Wiltshire leisure facilities given £865k Covid lifeline
They're one of 266 local authorities to benefit from the Government's National Leisure Recovery Fund
Wiltshire Leisure facilities, including Places Leisure, Cricklade and District Community Association and Brian Whitehead Sports Centre Association (Downton Leisure Centre, operated by Gymies Ltd) have been given a financial lifeline to help them recover from the pandemic.
A joint bid by Wiltshire Council and the Leisure facilities have been awarded a £865,000 grant from the Government's National Leisure Recovery Fund.
The £100 million government fund is being managed by Sport England and is intended to support the recovery of publicly owned leisure centres and gyms.
Sam Fox, Wiltshire Council Corporate Director for Place said, "We are very pleased to have received this funding on behalf of our partner operators and this funding will assist them with reopening our leisure centres as soon as government restrictions allow.
"Leisure centres and our leisure staff will have a key role to play in helping people get back to leading physically active lives as the nation recovers from the pandemic."
The Government has already allowed some outdoor sports facilities to reopen, meaning sports such as football, golf and tennis to resume.
Some Wiltshire Council outdoor leisure facilities have already reopened including the tennis courts at Springfield Community Campus in Corsham, the football pitches at Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre in Salisbury for club block bookings, and the tennis courts at the Nadder Centre in Tisbury.
However, this does not include any changing or toilet facilities, and no leisure centre buildings will reopen on this date.
Leisure centres and gyms are reopening on 12th April for individual socially distanced use and indoor adult group sports and exercise classes could resume from 17 May.