News Reader.info

"IT’S HAD A REAL NEGATIVE AFFECT ON THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND LOCAL SCHOOLS." 19:15, 31 May 2025Updated 12:28, 01 Jun 2025 In December 2023 Salford City Council issued an

announcement via social media. There were some "exciting" changes coming to Clarendon Leisure Centre, starting in February 2024. The much-loved and well used "Rec" as it

was fondly known was in need of serious refurbishment. It was looking worn and tired. The town hall bulletin said work to be carried out included replacing boilers, resurfacing the car park,

extending the gym, redecorating, and providing new "state of the art" Matrix cardio equipment. The facility was to close for six weeks from mid February while the boiler was

replaced and the pool was scheduled to reopen in early April. Work was then to start on refurbishment of the sports hall and gym. It was good news, and about time. My youngest daughter was

turned into a great swimmer thanks to the top-notch coaching she got there and at Broughton Baths. I used the Rec myself in a bid to keep a modicum of fitness via the pool as she tore

through 50 lengths. But municipal "slippage" kicked in and in the event the work was only partially completed with £359,000 being spent before a catastrophe. In May last year

arsonists struck. The Rec, which had served generations of Salfordians was destroyed. 'Clarendon Rec', as it is fondly known, was a 1970s small sports centre but was no less an

integral part of life for families in Pendleton, Langworthy, and Seedley. Its pool meant thousands learned to swim and some were coached to a high level representing the city in galas. It

was also well used by local schools. Article continues below When it comes to replacing the building, one option being considered is to build a brand new sports centre on a cleared plot in

Pendleton near where Brydon Close and the former Brass Handles pub stood. The other option is to rebuild the Rec on its original site. But the _Manchester Evening News _can reveal that a

behind-the-scenes spat over the size of an insurance payout is stalling progress. Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor said negotiations with insurers were "ongoing" and the council is

determined to get "appropriate compensation". Earlier this year, Salford MP, Rebecca Long Bailey raised the issue in Parliament saying The fire was spotted at 2.45am on Monday May

10th 2024. Refurbishment works had been ongoing at the site, including improvements to the gym, while the swimming pool had re-opened a month earlier. Since the fire, Salford Community

Leisure has moved swimming lessons over to other sites and moved the swimming squad that was based there to other sites as well The _Manchester Evening News_ understands that insurers have

confirmed they will pay the claim and put the council back in the position they were in before the loss, or offer an indemnity payment for the loss or partial loss of the asset. The council

is considering and working out the cost of three options - rebuilding it; re-building part of it and demolishing the pool, or demolishing it all. These costs must be established before the

next steps are taken. The centre is run by Salford Community Leisure and its officers and town hall officers are in discussion with Sport England on how they can support the city going

forward. But the slow progress has alarmed local councillors and the city's MP, Rebecca Long Bailey, who raised the issue in Parliament. Should rebuilding be the chosen option, officers

are looking at another site that had been identified before the pandemic for a leisure centre in the heart of Pendleton, on land next to Brydon Close where a council estate was pulled down.

It had been proposed before pandemic that the Clarendon and Ordsall centres would close and be replaced by a brand new 'sports village' costing £15.3m, but that plan ended up

being shelved due to the cost. Now, in the wake of the arson attack on Clarendon Rec, existing discussions about a vision for improved sport and leisure facilities in the city have shifted

back towards Pendleton. Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor said negotiations with insurers were "ongoing" and the council is determined to get "appropriate compensation".

The MP has met with a government minister to raise the urgent need for a new facility. “A year on from the devastating arson attack that destroyed the two swimming pools at Clarendon Leisure

Centre, we are still reeling from the impact this has had on local residents. The thoughtless and needless actions of those responsible have robbed the community of a vital asset, which was

much-loved by generations of Salfordians who learnt to swim there. "Whilst many of the users of Clarendon Leisure Centre are now enjoying other Saford leisure facilities, there remains

a significant gap for the local community. Teams across the council and Salford Community Leisure have been working hard and looking to the future to identify the next steps for the centre,

ensuring the community is at the heart of this decision making. "The damage was considerable and negotiations with insurers are ongoing. Our goal is to make sure we get the best

resolution to these negotiations and get the appropriate compensation to enable us to reinvest in facilities in the future. "Salford City Council is currently producing a visioning

strategy for sport and leisure for the city, and Pendleton has been identified as one of the priorities with the area most in need of sport and leisure facilities. This supports a Sport

England national body review in 2019 which also identified Pendleton as the area of greatest need. "Our commitment remains to build a new facility on the already allocated land in

