A day of anger and disappointment after Cornwall Council's Cabinet voted to close Ships & Castles leisure centre.

At an Extraordinary Cabinet meeting this morning (4th) the Cabinet took the decision to cease the search for an alternative operator and close the centre at the end of March with a view to developing alternative options for leisure provision for the Falmouth and Penryn area.

Falmouth was among five leisure facilities in Cornwall at risk, including Launceston, Saltash, Wadebridge, and the hydrotherapy pool in St Austell – after operator GLL said that they could no longer run them without financial support.

Wadebridge was granted more time to work out a potentially economically viable bid to run it long term - but not Falmouth.

Pendennis Leisure had submitted a bid to takeover Ships and Castles but the council claims that this would require a long-term financial subsidy, which the company says is "factually incorrect".

Falmouth leisure centre users, councillors, and residents were all in attendance to show their support to keep the site open.

Cabinet member, Cllr Richard Pears stated Ships & Castles had just over 300 members in a catchment area of 40,000 people and didn't think it would increase to viable levels. He also described the site as "just a fun pool for children, and tourists", and said the swimming pool was "not fit for purpose".

However, Cllr Pears outlined plans to put "collective efforts" into developing alternatives for leisure in Falmouth and Penryn.

"We are committed to working with the community, partners, and local stakeholders to develop plans for an alternative leisure offer in Falmouth," he said.

Alan Jewell, Cornwall councillor for Falmouth Boslowick, urged the Cabinet to hand over the running of the leisure centre to the Town Council following the success of the Princess Pavilion.

He asked to give the town some hope after two years of grief, Councillor Jewell continued:

"Come and talk to us as a town, devolve it to the Town Council and we can put it out the CIC to take over from us. We have a very good track record, the biggest devolution programme in Cornwall. We have got the ability and the expertise to take this building on. On the news last night, Exeter closed their leisure centre but they opened a new one the next day, where's the new one for Falmouth? It will never happen, this is all talk. This makes money in the summer, give it to the town."

Cllr Pears responded:

"Congratulations to the town on the devolution of the pavilion but running a pool is very different."

Councillor Kirkham commented:

"You are offering jam tomorrow. There are no guarantees, there is nothing there, there is no money for leisure centres we all know that. Unless the councils take them on, there is no money from central government. To close one without opening another has a massive impact on the people of Falmouth. There is nothing else in Falmouth at the moment and there won't be for years."

The vote in favour of the closure was met with calls of "shame" on the cabinet, with people leaving the meeting room in frustration.

Following the meeting, Deputy Mayor Councillor Kirstie Edwards told Nub News:

"I'm furious. It's not fair because they aren't listening to the people, they keep saying over and over again they're communicating with the people of Falmouth and stakeholders to come up with a way forward. Not once have they replied to our emails, which is not communicating to find a way forward. That is saying we've made our decision, doesn't matter what you say.

"They kept saying only two schools have swimming lessons at the centre. I know for a fact from other parents that Ships & Castles cancelled the lessons because they didn't have the capacity, couldn't find the staff, and didn't know what was going to happen. They started cancelling lessons the day after the initial announcement, of course, there are only two schools using it now. It is not a factual representation because all of the schools were using it before."

Matthew Thomson, Pendennis Leisure, added:

"The decision is not a surprise. I don't think anybody has properly understood the impact this is going to have on hundreds of families in Falmouth and Penryn.

"We have a situation where headteachers are dealing with more children who can't swim. We've got councillor Pears trying to explain swimming training to a team of bidders who are swimming professionals. I do have sympathy with the council's budget constraints, but to confuse affordability with viability is a real mistake."

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