Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath leisure centres could reopen next month

Proposals to reopen Kings (East Grinstead), The Dolphin (Haywards Heath) and The Triangle (Burgess Hill) leisure centres will be considered by members at Cabinet and Full Council meetings on Wednesday August 19.

If plans to reopen them are agreed, the facilities, operated by Places Leisure will open their doors again in early September.

Jonathan Ash-Edwards, leader of the Mid Sussex District Council, acknowledged the extent to which the Coronavirus pandemic has had an adverse effect on the leisure sector.

The forced closure of the leisure centres has not only caused strains on the industry during lockdown, but with social distancing rules still in place it will also reduce the number of residents able to use them at any one time when they reopen.

Due to the ‘extremely high’ cost of running its leisure centres the district council has been in talks with operator Places Leisure.

They have worked hard to reach a sustainable agreement on how to operate these facilities during these ‘uncertain times, given they now require significant taxpayer subsidy’.

He added: “This has been a difficult time for everyone and I know many people have missed being able to visit their local leisure centre. A proposal has been put forward for our consideration and I hope my fellow councillors join me on 19 August in supporting the reopening of our leisure centres.”

Leisure centres were all closed during lockdown in late March, with the government giving them permission to reopen from late July.

Places Leisure has been running Mid Sussex’s leisure centres along with several other community facilities under a 15-year contract signed back in 2014.

This requires Places Leisure to pay an annual management fee to the council.

Negotiations have been ongoing throughout May, June and July and have ‘been tough and taken many twists and turns’ according to officers.

In their report, they feel these have reached an end point and the priority is now for elected members to consider the cost to the council and taxpayer of both the enforced closure period and reopening.

Their report said: “These must be balanced against the desire to reopen these well used facilities, albeit with significant restrictions on their operation in order to ensure a safe environment for users.”

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