No wonder the British are so unfit and obese when our sporting facilities are closing to sportsmen and women in favour of boot fairs.

This is the case with Southwick Sports Centre where I have played badminton on a Sunday morning for the past ten years.

The hall is now closed to sport on Sunday mornings so it can host a boot fair throughout the winter months.

Surely these facilities are run by the council for sporting use, not for a handful of people to make a few quid selling junk?

No one should have any complaints when we are beaten at sporting events by other nations while we place so little value on providing facilities to encourage sport in our country for those who cannot afford to pay £400 plus a year to join a private club.

Can you imagine such a thing happening in winning nations like Australia and America?

-Bruce Low, Brighton