Leisure Centre’s ‘Soft Play’ Plan Set To Be Rejected

A plan to turn the sports hall at Harborough Leisure Centre into a soft play facility is set to be rejected.

Centre operator Everyone Active put forward the idea, saying there is strong demand for such a facility aimed at children under-12 and had earmarked £350,000 to set it up.

However, sports clubs who use the hall have opposed the move.

They would have to relocate to the recently revamped sports arena – formally ‘the dome’ – but some say that venue would be unsuitable.

Harborough District Council will have the final say on the matter, as Everyone Active is its leisure contractor and members of the authority’s cabinet will be urged to turn down the idea at a meeting next week, instead urging the operator to consider alternative options and locations which do not impact on the sports hall.

The council has met with concerned clubs who use the hall and say it is a well-used and valuable facility, which is needed to ensure that the existing full range of sport can be played at the centre.

Council Leader Phil Knowles spoke to HFM:

Harborough Leisure Centre

Market Harborough Youth Netball Club and the Harborough LC Junior Badminton Club are two of the clubs that will be affected.

The badminton club has been using the sports hall for more than ten years and says the sports arena would not be suitable to relocate to, due to the light colours and poorly positioned lighting, with no direct access to toilets, changing and storage facilities.

It also says it doesn’t meet Sport England’s recommended standards.

The club carried out its own survey with users of the hall, with 99% of respondents saying they would be concerned if the main sports hall was no longer available for indoor sport.

John Fannon from the club spoke to HFM: