Coronavirus: News from our partners – Shropshire leisure trust announces reopening plans for Quarry, Shrewsbury and Market Drayton centres
News from our partners Shropshire Community Leisure Trust Ltd
Shropshire Community Leisure Trust Ltd has announced reopening plans for Market Drayton Swimming & Fitness Centre and The Quarry Swimming & Fitness Centre, Shrewsbury. Market Drayton is due to reopen on Monday 19 October, with The Quarry due to follow on Monday 2 November 2020.
Swimming
Both centres have been closed since March, when the Government instructed all leisure facilities in the UK to shut due to coronavirus. When restrictions were eased in July, safety assessments at both sites highlighted issues around air ventilation, which would need to be addressed for the sites to reopen and be COVID-19-safe.
Chris Stanbrook, Contract Manager for the trust, said:-
“With the ventilation works due to be completed very soon at both sites, ensuring they’ll be COVID-19-safe facilities, I am delighted to announce reopening dates for the Quarry Swimming & Fitness Centre and Market Drayton Swimming & Fitness Centre.
“Market Drayton will be reopening on 19 October, while the Quarry will follow two weeks later on Monday 2 November. The later date for the Quarry is simply due to the ventilation work taking longer to complete.
“When Market Drayton does reopen we’ll be offering a full range of activity sessions, including swimming lessons, family swim, use of the gym and more. At the Quarry we’ll be opening the gym and the 25m pool initially for lane and club swimming. We are looking into ways to offer swimming lessons, and will update customers when we have news on that.
“Although we’re seeing healthy attendance numbers at our other sites, we’re aware that some people are still a little nervous about re-entering a fitness facility. However, as a Trust we can assure customers and colleagues that when they visit a Shropshire Community Leisure Trust Ltd centre, they’ll be at a COVID-19-safe venue. With research from ukactive showing gyms and fitness facilities are experiencing extremely low levels of coronavirus infections among visitors, it’s clear that the leisure sector is doing a great job of keeping centres and equipment clean and safe for all.
“I’d like to thank our client Shropshire Council for their support in getting these centres open, and thank teams at the sites and our customers who’ve shown great patience while this essential work is carried out.”
Shropshire Community Leisure Trust Ltd has introduced a series of social distancing and safety measures at all its sites, including one-way systems, a reduction in workout class sizes, more space between gym equipment and a greatly increased cleaning schedule.
For the full list of safety procedures to follow at each centre and how to book into sessions when they do open, please visit the Trust’s website: https://www.shropshireleisurecentres.com/
The Trust’s facilities at Shrewsbury Sports Village and Oswestry Leisure Centre reopened on 25 July 2020; while its Whitchurch Swimming Centre site remains closed, as it is currently not possible to enforce Government social distancing guidelines within the ageing facility.
Further information
Report highlighting low levels of COVID-19 found in leisure facilities:
Shropshire Community Leisure Trust Ltd
Shropshire Community Leisure Trust Ltd manages the Whitchurch Swimming Centre, Market Drayton Swimming Pool, Oswestry Leisure Centre, Shrewsbury Sports Village and The Quarry Swimming Pools.
Our vision is the creation and maintenance of a first class range of healthy leisure and recreational activities and facilities to serve all parts of the communities in the areas we serve.
We work in partnership with the community and all relevant bodies including, but not restricted to, existing providers of relevant leisure and recreational activities, the local and parish councils, unitary and town councils, and potential funding partners. For more information, visit our website: Shropshire Community Leisure Trust
Serco Leisure
Serco Leisure is a provider of leisure industry solutions, working with clients to bring high quality services to sites throughout England, in Northern Ireland and on the island of Jersey.
Our ethos is affordable leisure time entertainment for all. We manage gyms, swimming pools, cycle hire schemes, event venues and National Sports Centres, including Bisham Abbey, Lillieshall, and the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont Country Park.
