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Worrying GLL article in Guardian

"Better leisure centres being bailed out across UK, says GLL chief.CEO says Covid lockdown has come at worst possible time for business amid fears over future""The operator of the Olympic aquatic centre and hundreds of other leisure centres across the UK is being bailed out by cash-strapped local authorities in every area it operates as it struggles with the latest lockdown, the Guardian can reveal.GLL, which trades under the name Better, runs 230 pools, gyms and sports halls in areas including Belfast, Manchester, Newcastle, Cardiff, Bath, Cumbria and Cornwall and several London boroughs." [including Wandsworth]https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jan/10/better-leisure-centres-being-bailed-out-across-uk-says-gll-chief

David Ainsworth ● 1936d2 Comments

This sort of outsourcing is not going to end well.As for libraries the councils still have statutory responsibility to provide library services, not that that would necessarily stop more closures in extremis.  Maybe recruiting more volunteers might keep costs down but that shouldn't be necessary.

Jonathan Callaway ● 1936d

GLL don't just run sports/leisure centres, they also run Wandsworth's libraries, so this is a cause for concern.

Richard Carter ● 1936d