- New survey reveals for the first time the devastating impact
of the pandemic on leisure centres
- Over 100 leisure centres could go bust due to coronavirus
crisis, some within three months
- Councils call on government for urgent rescue funding to
combat the escalating mental health and obesity crisis
One in three district councils expect to be forced to close gyms
and swimming pools due to the devastating financial impact of the
coronavirus pandemic, a new survey reveals today, with 117
leisure centres in England estimated to be at risk of closure.
The District Councils’ Network, which represents 180 district
councils providing leisure services in England, found 36 per cent
of its members thought it likely they would need to close one or
more leisure centres, while a quarter said it was “extremely
likely”.
Its survey also reveals:-
- Nearly a fifth of those councils expecting to have to cut
services said they were considering shutting three or more
leisure centres. Almost four in 10 said at least two would close
in their area.
- 19 per cent of councils say centres will go out of business
within the next three months and over half (59 per cent) within
the year.
- Of those able to remain open, nearly 80 per cent are warning
they will have no choice but to strip back many services
Closures will deliver a body blow for health and wealth in towns
and cities, affecting community services such as creches, holiday
activities, activities for over 50s/60s and exercise referral
schemes.
The findings come as the Government makes tackling obesity and
improving people’s health and wellbeing a central pillar to its
pandemic recovery strategy.
The closure of leisure centres would also undermine Sport
England’s Uniting the Movement strategy, a 10-year vision
endorsed by ministers to transform lives and communities through
sport and physical activity.
The DCN is warning that withdrawing leisure services will mean a
reduction in sport and wellbeing activities, which would have a
damaging effect on people’s mental health. Nearly nine in 10
councils say leisure centres have been used in projects to
improve mental health.
While government funding to support leisure centres during the
pandemic has been helpful, the DCN warns it falls far short of
plugging the £325 million funding gap faced by district
council-run leisure services.
Leisure centres have also played an important role in the rollout
of the vaccination programme. One in five councils say centres in
their area have been used to deliver coronavirus jabs.
They are also vital in helping to support local businesses and
driving the recovery of local economies, by bringing higher
footfall to our towns and city centres, and encouraging secondary
spend.
Cllr Dan Humphreys, DCN’s lead member for enhancing quality of
life, said:
“As these alarming findings show, the gyms, swimming pools and
local leisure centres that communities rely on every day face a
desperately bleak future, with many on the brink of closing in
the coming months due to the financial losses they have incurred
during the pandemic.
“The survival of our leisure centres will be fundamental to our
health and economic recovery. Council leisure services are not
like privately ran gyms, they are hubs of community and services
helping everyone get active – from school swimming lessons, to
over 60s activity schemes.
“A wave of closures will deliver a real body blow to our efforts
to boost physical and mental health and address the health
inequalities across our communities.
“District councils have done all they can to keep leisure
services afloat, but the devastating economic impact of the
pandemic means over 100 centres across are now at risk of closing
their doors forever.
“The Government must step in to provide leisure centres the
financial lifeline needed to spearhead the local health recovery
across our villages, towns and cities.”
