Leisure centre chiefs thrilled as lockdown eases
BOSSES at Ashbourne Leisure Centre say they are looking forward to welcoming users back from next Monday, as the pandemic lockdown eases enough to bring back gyms and indoor sports.
On the same day, April 12, the town’s ‘non-essential’ shops and businesses, including pubs with beer gardens, can open their doors for the first time this year.
The town’s leisure centre will be reintroducing socially-distanced activities.
Freedom Leisure, which runs the centre on behalf of Derbyshire Dales District Council, says most activities will be available, including gym, swimming, racket sports and children’s swimming lessons
Ivan Horsfall Turner, managing director of Freedom Leisure, said: “We look forward to seeing everyone using their local leisure centre again, and the teams can’t wait to get back to providing our local communities with opportunities for exercise, activity and the chance to socialise safely.
“We are so grateful to our customers for their patience, support and loyalty once again during the closure of The Arc, Wirksworth Leisure Centre, Ashbourne Leisure Centre and Bakewell Pool.
“With winter out of the way, it is time to start getting active, ready to make the most of summer 2021, which we all hope will be very different from last year.
“Where better to do that than your local freedom leisure centre, where you can confidently exercise with others in a fun, motivating and Covid safe environment.”
Current government guidance will not allow for group exercise classes to take place after Monday, but the current roadmap suggests they should be able to restart in May. Freedom Leisure is a notfor-profit trust which manages leisure and cultural facilities on behalf of Derbyshire Dales District Council, which handed over the reins to its leisure facilities in 2018, at a cost of £3.2 million over 10 years, with the firm to invest £1 million in improvements and to retain all staff. During last year’s spring lockdown the district council paid out £345,558 to Freedom Leisure to help its four centres recover from the closure and then, in October 2020, it was given a maximum of another £300,000 to last six months.
This was followed by a further £143,815 being paid out towards the end of the year, bringing the total being handed over by taxpayers to nearly £800,000.
It is not yet known whether more money will be paid out to support the trust as it reopens next week.
Ash Watts, director of community and environmental services at Derbyshire Dales District Council said: “We are very much looking forward to opening the doors and finally being able to welcome local residents back to our leisure centres”.
To find out more about reopening times and activity programmes visit freedomleisure.co.uk
Assuming the data on Covid infection rates is manageable, and the vaccine roll-out continues apace, May 17 will the next stage on the Government roadmap, when outdoor gatherings will be loosened and up to 30 people will be allowed to attend weddings, receptions, Christenings, funerals and wakes.
We are very much looking forward to being able to welcome local residents back to our leisure centres
Ash Watts