By Andrew Topping, Local Democracy Reporter
Arnold’s swimming pools will be open and cinema screenings put on during the August bank holiday after Gedling Borough Council agreed to keep some leisure facilities open for families struggling with the cost of living.
The Labour-led authority has approved the move, with Arnold Leisure Centre and the Bonington Theatre, both off High Street, to be open to the public on Monday (August 29).
The authority usually closes most of its leisure centres on bank holidays to allow staff time to take leave – normally only leaving Carlton Forum open to customers.
It did, however, keep open Calverton Leisure Centre on the recent Jubilee Bank Holidays in June to offer more services to residents.
However, the authority says usage was low during the June bank holidays, meaning the Calverton centre will be closed next week, alongside Redhill Leisure Centre in Arnold.
But the main Arnold Leisure Centre, which includes a swimming pool and a learner pool, will be open between 7am and 4pm, and the popular Bonington Theatre will host three cinema screenings during the day.
This includes the new DC: League of Superpets movie at 10.30am, The Railway Children Return at 1.30pm and Where The Crawdads Sing at 4.30pm.
And Gedling Borough Council says the decision was taken to ensure families struggling with rising bills will be able to offer children a day out on the bank holiday.
In papers approved this week, the council said: “Opening the leisure centres more than has traditionally been the case may allow for some residents to access the facilities who may not have done previously.
“[This is] as a result of the current cost of living crisis, with residents less likely to be able to afford to go away on holiday, as well as the proximity to the end of the school summer holidays.
“Usage at Calverton Leisure Centre was low over the Queen’s Jubilee Bank Holiday and it may also be difficult to obtain staff for this day to offer a full range of facilities at this site.
“[This decision] will allow staff to take annual leave without the need to provide full cover at some sites, thus minimising additional staffing costs.”
The authority had considered closing all centres to allow staff to take annual leave, and also looked at adjusting opening times for its leisure centres and the feasibility of keeping them all open.
However, it believes its plans, approved this week, will be “adequate to meet the demand” of residents.
