Fylde Council has now received all the bids from those wanting to run the seaside attraction and will pick one within a month.

Town Hall chiefs are mulling over the applicants, which include the Fylde Coast YMCA and Chorley leisure operator Richard Ellis, before deciding on the most favourable option.

They hope to have the pool up and running before the summer season but could not give a definite date for re-opening because this will vary depending upon the operator chosen.

Coun Sue Fazackerley, portfolio holder for leisure and culture, said: "It has always been very clear why the pool closed - the cost to the taxpayer and falling numbers of users. We have also made it clear that we can't sustain massive taxpayer subsidies to the pool.
"We are hopeful that the tenders will be satisfactory to everyone interested in this matter and that the pool can reopen on a sound, long-term basis."

Fylde Council have said there are "many" interested parties but would not release the exact number because the information is commercially sensitive.

An evaluation panel is to be set up by officers which will assess the bids on a wide variety of criteria including method of service delivery, benefits to the community, sustainability, affordability and risk.

These will then be whittled down to a handful of applicants before a candidate is picked and recommended to the council.

Coun Fazackerley added: "We have given a direction to the tenderers. They have all been given the facts and the figures and have visited the facility. We have told them that they will have to run the pool well and in a cost-effective fashion. We hope that this will be the case."

The council came under heavy criticism when it closed the pool in July 2008.

Scores of residents marched to voice their displeasure at the decision -made because of a budget shortfall.

Kirkham Swimming Baths was also threatened with closure but the YMCA secured its future by taking it over with the help of community group Rural Splash.

In December Fylde Borough was dealt a blow when a bid for a £500,000 grant from Sport England failed, although Council Leader John Coombes said that this would speed up the tendering process.

The baths are currently being kept full of water to stop deterioration of its lining, although some work will need to be carried out before it is deemed usable by the public.