Last Friday marked a day of loss for Gateshead as the local leisure centre, a beloved community hub, closed its doors permanently. The closure came on the last day of the school year, at the start of the summer holidays, a time when it is most needed by low-income families. Photographs of the boarded-up building circulated on family WhatsApp groups, sparking memories and discussions about the centre's significance.
Opened in the early 1980s by the late Queen, the centre was transformative for many residents. For historian David Olusoga, who grew up in the area, it was a lifeline. He learned judo and karate there, which helped cure his childhood asthma and boost his confidence. The centre also hosted birthday parties and was a focal point for his family and generations after them.
Despite Britain being richer today than in the 1980s, Gateshead Council can no longer afford to keep the centre open, having lost £179m in annual spending power since 2010. Gateshead ranks 47th out of 317 local authorities on the index of multiple deprivation, with high levels of obesity and diabetes. A health report three months ago recommended increasing physical exercise, yet the council closed a key facility for achieving that goal.
The closure is seen as a symbol of austerity's long-term consequences. Local campaigns are fighting to take over the centre as a community asset. The boarded-up building stands as stark evidence of the impoverishment of local government, much like the rubbish piles of the winter of discontent in 1978-79, which foreshadowed political change.
