Councillors urged to help save leisure centre

Members of a town council have been told "to get their their thinking caps on" to try to save their leisure centre.

Shropshire Council is consulting on withdrawing the subsidy it provides to open Much Wenlock Leisure Centre to the public.

On Thursday, councillors agreed to come up with ideas on how to save the facility.

The council has stressed the consultation is so it can look at ways for it to remain open.

The centre, which has a swimming pool, gym, artificial pitch and a multi-use games area, is owned by the William Brookes Academy Trust, part of the 3-18 Education Trust.

When the facility is not in use for educational purposes, it is managed by the council for nearly 57 hours a week.

Shropshire Council said its operational budget for the site for 2024/25 was £280,040, and it is proposing to withdraw that subsidy.

"The only message out there is Shropshire Council saying, 'This is terrible, it loses £279,000 per year, it's unstainable, which is why we want to close it'," said Mayor of Much Wenlock, Marcus Themans.

"They need to hear a different narrative. So, can I ask you to put your thinking caps on, get some bullet points and we can get a letter to the council."

Councillor Daniel Thomas added that productive meetings had been held with the 3-18 Education Trust and officers at the county council.

"We need as many responses as possible to show there is a real appetite for the leisure centre in this town, especially given it has the proudest sporting heritage of anywhere in this county," he said.

"At this stage, I am quite optimistic about its future, but there is a long way to go."

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