Wiltshire saunas and steam rooms shut amid energy crisis

Wiltshire Council said it could not justify keeping the health suites open in the current climate

Health suites at seven leisure centres have been closed in a bid to save £80,000 in annual running costs.

Wiltshire Council sent an email to club members detailing the closures across the county which began on Monday.

Councillor Ian Blair-Pilling said: "This is an energy crisis… [and] we have to make the books balance and take sensible measures at a sensible time."

The council said the closures of the saunas, steam rooms and spa pools were temporary.

Leisure centres affected are the Olympiad Leisure Centre in Chippenham, Springfield Community Campus in Corsham, Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre in Salisbury, Bradford on Avon Swimming Pool, Devizes Leisure Centre, Durrington Swimming and Fitness Centre and Marlborough Leisure Centre.

Mr Blair-Pilling said the problem was "not just about a cost crisis, this is an energy crisis that our country is in and therefore it's incumbent on us to work out how to save energy… and make our leisure centres more cost effective".

'Hard to justify'

"It would be no good crying about it in six months time, we need to act now," he added.

He said each spa sauna was equivalent to a "nine kilowatt fire continuously running".

The council told members it understood there would be disappointment for some, adding "in the current climate it is very hard for us to justify keeping them open".

"Closing them, even for a short period of time, will significantly reduce our overall energy consumption," the council was told.

A review will be carried out on the temporary closures when the council has been able to establish their impact.

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