Pensioners are dismayed after being told they would no longer be able to use a hotel swimming pool unless they splashed out £100 each.

The swimmers had been allowed to use the pool at the Grand Ocean Hotel in Saltdean for a nominal fee.

But the historic hotel, which was opened in 1938, was taken over by the Grand Hotel Group in 1999 and underwent a £1.5 million refurbishment.

Now hotel bosses have told pensioners they will have to pay £100 for 12 weeks' use of the pool.

Pensioners say if they only use the pool only once a week the new agreement would mean they would be paying £8 per swim whereas until now they had been paying £8 for ten swims.

Barbara Martin, chairman of Saltdean Townswomen's Guild, said a group of about ten women from the guild used the pool at least once a week.

She said: "We were told about the charges last week and there is a list of 12 conditions we have to adhere to. But £100 for 12 swims is utterly out of the question, particularly if you only use the pool once, or maybe twice, a week."

Mrs Martin telephoned the hotel boss last week to express her dismay at the introduction of the charges. They will also affect people who have been advised to use the pool by local doctors and health centres for a variety of conditions including asthma and arthritis.

Mrs Martin has also taken her group to a pool in Newhaven and paid £26 for 20 swims, which works out at £1.30 per swim.

Pensioner Dee Kennard, of The Ridgeway, Woodingdean, who has been using the pool for about five years, said it was a loss to the community.

She said: "If the people from outside the hotel aren't going to be using it, it will more or less be empty, which will be a waste."

Widow Mrs Kennard said the price hike would force her to travel to the Newhaven pool but admitted she probably would not bother because of the distance.

She added: "You could go into the Grand for a swim and then go for a coffee, all on your doorstep. It was perfect."

Hotel general manager Hilary Capes said the fee was introduced to cover the increasing expenses of ensuring the pool met strict health and safety regulations.

The hotel had to employ an extra lifeguard when non-residents used the pool, at a cost of about £250 a week, and ensure there were enough first aiders in the building.

She said: "I'm not charging the fee to make a profit but to cover the costs of ensuring the safety regulations are met.

"The regulations are quite fierce now and I could be personally liable and be in court myself if the standards were not met."