Energy crisis exposes plight of two sporting Britains that must be tackled

A t the Armory gym in north London, they are still offering yoga for the visually impaired, free classes for seniors and free membership for the homeless. All the important and inclusive stuff, in short, that leisure centres should offer to their communities. But when the not-for-profit organisation that runs the gym stares at its balance sheet, and particularly the additional £350,000 on its annual energy bill, it wonders how it is going to survive.

Sadly there is nothing especially noteworthy about the Armory’s story. It is one replicated up and down the land. But when I learned about its struggles, on the same day that the Premier League kicked and screamed against a new football regulator, it neatly illustrated a tale of two sporting Britains. One awash with money from billionaires and dubious petro-states wanting to blunt government intervention. The other desperately pleading for help while trying not to go under.

According to UK Active, 29 leisure centres, pools or gyms have closed in the past year due to the energy crisis, while dozens more are at risk. But the scale of the problem is far greater still. This week the charity Sported will report the findings of a survey of its 3,000 grassroots clubs and youth centres – many of whom use sport to tackle issues such as homelessness, youth unemployment, knife crime and gangs. Tellingly 53% have suffered a reduction in their income in the last quarter.

The knock-on effects are devastatingly predictable. A quarter of these clubs have had to cut back on the sessions they offer, with 37% seeing a reduction in kids participating. Meanwhile 12% fear they may close down because of financial pressures. In short, a national tragedy is unfolding before our eyes. Only most of