Outdoor sports facilities to reopen at Shropshire Council leisure centres

Outdoor sports and activities can return to Shropshire Council-run leisure centres from Monday.

Outdoor facilities at SpArC (Bishop’s Castle), Church Stretton Sports Centre, Much Wenlock Leisure Centre, Idsall Sports Centre (Shifnal) and Roman Road Sports Centre (Shrewsbury) will reopen, and activities programmed in line with club and user demand.

COVID-19-secure measures will be in place to protect facility users, staff and local communities.

Indoor facilities are scheduled to reopen from the earliest Monday 12 April 2021, providing the Government’s roadmap criteria for further easing restrictions are met.

Peter Davis, Shropshire Council’s leisure service manager, said: “We’re looking forward to reopening our outdoor sports facilities and welcoming visitors back to our leisure centres.

“It’s been a difficult start to 2021, and the return of outdoor sport facilities and formally-organised teamsports such as football will be a welcome relief to many.

“It’s been a long wait to get to this point, and our staff have been brilliant in ensuring our leisure facilities will be COVID-19-secure ready for customers to return.”

Although the reopening of outdoor sports facilities is a positive step forward, people should still follow the Government guidelines (social distancing, wearing a face covering, regular handwashing etc) to help keep cases in Shropshire down.

Rachel Robinson, Shropshire Council’s director of public health, said: “As we know, the COVID-19 vaccination programme is of paramount importance to protect residents, and over 62% of Shropshire’s adult population have now received their first dose of a vaccine.

“While the vaccination rollout is going well in Shropshire, people should still follow the Government guidelines to prevent transmission and support the roadmap out of the third Lockdown.”