MELKSHAM’S sports and leisure facilities have been labelled as ‘insufficient’ by residents, who have called on Wiltshire Council to provide more for the town.
Locals have spoken out following the reopening of Melksham Blue Pool, which has been forced to operate at a reduced capacity due to Covid-19 restrictions; and the news that construction of the Melksham Campus has been delayed until early 2021.
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, sports and leisure facilities in the town were already at stretching point following the loss of Christie Miller Sports Centre, which was closed by Wiltshire Council in 2018, and the closure of women’s gym Curves in January this year.
And with new housing developments being built across the town, and more in the pipeline, locals are asking that Wiltshire Council ensure that there is enough to go around and provide temporary facilities to fill the gap in sports and leisure provision.
Local resident Martin Allen said, “There is not a sufficient supply of leisure facilities in Melksham. They took away Christie Miller years ago and haven’t even provided temporary alternatives whilst the faff of the decade campus gets delayed and delayed ad infinitum.”
Jenny Dove said, “Oh Melksham! A tale of fudge and delay. I’ve lived here over 30 years, and made use of the Blue Pool and Christie Miller, both impressive facilities in their day. Then, wow, talk of a new sports centre resulting in the sheer neglect of the existing sites, with the vain hope of a new prospect.
“The town has exploded with new houses, but where is the planning gain for sports facilities? We have been sadly let down and it seems that this sorry tale has still a long way to go.”
Shelley Davis added, “Since they closed Christie Miller, Melksham has literally nowhere near enough leisure facilities for the amount of people in the town.”
Claire Humphries Harrall said, “Complete and utter joke! More and more homes are being built, we have one very old pool and one small gym within the Blue Pool. Having lost the Christie Miller site, we no longer have ten pin bowling, badminton or a larger gym.”
Wiltshire Council was approached for comment.
