Badminton group celebrates return to Lymington leisure centre after five-year absence

BADMINTON players are celebrating after claiming victory in a five-year fight to have games in Lymington leisure centre’s sports hall.

They were among several groups blocked from the facility in 2018, having used it for activities such as five-a-side football, trampolining, circuit training and martial arts.

But now badminton club member James Gill, from Pilley, has told the A&T that Freedom Leisure, which operates the New Forest’s five public leisure centres, would soon be restoring community access to the hall in North Street.

A spokesperson for Freedom Leisure refused to comment when approached by the A&T.

Badminton fans had protested outside the leisure centre when the hall, which is regularly used by Priestlands School, was shut to them.

Their demonstration was part of wider unsuccessful efforts to stop New Forest District Council, which owns the site, from handing management of the five centres to Freedom Lesiure (see page 5).

Mr Gill told the A&T: “I am pleased to advise that an agreement has been reached between Priestlands School and Freedom Leisure for the restoration of community access to the sports hall when not in use by the school.

“I have been continually making the case for the restoration of this access for nearly five years.”

At the time, NFDC’s then Conservative cabinet member for leisure and wellbeing, Cllr James Binns, said the decision to end activities at the sports hall in Lymington had been taken in 2017 due to “restricted access and low usage”.

Mr Gill added: “I am particularly pleased at this news as it will enable my group and others to return to badminton at last.

“This has been a long time coming due to the obvious Covid impact and the uncertainties around the changeover to the private operator, Freedom Leisure.

“However, it now looks as if all parties have reached agreement and the hall will be bookable again soon both for badminton and other activities.”