We are very sorry that the charitable trust running Folkestone Sports Centre has had to take the difficult decision to close and call in administrators.
The independently owned centre, like leisure operators across the country, has faced enormous financial pressures to build business back up after the pandemic alongside the significant increases in utility costs.
The council has provided longstanding support to the trust and in December 2022 councillors agreed to renew support for the centre with a three-year annual grant of £150,000 to deliver sports and leisure activities for the local community.
Our thoughts are with the centre staff who face uncertainty over their jobs and council staff will be offering welfare advice and signposting to relevant sources of help for those who need support.
The closure is also hugely disappointing for residents who are losing their local facilities at the beginning of the school summer holiday. A list of alternative sports and leisure facilities in the district can be found on our Physical health and wellbeing page.
The council will be working with the administrator and with the landowner, the Radnor Estate, as they decide the next steps to be taken.