Falmouth leisure centre Ships and Castles is set to reopen next month, it has been announced in a joint statement by Cornwall Council and GLL today.

All of Cornwall's leisure centres are set to reopen by October 14th, thanks to a supplier relief package agreed by the council with the majority of its leisure providers.

The funding will allow GLL to reopen Saltash, Launceston, Wadebridge and St Ives leisure centres, Ships & Castles in Falmouthand the swimming pools at Bude, Liskeard and Helston.

In addition,Cornwall Council hasstepped in with financial support for its other leisure providers which run Carn Brea Sports Centre, Newquay Sports Centre and Penzance Leisure Centre.

The funding means all GLL swimming pools except one will be opened no later than October 14th.

The vast majority of the funding announced today will be in the form of loans to the providers totalling up to £4.4m. It will also include additional grants, loan holidays and contract payments totalling approximately £1.7m. This will be funded from Council reserves.

However, the council and GLL have called on the government to provide an urgent financial rescue package to safeguard the future of leisure provision which has been hit hard by the pandemic.

Cornwall Councillor Mike Eathorne-Gibbons, Cabinet member with oversight of the leisure agreement between the Council and GLL, said:

"This financial package of more than £6m puts our residents' health and wellbeing first and will provide a lifeline for GLL and our other leisure providers to keep leisure centres open while we carry out a strategic review of all our leisure services and continue to push Government for urgent funding for leisure provision.

"The pandemic has created huge financial pressures for us as a Council and this package has been a difficult decision but we must try to preserve leisure provision in Cornwall because it is so important to our residents' health and wellbeing.

"Our leisure providers are operating in a state of uncertainty as people use leisure centres differently now than they when they did pre Covid so our providers will still be having to make some tough operational decisions in the months to come.

"We want to thank everyone in Cornwall who has gone back to using their leisure centres which have strict Covid-secure measures in place. We hope that as many people as possible will return to their community leisure centres once they are reopened."

The financial package was approved by the Council's Leader Julian German today using delegated authority powers to avoid any further delay in the centres reopening.

The package of support is subject to the finalising of detailed terms and due diligence.

The council also revealed updates on the status of The Princess Pavilion in Falmouth, saying:

"It will remain closed until it becomes viable to re-open the theatre and restaurant. This is likely to be next spring."

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