Kettering Conference Centre: Campaigners disappointed with council position

Campaigners said they were disappointed a council had not yet stepped in to save a leisure complex from closure.

The Kettering Conference Centre, which includes the Lighthouse Theatre, Balance Health Club and Arena Sports Centre, will shut on 3 July.

A North Northamptonshire independent councillor proposed a motion to secure the facility's future.

But the ruling Conservative group amended it so a business case would have to be proved first.

About 15,000 people have signed a petition calling for it to remain open.

The centre, which used to be known as the Kettering Leisure Village (KLV), is leased from the landowner by the unitary authority, which has had a contractual arrangement with Phoenix Leisure Management, who sublet the centre to the Compass Group.

The Compass Group said the site had been "making a loss for a number of years" and it was no longer sustainable to operate.

Independent councillor Jim Hakewill's motion put forward at Thursday's full council meeting said North Northamptonshire should "step in" to keep the leisure village open.

But Conservative deputy leader Helen Howell said any council intervention should have a "legal basis".

"We must ensure we have strong business case which considers both legal and financial implications to this council and all its taxpayers," she told the council meeting.

It was not clear whether that could be provided before the closure date.

Several campaigners attended the meeting and Anita Hallett from the KLV support group said she was "very disappointed because we were hoping for a definite answer" about the centre's future at the meeting.

"Time is more than running out and people need to know [what is happening] and it's just awful how there's not been real leadership in how to keep this much loved facility opened for people," she said.

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