Ricoh Arena gym looks set to close after losses

[dutchman]

Coventry's Arena Health and Fitness Club is likely to close after it was revealed the venue is losing a quarter of a million pounds a year.


Coventry City Ladies take part in a 24-hour bikeathon at the Arena Gym

The state-of-the-art gym at the city’s Ricoh Arena, which was opened to the public in 2006 after a £1.2 million refit, could be closing later this year – meaning more job losses for the region.

Members of Coventry City Council’s cabinet are being recommended to accept a request by Coventry Sports Trust to close the club, which they say is losing £250,000 a year.

In a report to the cabinet’s next meeting on Tuesday, councillors are being asked to support a review of public sports, fitness and leisure provision across the city and provide cash support to the Trust while the review continues.

Coun Phil Townshend, cabinet member for community safety and equalities, said: “The fitness club at the Ricoh is losing significant amounts of money, and the Sports Trust has recognised this by asking us to agree to their proposal to close the centre.

“The scoping exercise currently being carried out by the Sports Foundation and Sports Trust will give us a clear way forward in terms of developing a new vision for sports across Coventry, but in the meantime we owe it to Coventry people to take this decision quickly to avoid further losses.

“We’re an Olympic city next year and I’m determined we get on with the urgent job of making sure we have a sports strategy and vision that recognises how important sport is to Coventry people – it’s both an enormous challenge and an opportunity.

“We’ll be making sure everyone has the chance to share their views with us as we develop this strategy.”

The fitness centre, which boasts more than 100 fitness stations across one floor, had 1,296 members during 2010 and 2011. It forms part of the multi-use Ricoh Arena which has won a wealth of awards for its business and conferencing facilities.

Daniel Gidney, chief executive of the Ricoh Arena, said the club was a ‘valued’ part of the venue, adding: “It is a shame that the Sports Trust has not been able to find a way of continuing to operate the health and fitness outlet at the Ricoh Arena.

“It has been a valued member of the Ricoh tenant family for more than five years and has contributed to the success of the development and we wish it well for the future.”