it show we're listening to the views and concerns of our users but also because it enhances the privacy of swimmers.'

A spokeswoman for Walsall Council said the complaints had predominantly come from the Muslim community but that a few non-Muslim women had also objected.

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I find this report to be incredible. Why on earth do certain relgious groups get special treatment from others. I will also put this into the equation, if Muslim women want privacy from other men and non muslims, why do they feel the need to use a public pool to the detrament of other swimmers?

If decision from the private company:

As much as I hate PC, the company had every right to make that type of protection. It's a buisness decision that will attract not only muslim women, but also those who might like privacy. It's the company choice, and if the people in the council disagree, then they can leave.

If decision by the government:

>_> (I was unclear who made this decision)

These sort of things creates barriers in the community. Not good, not good at all.

I see your point but did they implement these opaque windows because they felt it would enhance the pool or because they were scared what a minority of people influence would be if they didn't?

That's true that the reason behind it are probably PC, but if the company can advertise the benefits of non-muslims swimming in it then the public may catch on. I also would like to know if there's another open option pool. If that's the only public pool, then my views will change a bit....

Considering it looks like they did this for a minority, and that most users are upset over it, I don't think it was a wise business decision. That being said, all I know about this topic is now what I've read from a news report.. so I'm not going to pretend I know it all.

From what the article is portraying, it seems like they were just afraid of the minority group, the muslims, and catered to them even if it meant pissing off the masses.

Way to go.

Look on the brightside, now we know where the vampires will be hiding during the daytime!

It is just another step of England adepting to the immigrants while in my opinion it should be in the other direction...  My words maybe sound like overreacting but you have 100's of this kind of issues..

as an another example:


Alan Phillips was told the restaurant was no longer selling his favourite ‘Big Daddy’ burger, which contains a chicken burger with bacon, cheese and salad, because it had decided to sell only halal food. The Burton-on-Trent branch is one of the 86 out of 750 British KFC restaurants which is now selling nothing other than halal meat.

Mr Phillips said he found the change ‘extremely unfair’ on non-Muslim customers. ‘I can’t believe a chain like this has taken this stance,’ said Mr Phillips. ‘Staff told me that due to the dietary laws halal meat could not be prepared in the same place as other meats, so I couldn’t have my bacon.

‘It was like they were saying I couldn’t buy bacon because it might offend people.’ 

Mr Phillips was told he would have to travel to another KFC five miles away to buy his bacon burger. He protested that this was too far for him to travel. ‘It is getting silly,’ he said. ‘I have many friends who are black, white and Muslim but they wouldn’t be forced to eat non-halal meat.

we've listened to the opinions of the users

THE F'ING MINORITY!

ARGH! Im pissed and its not even my country

do people HAVE to whine about almost everything?