Archived on 6/5/2022

The Bridge to remain closed (during the pandemic)?

ForestHull

23 Oct '20

While we wait to find out when Forest Hill Pools will reopen, nearby leisure centre The Bridge may not be set to reopen at all during the pandemic:

ChrisR

6 Jan '21

Update from News Shopper today confirming The Bridge will not reopen!

robertjroy

6 Jan '21

This is a shame for everyone who used it. It’s potentially not forever, but also likely they’ll just close it.

“Due to financial pressures The Bridge Leisure Centre will not reopen in the short term.”

“Detailed recommendations on the next steps for The Bridge are expected to be considered by the Council by autumn 2021.”

ForestHull

7 Jan '21

I used the pool there a number is times with the kids, so sad to see it staying closed.

I hope it reopens one day, but it doesn’t sound terribly likely from the article.

ForestHull

14 Jan '21

A further update, courtesy of Grainne Cuffe:

At a meeting last night (January 13) mayor and cabinet approved plans not to reopen the Bridge Leisure Centre in Lower Sydenham once Covid-19 restrictions are eased.

The decision came after a warning from the mayor of Lewisham in October that the cost of making the centre Covid-secure might be too great for the council to justify.

It is unclear when or if the centre will open again, but a review is expected later in the year.

Council figures show the Bridge was operating at a deficit of more than £400,000 per year for a long time before the pandemic, which surged to nearly £600,000 in recent years.

The council estimates that to reopen the site in 2021, the Bridge would need an annual subsidy of around £750,000 in revenue, around £450,000 for essential works, with a further £600,000 for works in the first few years of reopening.

ForestHull

12 Aug '21

Looks like there are hippies dancing in the car park there again and police ‘having a word’.

So sad this civic facility has been let to ruin like this.

starman

12 Aug '21

Hippies?

We should be encouraging people in their 60s and 70s to get regular exercise.

ForestHull

12 Aug '21

I agree, though these looked like young hippies with camper vans.

ForestHull

28 Oct '21

…

The Bridge

We want to make sure that residents in all parts of Lewisham have access to excellent leisure facilities. The Bridge, a leisure centre in the Sydenham/Bellingham area, has historically been heavily subsidised by the Council due to high maintenance and ongoing running costs as a result of the age, make-up and layout of the site – it wasn’t designed as a public leisure centre and unfortunately we haven’t been able to safely reopen it following the lockdown.

We want to look into whether it would be possible to build a brand new, purpose-built leisure centre for the 21st century, rather than spending a lot of money to patch up an old centre that is no longer fit for purpose. The feasibility study will consider whether we can find a way to build a new leisure centre – estimated to cost about £25m – and also look at the opportunity to deliver much needed new housing in the borough.

In the absence of Government funding to build community facilities like this, we need to think outside the box and be ambitious in order to try to build the facilities we need. This is potentially a really exciting project, but needs careful consideration to make sure it can be delivered effectively and well.

This work is at a relatively early stage and I’m looking forward to sharing the results of the study when complete.

While The Bridge is closed, I am pleased that we have managed to retain the Lewisham Indoor Bowls Centre, working with partners to increase membership and participation. This is such an important indoor facility for people aged over 60.

Elsewhere it’s reported that Lewisham commissioned a report that estimated £2m are needed to re-open The Bridge, and a vote will be taken next week. I couldn’t however find this in a cursory look at the Council meeting schedule…

GotDeletedOnce

29 Oct '21

That update has got “site sold to private developer for development” written all over it