Opening date announced for town youth hub

Gareth Webb and Holly Hodgson, from Base71, confirmed the youth club will be opening in early 2026

A charity-run youth hub in Barnsley is set to open in early 2026, its operators have announced.

The two-storey Base71 on Schwäbisch Gmünd Way - opposite the town's train station - will open its doors on 17 January.

The centre will be available for children aged between eight and 18, or up to 25 for young people with additional needs, with facilities including an indoor climbing wall, sports courts, a rooftop football pitch, gym, recording studio and workshops.

The £9.2m project has been completed by the charity OnSide, with the facility creating up to 70 jobs and could be used by up to 4,000 young people each year.

Membership will be free for a year after Barnsley Council pledged £150,000 to cover the cost, with it costing £5 in subsequent years.

Four-hour activity sessions cost 50p, with a hot meal priced at £1.

Membership will be free for a year, with each four-hour session costing 50p

Mandy Carlson, Base71 chief executive, said: "This facility will provide a space for our young people to get away from the loneliness of being in their rooms, give them the opportunity to try new things and think about their aspirations."

Gareth Webb, marketing and communications manager, said: "There is a lack of things for young people to do that are wallet-friendly, and people in Barnsley don't have much disposal income compared to other places.

"The whole ethos of Base71 is to give young people a place where they belong, can feel safe and secure and where parents can afford it."

Base71 on Schwäbisch Gmünd Way - opposite the town's train station - will open its doors on 17 January

Each session will offer 20 different activities, Base71 said.

Other youth hubs being run by the charity were averaging an attendance of 200 young people every night, it said.

Councillor Ashley Peace, cabinet spokesperson for children's services at Barnsley Council, said: "We can't wait for children and young people across our borough to have a new state-of-the-art space to socialise, develop new skills, and access a range of fantastic facilities and activities.

"This is an exciting time for our borough and I look forward to celebrating this fantastic new chapter for Barnsley's young people."

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