Survey launches amid concerns after Harborough badminton club asked to relocate from refurbished sports hall

The facility, which underwent significant refurbishment last year, has long served as a venue for indoor sports, including Harborough LC Junior Badminton Club.

However, the club has recently been asked to relocate its sessions to the newly built arena – a semi-permanent structure, formerly the ‘dome’.

It says the arena is not suited to badminton due to the light colours, the blown air heating system and poorly positioned lighting, with no direct access to toilets, changing and storage facilities. It also says it doesn’t meet Sport England’s recommended standards.

A spokesperson said reallocating the hall for non-sporting activities would reduce capacity for indoor sport in the town by around 30 per cent. And the club is concerned the arena, already used for netball, tennis and football, will not be able to accommodate other clubs, potentially reallocated from the sports hall.

They add: “Many sports, including badminton, have been growing in participation since the pandemic and, unless there is compelling evidence to support it, it does not seem sensible to be reducing capacity for indoor sport in the area.”

A survey has been launched by the club to gather feedback from facility users.

MP Neil O’Brien has written a letter to Everyone Active, which operates the centre in partnership with Harborough District Council, about the concerns, including ‘a lack of consultation’.

He said: “Many users and local clubs feel these significant changes have been made with little engagement. Decisions affecting the long-term availability of indoor sports facilities should be made transparently and in close partnership with the community.”

He has called on the operator and council to take the survey findings seriously and ensure a ‘robust consultation process’ is undertaken.

It is not yet known what is being planned for the sports hall.

Matthew Hopkin, contract manager at the leisure centre, responded: “We are working closely with our council partners and all other stakeholders regarding the future of the sports hall.

“We are committed to providing the best possible facilities and activities for the health and wellbeing of people across the local community.”

The survey can be completed online at: https://tinyurl.com/mh-indoor-sports-survey until May 16.

However, Harborough District Council leader Cllr Phil Knowles has strongly denied that any official decision has been made. He said: “No discussion had taken place with officers or members prior to the management company floating this with user groups.

"That was wrong of the management company. I’ve met with the management company and they accept it was wrong and have apologised.

”The decision rests with the cabinet and that decision, if one is needed, will only be made when the cabinet has all of the facts in front of them and I have met with the user groups personally along side Cllr Asher and relevant officers. ” Cllr Knowles added: “I have already made it clear to the badminton group when I met with them that no discussion had taken place and no decision has been made. I have listened to their views.

"Cllr Asher has also met them on site to hear and see their points at first hand within the new arena facility . We also made it very clear to them that we will be meeting all groups individually and as HDC have only recently invested £6 million into our leisure services we will be holding a full consultation. On that we could not have been clearer.

“As for Mr O’Brien, my door is open and I am more than happy to give him the facts face to face and to listen to any points he might wish to make.”