Newcastle leisure centre firm 'not cutting hours amid energy costs'

Walker Activity Dome in Newcastle is one of several sites operated by GLL

A leisure centre operator says it will not cut timetables in Newcastle despite reductions elsewhere over energy bills.

Bosses at GLL, which operates under the Better Leisure brand, said this week it would temporarily reduce opening times at more than 200 venues across the UK.

But timetable cuts from December to Easter will not affect Newcastle.

The charitable social enterprise said that the cost of living crisis has sent its energy bills spiralling to more than triple what they were in 2019.

Newcastle City Council handed GLL control over a number of leisure facilities due to its own budget cuts over recent years.

GLL operates the East End Pool, Gosforth Leisure Centre, Eldon Soft Play, Newcastle Trampoline Park, Walker Activity Dome and West Denton Leisure Centre.

A spokesperson said Newcastle remained "largely unaffected" by the timetable cuts.

"There are no planned changes to leisure centre opening hours within the city," they said.

The non-profit organisation has faced criticism over its decision to leave the West Denton Swimming Pool closed since the start of the Covid pandemic, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Expected costs for the new pool at the new West Denton Leisure Centre have jumped from £22.3m to £26m

GLL will also be tasked with running the new West Denton Leisure Centre, which is due to be built after the council won a Levelling Up Fund bid for almost £20m from the government.

There have been worries about the future of the project, which has already seen its proposed opening date pushed back to the end of 2024 and its expected costs jump from £22.3m to £26m.

Liberal Democrat councillor Ali Avaei raised concerns at a council meeting that the GLL cutbacks could have some impact too, calling for assurance progress on the new facility and its opening times would not be affected.

Labour's Lesley Storey, cabinet member responsible for leisure, said she remained "absolutely confident" the new pool would be built as planned.