Fight continues to save Falmouth leisure centre recommended for closure
The Ships & Castles site could be sold off
The announcement that Ships & Castles in Falmouth is set to close at the end of March has been met with sadness and shock.
Cornwall Council officers have recommended that the leading Cabinet should approve the closure of the leisure centre and the possible sell-off of the site.
A bid by community interest company Pendennis Leisure to takeover the facilities was dismissed with the council saying that it would require additional financial support from the authority.
Ships and Castles was one of five facilities in Cornwall which operator GLL asked to stop running last year as it could no longer afford them.
However, while the other facilities have either been given a reprieve or an extension to find alternative operators, the Falmouth centre is the only one which has been recommended for closure.
Among those expressing disappointment is Truro and Falmouth MP Cherilyn Mackrory who has written to her Conservative colleagues on the council Cabinet asking them to commit to providing leisure facilities for Falmouth and Penryn.
In her letter she states: “I must express my complete disappointment that Ships and Castles is set to be the only leisure centre in Cornwall now facing closure.
“I do appreciate the reasoning for this is down to the lack of viability of the business cases that came forward in Falmouth. If business cases are not viable, then this will have a significant impact on the procurement process. As difficult it is to accept, I do understand this.”
The MP said that she feels “there is more than we can be doing” and asked for a commitment to “deliver a viable leisure facility and swimming pool for the people of Falmouth and Penryn”.
She said: “Falmouth needs a leisure centre and a swimming pool that’s fit for purpose.”
Mrs Mackrory has also asked that if the council does dispose of the site then first refusal should be given to Falmouth Town Council or the university “latterly, for the site to be used for educational purposes which will protect the headland”.
And she adds “if the site is to be sold on the open market can I please have a commitment that any funds generated from the sale will be earmarked to contribute towards providing another leisure centre and swimming pool facility in Falmouth”.
Falmouth town councillor Jude Robinson said: “Devastated by the officers’ recommendation to reject bids to run Ships and Castles and sell off our Headland. Time to shout loud and long – the Cornwall Cabinet will make the decision on Friday. We need to be at County Hall to protest. Questions can still be asked but they need to be in by midday tomorrow (Tuesday).
“They want to asset strip Falmouth’s Pendennis Headland to pay for ‘other priorities’ of the council. Let’s tell the Tory cabinet what we think of that.”
Jayne Kirkham, Cornwall councillor for Falmouth Penwerris, said: “So Conservative Cornwall Council’s officers have advised that the Cabinet should decide to SHUT Ships and Castles on 31 March.
“That will leave the population of Falmouth, Penryn and surrounding area with no pool within a half hour drive or a one hour bus ride. Our Children will struggle to get swimming lessons. Our young people who live on a peninsula will find it more difficult and more expensive to learn to swim.
“Falmouth is now the only place where the pool is facing closure. All the others (Wadebridge, Saltash, Launceston) appear to have had a reprieve. The headland could even face sale for development.
“Cornwall Council’s Conservative cabinet decide if they will follow their officers’ recommendations on Friday at 10am at County Hall. No local councillors agree with this. Falmouth Town council supported the community interest bid to save Ships and Castles and the headland – a group of local people set up a community interest company called Pendennis Leisure who put a bid in to run the site, but have been turned down.
“I am telling the Conservative Council Cabinet very loudly what I think.”