Great Barr leisure centre to shut after school takeover
A leisure centre is to close after being taken over by a school.
Regular users of Great Barr Leisure Centre have been told they will have to go elsewhere when the facility shuts next week - with it suggested they travel to Shard End on the other side of Birmingham instead.
The building, on Aldridge Road, has been taken over by Great Barr Academy and will now only be used by the school.
Bosses at Birmingham City Council said they were holding talks with the academy to try and convince them to keep the centre open to the public.
Great Barr councillor Jon Hunt said closing the leisure centre did not make sense.
He said: "I hope the academy will reconsider this. It would bring in money so I don't see why people shouldn't be able to use it when the school is shut.
"A lot of people who use it will be disappointed. It undermines the drive to keep people fit and active."
The decision to transfer the leisure centre, which is on the primary school site, was taken in 2013 but is only now being closed.
Steve Hollingworth, director for open space at Birmingham City Council, said: "Discussions are ongoing with Great Barr Academy on this and the local community’s continued use of the leisure centre after August 11 and we remain confident that a positive solution will be reached."
