Gateshead Leisure Centre reopens TODAY!
Gateshead Leisure Centre is ready to reopen its doors for the first time in almost a year.
11 months on from the popular facility’s controversial closure under Gateshead Council budget cuts, the centre will be back open to the public this morning (Friday, June 14th)
The keys for the Prince Consort Road site were handed over to non-profit organisation Gateshead Active at the end of May, after the completion of an asset transfer that has seen the cash-strapped local authority put the leisure centre under the group’s control.
Community leaders are hoping the relaunch will offer a huge boost to locals left devastated by the shuttering of the facility.
After staging a soft opening on Tuesday night in which some local children from Caedmon Primary School were invited back to the centre’s soft play area and climbing wall, Gateshead Active director Robert Waugh confirmed that it is now all systems go for Friday.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We are absolutely going to be open on Friday. People will see some changes that are ongoing as we are opening up, getting new equipment ready, and looking at more refurbishment works. But we are ready to go.
“Having actual people in the building after it being closed for 11 months this week has been absolutely wonderful. To hear the kids enjoying themselves in the soft play and the Clip n Climb, which has been closed for even longer, has made it all worth it. I cannot wait for the rest of the community to be able to come in again.”
Hoardings that have surrounded the building for much of the last year have now been taken down and the centre’s gym, pool, soft play, and refurbished Clip n Climb will all be available to use from day one of the reopening.
While customers arriving on Friday will be greeted with a largely familiar site, there are plans for new attractions to be added over the coming weeks and months – including a virtual reality escape room and inflatable obstacle courses.
The centre’s cafe will also be turned into a family-friendly fanzone for England’s group stage matches at Euro 2024, with Newcastle United legend Malcolm Macdonald and Chronicle football columnist John Gibson scheduled to give pre-match talks.
Swimming and gym membership packages for the centre, starting at £24.99 a month, were recently put on sale and the venue is expected to open with a full-time staff of around 30 people.
Mr Waugh, a former Labour councillor in the Saltwell ward, added: “Membership sales have been positive for the pre-opening stage, but we need more support continuing to come through because we want to ensure that this facility stays here for the long-term and that we can get on with a bigger refurbishment.
“Even if people aren’t able to take out a gym or pool membership, just things like coming for a cup of coffee and a bacon sandwich in the cafe can really help us.”