Date set for public meeting to discuss future of New Mills Leisure Centre

The meeting will be on Tuesday December, 3 at New Mills Town Hall between 4pm and 7pm.

At the beginning of the year it was announced that High Peak Borough Council wanted to reduce the main sports hall at New Mills Leisure Centre to two thirds of its original size and were also looking to replace the squash court with a wellness centre which would aid individuals recovering from serious illnesses.

The squash court in New Mills is one of only two venues in the High Peak, and removing it would make the sport inaccessible to a large number of people.

Since this was announced campaigners have been fighting to save the squash court and the leisure centre with protests and petitions.

Local squash player and campaigner, Jo-Anne Witcombe said: “Please come along to the meeting and share your views – our full-sized sports hall and squash court are very much at risk. “We believe the views of leisure centre users and New Mills residents must be considered. “It was the extraordinary fundraising efforts of this community that made the leisure centre what it is today. “We should have a meaningful say as to what happens next.”

The community had an idea for a swimming pool and leisure centre and in 1974 the carnival returned to New Mills for 25 years. It was organised to raise money for the swimming pool and more than £600 of community money went to the leisure centre fund and over the years £74,000 was raised for the centre. Two squash courts were built next to the swimming pool and opened in July 1980 alongside the pool.

The leisure centre pool and squash courts were extended by building a new sports hall. Construction started in 1987 and was completed by June 1988.

However in 2011 New Mills lost one of its two courts and there was a strong campaign by local residents to save the one remaining court. Despite being reduced to a single court. Squash remains popular in New Mills with an expanded club, going strong seven years later. The full consultation period will run until January