Council refuses to rule out closing Stockport's Grand Central leisure centre after 'bombshell'

Stockport council has refused to rule out the closure of Grand Central leisure centre. It follows a "bombshell" announcement last week which revealed the 'ageing' building needs a multi-million pound refurbishment worth at least £10m.

Stockport Lib Dems, who run the council, refused to confirm to the MEN whether closing the centre is an option being considered. It's ignited a row between the Lib Dems and Labour over the future of the 30-year-old site.

The facility is run by Life Leisure, a council-owned community interest company (CIC). Labour councillors are worried the Lib Dems could "dump" Grand Central due to the cost of the work.

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It is based near Stockport Exchange, a part of the town undergoing huge regeneration as new offices, shops, and bar open around the town's train station. Stockport Labour's deputy leader Christine Carrigan quizzed the Lib Dems over the future of the facility during a town hall meeting last week, and whether the council is currently looking at ways to secure the required funding.

Lib Dem Coun Jilly Julian, who's in charge of finances at Stockport town hall, said that Life Leisure are "understanding exactly the nature of the challenges at that facility, and then what potential options might be available in terms of the improvements that might need to be made, funding opportunities that could come from etc."

Ms Carrigan said the response was "was not what I had hoped."

She added: "Having advised that any investment was being worked through by the CIC, it felt like the administration was absolving itself of any responsibility. When pressed to confirm that they were looking to secure that investment, the answer was 'not