Meopham Leisure Centre: Calls to save community gym from closure

Residents say the threatened closure of a local leisure centre would be "horrendous" for the community.

Meopham Leisure Centre in Meopham, Kent, said it was unable to secure a lease extension with the Swale Academies Trust and there was a "strong possibility" it would shut on 29 July.

Members described a possible closure as a "massive loss" for all ages.

Swale Academies Trust (SAT) said its purpose was to educate children, not subsidise third party organisations.

A SAT spokesman said it was not in a position to meet the leisure centre's requests for a subsidy on the lease to "help them ensure a financially sustainable business model".

The centre, which operates gym facilities, classes, and events for both school children and wider community, sits on the school site run by SAT.

In a statement on its website the centre, run by the Meopham Sport and Leisure Association (MSLA), said negotiations with the trust were "proving challenging".

It added: "We understand this is a shock, and the news is very sad indeed.

"Please be reassured the MSLA are working hard to find a solution that will hopefully ensure your important, and valued community facility, stays open after 29 July."

Local resident and centre member Tamzin Sharrod said: "If it closes, there is nowhere within walking distance for anybody to exercise.

"They [older members] will lose physical and mental wellbeing as well as social contact."

Locals say the trust wants to demolish the leisure centre so it can expand Meopham Secondary School.

Anna Roberts, who has lived in Meopham and been a member of the community leisure centre for 18 years, said she believed losing the centre would have a significant impact on the mental and physical health of all generations in the village.

Ms Roberts said: "It will be a massive loss to the community.

"Not only will it affect their [locals] employment but not only that we have three-year-olds to 80-year-olds using this centre.

"For the older people who don't go to the bigger towns and can't drive, if they can't come here and meet people of the same age, same ability as them they will lose so much."

A community protest against the possible closure is set to take place at the leisure centre.

A Swale Academies Trust spokesman said: "SAT has engaged in protracted discussions with Meopham Sports and Leisure Association over the renewal of their lease agreement.

"However, whilst we are keen to see this renewal occur we are not in a position to meet MSLA's requests for a subsidy to help them ensure a financially sustainable business model.

"Funding is given by the Department for Education to Swale Academies Trust for the purposes of educating children, not to sustain third party organisations."

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].