Our need for a sporting life
If more people are to stay fit, we need facilities that are fit for purpose. Frank le Duc reports
The Encyclopaedia of Brighton describes Withdean Stadium as Brighton’s premier sporting venue. It opened as a top class tennis centre in 1936 when Fred Perry won his third and final Wimbledon. It became an athletics track in 1955, the year when Brighton’s most celebrated athlete, Steve Ovett, was born. And the running track was relaid in 1980, the year when Ovett won gold in the 800m at the Moscow Olympics. Many people would agree that the track could do with being replaced. It will cost about half a million pounds.
The King Alfred Leisure Centre was built in 1939 as Hove Marina. But Britain went to war with Germany before the two salt water swimming pools – the major and minor pool – could open to the public. Instead the Navy took over the site and gave it the name HMS King Alfred. In 1983 – almost 30 years ago – the new King Alfred pool was built and the old pools turned into sports halls. Three years later, in 1986, the council installed waterslides which have long since gone. It was also in 1986 that Brighton-born swimming world champion Karen Pickering moved to Ipswich.
A new official report paints a less than flattering picture of Brighton and Hove in sporting terms. It recognises the advances made by Brighton and Hove Albion, with the club’s £93 million new stadium. It notes that Sussex County Cricket Club opened new stands and training facilities last year. And that Brighton University opened a new £9 million sports centre at Falmer the year before.
The picture is less rosy for the rest of us if we want to take part rather than watch the professionals play. The city’s present plight is particularly marked, given that Hove was once regarded by some as the sports capital of the south. The council last opened a leisure centre in the city more than 20 years ago. This was Moulsecoomb. The race is now on to modernise our offer and meet growing demand.
A MARATHON NOT A SPRINT
The report, by Brighton and Hove City Council, says: “Data from Sport England’s Active People survey which measures levels of sports participation shows that Brighton and Hove are in the top 25 per cent nationally but satisfaction with local sports facility provision is in the bottom 25 per cent. This indicates that the expectations of residents are not being met.”
As a result, officials have come up with a “sports facilities plan” – a ten-year plan to improve the picture for indoor venues open to the public. The report says: “The overarching aim is to increase participation in sport and physical activity by improving the overall supply, quality and accessibility of sports facilities in the city.”
The report recommends that officials:
• Set up a project team to start scoping work on options for the future of the King Alfred Leisure Centre
• Investigate options for increased access to school facilities
• Explore options for a purpose-built gymnastics facility
• Explore options for improved athletics facilities
• Improve the quantity and quality of health and fitness facilities
• Improve the quantity and quality of artificial grass pitches.
A benchmarking exercise looked at places such as Portsmouth, Plymouth and Southampton. It found that the quantity and quality of sports facilities in Brighton and Hove was poor by comparison. The report said: “Consultation also highlighted the fact that residents often travel out of the city to use facilities in neighbouring authorities. Forty per cent of respondents stated that they regularly use K2 in Crawley, the Triangle in Burgess Hill or Pavilions in the Park in Horsham because they offer better quality facilities than in Brighton and Hove.”
Money is the biggest obstacle to change, closely followed by a limited selection of suitable sites. But trying to carry on as we are also comes at a price. According to the council: “The cost to the NHS in Brighton and Hove due to overweight and obese people was estimated to be £78.1 million in 2010 and is projected to rise to £83.5 million by 2015.” The report also notes that if nothing is done to improve facilities over the coming ten years, we will face the same problems but have a harder job putting things right.
ON TRACK AT WITHDEAN
The “to do” list for the next ten years includes turning Withdean into a “multi sport hub” with a new running track and better athletics facilities. The possibility of building a swimming pool on the 14-acre site is mooted.
The council’s list includes the following plans:
• Build a new large multi-purpose sports centre
• Increase the number of community swimming pools
• Facilitate the opening of a purpose-built gymnastics facility
• Increase levels of community access to existing school facilities particularly sports halls
• Improve the quantity and quality of health and fitness facilities
• Improve the quantity and quality of artificial grass pitches.
The report points out: “The city’s primary gymnastics club, Brighton and Hove Gymnastics Club, operates in a converted church, St Agnes in Hove. Although a full gymnastics layout is provided, the facility is in poor condition and does not meet the needs of the club. Evidence of demand and potential for expansion of the existing operation is clear. And recognition of the need for a new purpose-built facility or a converted space to rival facilities in Crawley and Horsham has been in existence for a number of years.”
“It’s not just our young gymnasts who will be expected to show flexibility”
Withdean looks likely to become the home of gymnastics in the area although exactly when is less clear at this stage. It’s not just our young gymnasts who will be expected to show flexibility as all manner of detail will be subject to talks that have yet to be held. But the Green Party cabinet which governs Brighton and Hove not only approved the Indoor Sports Facilities Plan but also a related Withdean Sports Complex Masterplan.
The masterplan involves borrowing £3 million this year and next. The aim is to repay the money over 25 years, relying on more cash coming in from a rise in the number of members and users. A report on the masterplan says: “Withdean Sports Complex is currently at capacity for gym and exercise classes and is failing to meet demand. The development proposal outlined below is estimated to increase membership by 66 per cent with a further 1,194 members as well as increasing the much-needed capacity for ‘pay and play’ users.
“This projected increase was based on specialist market research which indicated considerable latent demand. Furthermore, the consultation undertaken to inform the sports facilities plan also showed strong demand for bigger facilities, particularly at Withdean Sports Complex. Higher-quality ancillary facilities such as changing rooms and toilets were also consistently requested during the consultation.” Feedback also suggests unmet demand within Brighton and Hove for indoor rock climbing walls and basketball courts.
All of the ideas to offer better sporting facilities at Withdean are dependent on coming up with a robust business case in agreement with Freedom Leisure which manages the site. The report refers to a revamp of the Prince Regent Swimming Complex and notes dryly: “The proposal for Prince Regent was not financially viable. Further work on the scheme for Withdean Sports Complex has shown that it is financially viable.” Planning permission will also be required for many of the ideas.
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