Pendleton, our focus now is around understanding local needs, confirming costs, and identifying possible funding options we can access to hopefully help us make this a reality for the

community. "We will also be conducting some consultation activity to gather feedback from local people about the impact of the closure of the centre and to also get their ideas around

possible future sport and leisure provision in the area. This will assist us in developing evidence of the strategic need to help create options around future design and use to potentially

tap into funding available to support plans. "We welcome feedback from the community, so anyone who uses Clarendon Leisure Centre, please do get in touch and share your views. In

relation to the damage caused by arsonists, I would again urge anyone who has any information which would help the police with their investigation to come forward.” Ms Long Bailey said:

"We have now had the community starved of facilities for a long time in an area of extremely great need. There are so many families that rely on the centre, so many staff employed

there, that have redeployed elsewhere in the city. "It is a desert for sports and leisure facilities now. We have a community which sees so many new houses being built around them and

not having the additional services that go alongside. There is an urgent need in my view for those facilities to be provided for all age groups. "We have extreme health inequality in

Salford with some people living up to ten years longer than those in other parts of the city, with sections of the inner-city faring the worst. It is not just about leisure facilities, it is

about living standards and incomes that need to be addressed by the government more widely. "But at the very least you can provide leisure facilities so people can get access to sport,

and health and wellness. There is just nowhere else for people to go in that area. "I have heard that the stumbling block is the negotiations that are ongoing with the insurer.

Obviously other discussions are taking place behind the scenes with other stakeholders about what could happen next once that is resolved. "A while ago the council was looking at

building a brand new leisure centre in Pendleton and that fell by the wayside because of the cost at the time. But those plans are still there and the council spent a lot of time and a lot

of money developing them. It was going to be a leisure centre and house facilities like GP services of which we also have a shortage of. That would have been an answer to all of our prayers.

That is one option, rather than trying to rebuild a centre which has fallen down, been badly damaged and is no longer fit for purpose. There are stakeholders in that project that are

waiting now. "I would speculate that the insurers are arguing for rebuilding the existing building in part rather than have a new all singing and dancing leisure centre. The cost of

putting a pool in and rebuilding the dry side would cost millions. "A new leisure centre in Pendleton would be brilliant but rebuilding the one damaged on the existing site is the bare

minimum as to what is required, and what we would accept. "I and others did end up having a meeting with the Minister Alex Norris (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry

of Housing, Communities and Local Government) about this. Basically I tried to tap him up for some money. He couldn't give a pledge on funding. But he did agree to bring together all

of the stakeholders around the table and thrash out how to move forward whatever option is chosen. He said he would try to push things along. "I am now waiting for an update as to where

discussions for that have got to." She raised the issue in Parliament in March asking for government support to “ensure that this vital facility is rebuilt as a matter of

urgency." "I was assured at a meeting with the Minister consequently that things were progressing regarding talks with the insurers and the council was in a better position than

they were when I asked the question in Parliament. "One of the stakeholders we are speaking to is Sport England. The council would have to go through many hoops to get funding. It has

been a long time now and people have had to travel to other parts of the city to use alternative facilities. The situation affects things like social prescribing where doctors prescribe gym

and exercise sessions. It is not just the impact this is having on people's social lives, but their health and well being." In March, Hannah Robinson-Smith, lead member for

culture, heritage, equalities, sports and leisure at the council, said the local community “is still reeling from the devastating loss” last year. She added: “We have been working tirelessly

to look at a future solution for the area and the residents. This work is ongoing and involves important and detailed discussions with insurers, leisure industry specialists and potential

future partners.” Local Independent Socialist councillor for Pendleton and Charlestown, John Warmisham, said: “It’s very frustrating that it’s now over a year since the arson attack on

Clarendon Recreation Centre. It’s had a real negative effect on the local community and local schools. "Pendleton and Charlestown Ward have high figures of poor health and wellbeing, so

the centre was vital in fighting this and supporting people. The swimming pools have also been a big loss for our schools and for teaching our children to swim. "It’s disgraceful that

part of the hold up is down to the insurance company who have made a paltry offer and it’s right that as a council we’ve held out for a fair settlement. I’m hopeful that the finance will

come forward sooner rather than later for a much needed new centre in Pendleton and that we get full financial support from the Government, Sport England and Greater Manchester Health

Authorities. For me It’s a top priority." Since the fire, Salford Community Leisure has moved swimming lessons over to other sites and moved the swimming squad that was based there to

other sites as well Meanwhile, gym members can use any gym and all group exercise classes at other sites with their membership, and the Active Communities holiday clubs that visited the site

will use other leisure centres in the city. Article continues below Greater Manchester Police have closed the case in the hunt for the arsonists who set fire to the Rec due to a lack of

evidence.