Belper Leisure Centre: Site could be saved as potential buyer is found

Protesters say the leisure centre should stay open

Belper Leisure Centre could be saved after a potential buyer for the site has been found.

The charitable trust that owns the Derbyshire building had said soaring energy costs meant it would have to permanently close by the end of June.

The warning had triggered protests from campaigners who want to save the facility.

Now talks are under way with an unnamed interested buyer, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The discussions mean the leisure centre, which opened nearly 50 years ago and now has 1,500 members, will continue to trade into July.

PKF Smith Cooper, the insolvency firm overseeing the leisure centre's future, said money from Amber Valley Borough Council and the neighbouring Belper School was being used to support the bidding company.

A PKF spokesperson said: "Belper Leisure Centre has been working tirelessly with the preferred bidder, who wishes to remain anonymous at this stage, and key stakeholders to discuss and negotiate a potential acquisition of the leisure centre.

"The preferred bidder requires additional time in order to finalise their due diligence processes to ensure there are no significant risks in the acquisition.

"With this in mind, and as a result of the key stakeholders, we are able to trade beyond the end of June to enable this to happen."

The centre is owned by an independent charitable company

Borough council leader Chris Emmas-Williams said: "All the groups have worked so hard and I believe there is light at the end of the tunnel.

"There are some legal issues that we have had to resolve, and are still resolving, due to the competition clause that is within the PFI contract which covers the three other leisure centres in the borough."

Matt McGuinness, chairman of the new Friends of Belper Leisure Centre group said: "The fact that the liquidators are saying it can remain open into July says a lot about how confident they feel in the company that is bidding.

"It is positive that Amber Valley Borough Council and Belper School have both stepped in, it is positive for the leisure centre going forward too."