No promise of council cash to save Kettering Leisure Village as hundreds show support for centre facilities

Hundreds of concerned residents showed their support for the beleaguered Kettering Leisure Village (KLV) site at a public meeting last night.

More than 350 people crammed into Kettering Arts Centre as people were turned away from the event, which was called because the site faces closure in July. Ironically the owners of KLV, the town’s largest venue, had not allowed the complex’s arena to be used for the gathering.

At the meeting, convened by Cllr Keli Watts (Lab) and members of The KLV Support Group, athletes, theatre goers, gym members and sports court users voiced their opposition to closure plans, shared ideas how to save the leisure complex and addressed NNC leader Cllr Jason Smithers, NNC acting chief rxecutive George Candler and MP for Kettering Philip Hollobone.

North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) leases KLV from BQ Farms, paying a £1 annual peppercorn rent, an arrangement which was inherited from their predecessor authority, Kettering Borough Council. The council has a contractual arrangement with Phoenix Leisure, which further sublet KLV to Compass Group Services, which made the closure decision.

Despite sympathy shown to KLV supporters, and a vow to find a solution through talks with negotiations, NNC leader Cllr Jason Smithers said he could not promise any extra money to bail out the business on top of the £337,000 a year granted for indoor sports courts and the Lighthouse Theatre.

He said: “People have high expectations of local authorities, and rightfully so. We’re going to act professionally to try and broker a deal between the two interested parties, Phoenix and Compass Group, and ensure that they fulfil their contractual obligations.

“I don’t think it would be right to offer any more money at the moment. This has to be dealt with through the current contractual arrangements that the Compass Group has with Phoenix Leisure. It wouldn’t be wise for us to be bringing money to the table when these companies have millions of pounds and they should be investing that within the facility, and keeping that facility open for the residents of Kettering.

“I’m optimistic and I hope that we would get a deal done and that the two commercial contractors will sort this out – they have to.

"The people of Kettering want them to save this facility. Those companies have to step up and do the right thing.”

Officers from NNC will meet with Phoenix Leisure for face-to-face talks today (May 19). Representatives from Compass Group will travel to Kettering for another summit next week.

To cheers and applause from the polite and patient crowd, Gerry McGrory, captain of Northampton Saints Wheelchair Rugby Club, who had earmarked KLV for their training home, made an impassioned plea for the community to get involved in the running of the centre and for the present owners ‘to go’ and for North Northants Council to ‘put their hands in the pockets’.

He said: “I never beg for anything but I’m going to make a plea. This has to remain open. It’s a community centre – run it by the community. Get rid of Compass, get rid of Phoenix. You rise up, you be the phoenix, you rise up from the ashes and hopefully these guys (NNC) will put their hands in their pocket.”

Meeting organiser Cllr Keli Watts (Northall) said: “This gathering was well worth having. There’s no way we can allow the facility to close and the passion and dedication shown tonight by everyone was palpable. Turnout was even better than I expected and demonstrated the depth of feeling. I’m so sorry people had to be tuned away.

“I’m optimistic that members of the executive were so positive about the campaign and its aims. The fact that Cllr Smithers has offered up a meeting at the council offices for further discussions is encouraging. NNC can’t afford not to step in financially given the number of others reliant on the continuation of the facility.”

Several sources claimed that KLV staff had been told verbally to stay away from the meeting or risk losing out on redundancy payments.

Cllr Smithers said: “We will be trying to get the long-term stability that is needed to keep that centre open. I was very impressed by the speakers and the turnout, the passion that was in the room and the will of people wanting to step up and do something.

“What I wasn’t impressed by was the threats that have been made to hard-working individuals that have been told that if they attend meetings that puts their redundancy in jeopardy. That’s unacceptable.

"Those individuals should hang their heads in shame and I will be lobbying through our three MPs to raise those issues on the floor of the House of Commons and shame those companies. That is not acceptable if that is true.”