A council’s proposals to keep leisure centres open until 2am could increase income by £300,000.
The savings proposal was approved by Tower Hamlets councillors in a meeting last week, during which cabinet members discussed the local authority’s draft budget plans.
The pilot would involve keeping Mile End Leisure Centre and Whitechapel Sports Centre open until 2am from Monday to Saturday, extending the current weekday opening times by four hours and weekend times by eight hours and 10 hours, respectively.
A cabinet report confirms that the plans ‘aim to meet the needs of a growing, diverse population with non-traditional working hours, while aligning with broader access, inclusivity, and commercial goals’.
The changes could generate revenue of £300,000 and create total savings of £270,000 between 2026-27 and 2028-29.
However, the report reveals that the move would cost the council £250,000 due to increased utility usage, as well as the expenses of night staffing and security upgrades.
The council would also need to secure a further 600 members and increase income by £25,000 through events and sports hall bookings to ensure the £300,000 target income is reached.
In the report, the ease of the project’s delivery is stated to be moderate, while the impact of the savings is outlined as low.
For more on community-based health strategies, check out GLL: Transforming Community Health and Wellbeing.
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