Hove King Alfred plans put on hold for 15 years

2:40pm Thursday 10th June 2010 in News By Tim Ridgway, Local government reporter

The redevelopment of The King Alfred Leisure Centre has been ditched for up to 15 years after the council revealed privatisation plans.

The seafront site in Hove has been earmarked by planners and business leaders for years as a prime commercial development opportunity.

But after plans for Frank Gehry’s £290 million design fell through, Brighton and Hove City Council has been forced to spend £2.25m to keep the aging, eyesore building operational.

The local authority has now brought forward plans to privatise the centre, sparking fears of job losses for its 34 staff.

The council will decide which firm wins the ten year contract for its six leisure centres and three paddling pools in December.

The agreement, which will come with an option to extend it for up to five years, will come into operation in April 2011.

Officers have recommended an “escape clause” be entered so if the King Alfred is closed for redevelopment or serious maintenance problems, it will be removed from the joint agreement.

They add that a long term contract will attract more capital investment as the operator would be more likely to see a return.

David Smith, cabinet member for culture, recreation and tourism, will comment on the proposals at his meeting on Tuesday.

Comments(10)

ICantThinkOfAName says...
4:26pm Thu 10 Jun 10

I think the KA has been signalling their distressful state for some time as they often fly the Union Jack upside down.

Report this post »

Christophe Hawtree says...
4:50pm Thu 10 Jun 10

Money could be saved by reducing the temperature of the water. It is too warm for serious swimming.

Report this post »

bohemianlikeyou18 says...
5:10pm Thu 10 Jun 10

If it is privatized could the new owners knock it down and start again?
The whole building is disgusting, and there are ants in the pool!!
The staff are also often inefficient and rude! Maybe job loss worries will encourage them to work a little harder/better!

Report this post »

censored says...
5:20pm Thu 10 Jun 10

The only way a private company will run these, is by charging more for them.

They'll want to make a profit - which means any investment has to be offset with higher prices.

Private companies running public facilities simply doesn't add up - just look at any and all PFI schemes

Report this post »

Living in the real world says...
7:20pm Thu 10 Jun 10

If the people we elect to RUN our services can't be bothered do we get a refund in our ever increasing taxes?

They should all resign and let people who can get on with making Brighton a vibrant place for those who already live here and stop atracting more people just to gain another poll tax payer or car driver to bleed dry.

Report this post »

davyboy says...
8:01pm Thu 10 Jun 10

the sad thing is, the KA should have been replaced 15 years ago. a proper leisure centre, similar to the triangle at Burgess Hill is what is required in the area, not necessarily on the KA site, but somewhere. a city the size of Brighton and Hove should be able to provide decent leisure facilities for its citizens and visitors.

Report this post »

chipmunk77 says...
12:02am Fri 11 Jun 10

censored wrote:
The only way a private company will run these, is by charging more for them. They'll want to make a profit - which means any investment has to be offset with higher prices. Private companies running public facilities simply doesn't add up - just look at any and all PFI schemes
Very possibly! or maybe run it more efficiently than the shambles it is now, it's a dump compared to most private gyms like LA Fitness etc!

Lack of investment over the years from the council has caused this, they basically are reaping what they've sown!

Report this post »

Lady Smith says...
10:40am Fri 11 Jun 10

We can expect to see alot more privatisation happening in local government, as a result of the forthcoming ConDem public spending cuts. They have made it quite clear that, spuriously, they expect the recession-hit private sector AND the already cash-strapped voluntary sector to step in where services will be cut, not just to the bone, but right out the other side... Redeveloping a leisure centre is going to be WAY down on the list of priorities for any council, not just Brighton & Hove. And this story is just the beginning, folks...wait until June 22nd...

Report this post »

jo_brown says...
3:35pm Fri 11 Jun 10

The King Alfred is an absolute joke. It looks derelict on the outside and is filthy and unhygienic on the inside.
The Council need the get their act together. The Planning Committee need to change their attitude, get some planning applications passed for a change and lets get some exciting new buildings in Brighton and Hove. We should be trying to attract investment and development, not scaring potential investors off, which is exactly what is happening now. Get a Grip B&HCC.

Report this post »

HoveAlone says...
2:52pm Mon 14 Jun 10

The money will always go to Brighton. Look at the money they are wasting on the observation tower! The council couldn't care less about Hove. I am sure that if the King Alfred was on Marine Parade it would have been redeveloped by now.

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree