Clubs to return to sports centre after site deal

Folkestone Sports Centre has been bought by The Sports Trust and will reopen as a leisure centre

The chairman of a swimming club which lost its home when a Kent sports centre closed said he was looking forward to returning after the site was saved from permanent closure.

Folkestone Sports Centre has been closed for nearly a year, but after months of uncertainty, has been bought by The Sports Trust, which plans to run it as a leisure centre again.

Ian Howe, chairman of Folkestone Swimming Club, which calls the sports centre home, said the deal was "really positive news", but uncertainty loomed as to when the site would reopen.

Mr Howe said the club was planning discussions with the trust to find out more about the opening.

He said: "We are coming up on 10 months now where we can only have one proper session a week. It's good to know we will back in there eventually."

Administrators confirmed in January that the sports centre, which was built in 1972, had secured a buyer for the site after the trust who previously ran it said in July 2024 it could "no longer afford to remain operational".

Sir Roger De Haan, whose charitable trust supported The Sports Trust in buying the site, said it had outbid multiple housing developers to ensure the site could be saved as a sports centre.

Paul Carney, chairman of the trust, said there was "considerable work to be done to the centre" and hoped that essential works would be completed over the next 12 months.

The acquisition of the site was also praised by Folkestone and Hythe MP Tony Vaughan, who added that the deal "secures the future of this vital local community facility".