School saves Rasen sports hall from closure

Market Rasen Sports Hall has been saved from closure after a deal between De Aston School and the leisure operator.
The gym at De Aston Sport HallThe gym at De Aston Sport Hall
The gym at De Aston Sport Hall

West Lindsey District Council had been due to close De Aston Sports Hall at the end of May with plans for a new £6.3million leisure centre in the town.

But De Aston School has struck a deal with leisure provider Sport and Leisure Management (SLM) to keep the facility open until the new complex has been built.

Market Rasen mayor Coun John Matthews, who is a governor at De Aston School, said: “The school has been in private negotiations with the contractor to keep it open for an undisclosed amount of time…. until a new one has been built.”

The move means the town will not be left without leisure provision - and it secures the jobs of those who work there.

Coun Matthews said the school would continue to pay SLM, instead of WLDC.

WLDC communities and commercial programme manager, Karen Whitfield said: “I can confirm that SLM have secured ongoing leisure provision at De Aston School to cover the period between the current contract ending May 31 and the opening of the new proposed leisure centre.

“This is an arrangement between SLM and the school.”

The new multi-million pound leisure centre should open in 2020 although a suitable site has yet to be identified.

The new centre will replace the existing facilities at both De Aston School and Caistor Yarborough Academy 
(Caistor Sports Hall).

Ms Whitfield said in Caistor, the school was ‘looking to continue the community provision themselves’.