Charity trustees take difficult decision to secure the future of the organisation and seek a new opportunity for the site
Trustees of Crook Community Leisure have announced that the charity is to place its sports centre and associated land on the market, following a difficult decision that the facility is no longer financially sustainable for the charity to operate.
The decision has not been taken lightly and comes after more than a decade of work to provide the Crook community with a valuable local leisure facility.
The current centre was developed following a public vote in 2013, when the project secured significant support from a community fund towards its development. There were aspirations for further development of the site, which unfortunately have not been able to take place. The facility opened in 2017 and has since provided a base for local residents, community groups and junior sports.
However, the financial environment in which community leisure facilities operate has changed significantly.
Following Covid, rising energy and utility costs, increases in the National Living Wage and National Insurance, together with the maintenance of an ageing site has placed considerable pressure on the charity.
Despite having a healthy membership and continuing to work hard to generate income, the trustees have concluded that they can no longer responsibly commit charitable funds to subsidise the centre’s operation.
The trustees are keen to stress that this is a decision they are making because they believe it is the responsible course of action – not because they want to see the centre close.
The charity has invested considerable time, money and personal commitment into the facility, with individual trustees having supported its development and operation because of their belief in the importance of community leisure provision. The Trustees are all volunteers and have never received any financial payment for their work as Trustees.
Trustee Dorothy Winter said:
“This is a decision we have not wanted to make, but we have to be realistic. The costs of running a facility such as this have increased enormously and, as trustees of a charity, we have a responsibility to ensure that we act according to charity commission rules and sadly know when enough is enough.
“We have done everything we can to keep the centre operating, but we simply cannot continue to subsidise it indefinitely.
“We are selling because we have to, not because we want to.”
The trustees believe the sale could provide an opportunity for the site to have a sustainable future and are keen to hear from organisations or developers with the financial resources and vision to invest in it.
The site includes the existing leisure centre, sports facilities, a running track, football pitch and adjoining land, providing a potentially significant opportunity for future investment.
The charity has previously explored alternative development options, including proposals involving an extension to the centre and additional facilities, but planning difficulties meant those ambitions could not be realised.
The trustees believe a new owner may be able to look at the site differently and potentially unlock opportunities that are beyond the charity’s financial capacity.
The property is being brought to market through Barnard Castle estate agent Jonathan Wallis, with an offers-over guide price of £187,500, following professional advice and in accordance with the charity’s obligations to demonstrate that it is achieving the best value reasonably obtainable for its assets.
The trustees recognise that some members of the community may question the difference between the original funding invested in developing the facility and the current guide price.
They stress that the two figures cannot be directly compared. The original funding helped create the facility and support its development; it does not represent the current market value of the land and buildings. As with any property, the only meaningful value is ultimately what a willing purchaser is prepared to pay in the current market.
The trustees are also acutely aware that the centre is more than a building.
It provides a meeting place for community activities, including a group of over 60 local people who meet twice a week, as well as supporting junior football through local clubs that use and help maintain the football facilities.
The trustees are committed to doing what they can to minimise the impact on those groups and are already considering alternative venues within Crook so that important community activities can continue, if it is not possible to continue to use the existing facilities.
They also intend to keep the centre operating for as long as practicable while the sale process takes place.
Staff have been informed, and the trustees are committed to supporting them through the transition. Where possible, they hope that employment opportunities can continue under a future operator and that current members and users of the facilities will continue to support the Charity and its operation of the facilities.
Although the decision to sell has been made, the trustees are not ruling out the possibility of a purchaser coming forward who wants to retain, improve or expand the leisure provision.
The trustees would welcome interest from an organisation with the capital and expertise to give the site a sustainable future and potentially provide new or improved facilities for Crook.
They are also keen to ensure that the community understands why the decision has been made.
Dorothy Winter added:
“We know there will be people who are disappointed, upset or angry about this decision, and we completely understand that.
“The people who established Crook Community Leisure did so because they wanted something positive for the town. That principle has not changed.
“But sometimes protecting the future means recognising when something is no longer financially viable and having the courage to make a difficult decision.
“We hope people will judge us on the fact that we have tried everything we reasonably could to keep the facility going. Now we want to find someone who can take the site forward and, hopefully, make something really positive happen for Crook.
“In line with the Charities Commission Guidelines, once financial commitments have been paid, then any surplus proceeds of sale will be distributed to other organisations within Crook, Willington and Tow Law and adjoining villages within the former 3 Towns Area Action Partnership Area. The people in this area voted for the project as part of Its Up to You Programme administered by Durham County Council.”
Crook Community Leisure will continue to provide updates to members, users, staff and the wider community as the process progresses.