“Get thinking caps on” to keep leisure centre open

Members of Much Wenlock Council have been asked “to get their their thinking caps on” to try and save the town’s leisure centre.

Shropshire Council is currently carrying out a consultation on the site in Farley Road as it looks at ways to save money.

Its proposal is to withdraw the subsidy it provides to open the centre to the public. The facility, which has a swimming pool, gym, artificial pitch and a multi-use games area, is owned by the William Brookes Academy Trust, part of the 3-18 Education Trust.

When the facility is not in use for educational purposes, it is managed by the council for a total of 56.25 hours a week. Shropshire Council say its operational budget for the site for 2024/25 is £280,040, which can be saved if it withdrew its subsidy.

The consultation is open until February 6, with the council stressing it is so that it can look at ways for the centre to remain open.

At a Much Wenlock Town Council meeting on Thursday (January 9) evening, members agreed for the clerk to write a letter to Shropshire Council within two weeks with some ideas about how the centre can remain open.

“The only message out there is Shropshire Council saying, ‘this is terrible, look it loses £279,000 per year, it’s unstainable which is why we want to close it,” said Councillor Marcus Themans, the mayor of Much Wenlock.

“And when Halo reads that headline, they’ll be saying, ‘we’re not touching that’.

“They need to hear a different narrative. So, can I ask you to put your thinking caps on, get some bullet points and we can get a letter to the council.”

Councillor Daniel Thomas added that productive meetings have been held with the 3-18 Education Trust and officers at Shropshire Council.

“We need as many responses as possible to show there is a real appetite for the leisure centre in this town, especially given it has the proudest sporting heritage of anywhere in this county,” he said.

“At this stage, I am quite optimistic about its future, but there is a long way to go.”