Heworth Leisure Centre has announced it will close for eight weeks, leaving children in the area without a pool for the whole summer holidays.
Gateshead Council said the decision was "not taken lightly" and blamed staffing issues for the closure. Go Gateshead, the facility provider, announced from its official Facebook page: “By closing one site temporarily we will be able to reduce the risk that our other facilities will need to close at short notice.
“We will also use the closure as an opportunity to carry out essential repairs and maintenance.”
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The announcement generated frustration and dismay and residents took to Facebook to voice their objections.
An online petition has been started to object to the closure and is currently live on Gateshead council’s website. It claims: “This petition opposes this closure, believing that Heworth is disproportionately closed by the council in comparison with other leisure centres in Gateshead”.
At the time of writing it has amassed 104 signatures and closes on August 1 2022.
A Gateshead Council spokesperson said: “The decision to close Heworth Leisure Centre over summer was not taken lightly and we understand why many of our residents are disappointed by the news.
“However, the health and safety of our customers is our top priority and unfortunately, due to staff vacancies, sickness and leave entitlement, we simply do not have enough team members available to operate all of our centres safely
“We hope our members will join us at any of our other centres during the temporary closure to access gyms, pools and fitness classes. We’re also working hard to ensure any booked swimming lessons at Heworth are transferred to Gateshead Leisure Centre at a time that suits you best.
“If visiting another centre isn’t possible, you can freeze your membership until Heworth re-opens. Please email go@gateshead.gov.uk or call 0191 433 3000 to discuss your options.”
