Covid: Jobs cut at Better Cardiff leisure centres due to pandemic

The Star Hub in Splott is one of eight leisure centres run by Better Cardiff

A union claims 35 jobs will be cut from a city's leisure centres due a "significant loss of revenue" as a result of Covid-19.

Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) closed its eight sites run under the brand name Better Cardiff during lockdown and still has restricted opening.

GLL said options including voluntary redundancy were being considered, but not compulsory redundancies.

The Unison union said staff were "devastated" by the redundancies.

GLL runs Llanishen Leisure Centre, Eastern Leisure Centre, Fairwater Leisure Centre, Western Leisure Centre, Pentwyn Leisure Centre, Maindy Leisure Centre, the Star Hub, and Penylan Library and Community Centre.

The firm's partnership manager Rhys Jones said four months of closure during lockdown from March to July and restricted opening since then had resulted in "a significant loss of revenue for GLL, which is impossible to recoup".

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GLL employs the equivalent of between 100 and 200 full-time staff across the eight locations, a spokesman said, including a variable number of tutors and trainers on temporary contracts.

"We are investigating numerous options, including voluntary redundancy, but not at this stage compulsory redundancies, to allow us to continue with a reasonable health and fitness offering across Cardiff and retain the majority of our staff," Mr Jones said.

Emma Garson, Cardiff county branch secretary for Unison, said: "Everyone appreciates how leisure services have been affected by the pandemic, but that doesn't mean local people have given up on their sports centres and swimming pools.

"Perhaps more than ever, Cardiff residents will need quality leisure services as they emerge from the coronavirus lockdown for the good of their mental and physical health.

"Staff are devastated, they love their jobs and what they provide to the local community."

GLL began operating the leisure centres in December 2016, to save money for the council, which subsidised the service by more than £3m each year, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.