Saltash people will suffer if council closes leisure centre

LOCALS STRESS VALUE FOR WHOLE COMMUNITY

- RICHARD WHITEHOUSE

SALTASH residents say the health of the town will suffer if its local leisure centre is closed.

Saltash Leisure Centre is one of four in Cornwall under threat of closure, after operator GLL announced it could no longer run them.

Along with Falmouth, Launceston and Wadebridge, it could start to close by the end of March, 2022, unless Cornwall Council steps in to save the leisure centres or an alternative operator can be found.

GLL has said that the impact of the pandemic and their forced closure during lockdown means that they cannot afford to keep the centres open. The Herald has asked people in Saltash for their views on the leisure centre in the town, and the impact that closure could have.

Rachel Bullock, Saltash town councillor, is a mother whose family uses the leisure centre as well as using it herself “most days”. She said there were a lot of elderly people who use the centre who would not be able to drive to another location.

She said: “I've been to the gym this morning and there were people there who needed to use the facilities for their own needs. These are the ones who will lose out if it closes.

There are people who rely on the centre for their wellbeing - it's the vulnerable and elderly who will pay."