'Residents' plea to 'keep the KLV open' brought to full council for vote on future of Kettering Leisure Village conference centre

A last-ditch effort to save KLV using an urgent motion to save Kettering Leisure Village’s (KLV) under-threat facilities will go before North Northants councillors next week.

The site – incorporating Kettering Conference Centre, Lighthouse Theatre, Balance Health Club and Arena Sports Centre – is due to close on July 3 unless someone steps in.

Campaigners say it is not too late to save it and have been calling on North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) or a new management company to keep it open.

NNC will discuss the motion at a meeting at 6pm on Thursday, June 22, at The Corby Cube and some members of the public will be able to speak if they register beforehand.

A motion to be discussed at the meeting, proposed by Cllr Jim Hakewill (Ind) and seconded by Cllr Keli Watts (Lab), says: “This council values all the opportunities provided, directly or indirectly, for the benefit of residents’ health and well-being across North Northamptonshire.

“In particular this council welcomes the economic benefits for Kettering and the wider regional area of having a premier national conference centre, combined with public sporting and theatrical venues (commonly known as the Kettering Leisure Village, the KLV).

“The KLV's continued public and private availability on a long-term, sustainable, basis is critical to the well-being of all residents along with the wider economic prosperity of North Northamptonshire.

“We call upon this council to take similar action to its predecessor authority (Kettering Borough Council) and to step in to keep the KLV open, whilst a sustainable, long-term, future is secured with the help of local people and organisations, for their benefit and the wider economy of North Northamptonshire. A viable business case needs to be urgently created and a budget agreed, prior to the advised closure date of July 3, 2023.”

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. They said costs had increased significantly and that it was no longer financially viable.

At a vocal public meeting on May 19, despite showing sympathy to KLV supporters and vowing to find a solution, 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.

Last week Kettering Town councillors gave cross-party support to highlight concerns and encourage North Northants Council (NNC) to find a solution to the closure of the privately-owned complex that houses sports courts and the town’s Lighthouse Theatre.

Town councillors agreed to send a letter to NNC urging them to broker a deal to save the huge multi-faceted facility used by hundreds of people daily.

Members of the public who want to submit questions or make a statement must do so, in writing, two clear working days prior to the meeting. A period of 15 minutes will be given at the chairman’s discretion. The deadline for questions and statements is 5pm on Monday, June 19.