By Andrew Topping, Local Democracy Reporter
Some leisure centres in Gedling will open on the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee despite not normally opening to the public on bank holidays.
Gedling Borough Council has approved its leisure centre opening hours for June 2 and June 3 – the extended bank holiday dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Queen’s reign.
On standard bank holidays, including the recent May Day holiday, all but one of the borough’s primary leisure centres close their doors to customers.
Only Carlton Forum centre regularly stays open, with the authority saying this gives people who pay a monthly membership access to the facilities.
The Richard Herrod Centre, in Carlton, and Arnold’s Bonington Theatre, also traditionally remain open on bank holidays but do not offer leisure or gym facilities to the public.
But now council documents have confirmed more centres will be open for the Jubilee bank holiday so children and families can use the facilities next month.
This, the authority says, is because the bank holidays fall during the school half-term holidays.
Under the proposals, approved during a delegated decision last week, Arnold, Calverton and Carlton Forum centres will be open on June 2 and June 3 between 7am and 4pm.
Redhill Leisure Centre will be closed both days, while the Bonington Theatre and Richard Herrod Centre will be open as usual.
Documents confirm staff contracted to work at the leisure centres will be “expected to attend work”, and would need to use annual leave if they did not plan to work on the bank holidays.
Staff will have “appropriate rates of pay” added to their income.
The documents add: “The proposal takes into account previous usage levels on bank holidays, but also recognises that there may be increased pool use by children and parents as the bank holidays fall in school holidays.”
