Petition to save Catmose Sports Centre in Oakham from closure attracts more than 2,000 signatures

Hundreds of people have backed a campaign to save their sports facilities from closure.

Catmose Sports Centre in Oakham will no longer be open to the public from March 31 because the operator’s contract has come to an end.

A key requirement of any future contract was that the centre runs at no cost to either Rutland County Council or Catmose College, which owns the buildings.

The council said no one suitable has come forward and it cannot afford to keep subsidising the facilities.

Since the decision was announced on Thursday last week, more than 2,000 people have signed a petition to save the centre.

One of the campaign coordinators, Andrea Gordon-Kerr, said: “As a community we are devastated by this decision and we’re committed to preserving these facilities.

“I’d like to see the council make an effort to keep looking for a solution. Health and fitness is such a vital part of society and it’s in the interests of the council that we keep ourselves healthy.”

Catmose Sports Centre has 900 members and is home to many sports clubs.

Amanda Mathers runs the Rutland Trampoline Club, which has 50 members aged from four years old.

Her sport requires a venue with a roof height of at least five metres, so she will struggle to find new premises.

Amanda said: “I was dumbfounded when the email came through.

“I was born in Rutland and have lived here all my life. I used to be proud to be a Rutlander but not any more.

“What have we got left now? There’s no cinema, no swimming pool, no sports centre… all we’ve got is a McDonald’s. It’s a dive.”

Rutland Running and Triathlon Club uses the centre as a meeting point and also hires an indoor space during the winter.

Club president Paul Rogerson, 74, said: “If they close the centre and there are no other local facilities to take its place, it leaves users with nowhere to go.

“I attend six exercise classes a week. The centre has helped me to remain fit and active as I grow older and without it, I don’t know how myself and the other members will be able to continue being proactive in maintaining both our health and our wellbeing.”

Chairman of Oakham Badminton Club, Michael Masters, added: “I was quite devastated when I received the news. The council’s decision will affect the physical well-being of Rutland residents.”

The sports centre is currently managed by Stevenage Leisure Ltd.

Its contract was designed so that Rutland County Council incurred no running costs, except for major repairs.

However, the pandemic and ongoing energy crisis meant the council stepped in to provide financial support during the past three years, but says this isn’t sustainable.

Research by the Local Government Association shows the costs for operating leisure centres are set to increase by 240 per cent this year.

Some users fear the decision to close the centre is “short-sighted” and the council will end up facing additional costs further down the line when it has an impact on people’s physical and mental health.

Alison Drake says the centre “saved her life” during the pandemic when she began working from home.

She said: “I had no social network, but the sports centre got me out of the house and I met some amazing people. I’ve lost weight and become much healthier.

“I can’t see what I’m going to do if it closes. I struggle to join in socially so without this, I’ll just be at home working. To go anywhere else will be a real struggle for me. The sports centre has been a lifeline.”

Other users have already looked at other facilities but say costs and travel could be a problem.

Michelle Alfieri currently pays £600 a year for membership and attends four classes a week. She can also access online classes and hire the sports courts for free.

She would need to join multiple clubs at a cost of £1,700 a year to maintain her current activities.

Rutland County Council said the decision will not be reversed but campaigners are continuing their fight.

The petition remains open for people to sign.