More than 140 jobs have been lost following the sudden closure of a popular leisure centre, leaving staff “extremely upset”.
The charity which runs Folkestone Sports Centre announced earlier this week it could “no longer afford to remain operational”.
Stunned workers say they are now facing a “terrible time” – but are still holding out hope an investor may step in.
The centre, in Radnor Park Avenue, has been used by generations of residents and its closure has been described as a “massive loss for the community”.
First opening in 1973, it features a huge variety of facilities including a 25-metre swimming pool, gym, cafe and even ski and toboggan slopes.
But Tessa Stickler, a manager at the site, says bosses had been grappling with financial challenges for several years and confirmed a recent increase in utility bills was “the final nail in the coffin”.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Folkestone Sports Centre Trust, which runs the facility, says it has had to “accept defeat” and call in administrators.
“All 144 staff at the centre have lost their jobs,” Ms Stickler said.
“Since the lockdown in March 2020, it has been a major struggle for us and now we have had to admit defeat.
“When we reopened after Covid there was a huge increase in utility bills, insurance and wages.
“Since November last year, we were forced to put some of our staff on part-time working hours.
“I don’t think people realise how much time we have spent battling to try and stay alive. It’s the utility bills that have been the killer.
“All the staff, including myself, are extremely upset. We all have mortgages and bills to pay. It’s just a terrible time for all of us.”
Since the announcement by Folkestone Sports Centre Trust on Tuesday, residents have rallied around and set up a petition and a GoFundMe page.
The petition calling on Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) to “save” the site has received more than 4,000 signatures in less than 48 hours.
The fundraiser, meanwhile, has also been started by Angela White to support the 10 gym staff, including her brother, who lost their jobs at the facility.
It has so far received £270 in donations.
Ms White, who has lived in Folkestone all her life, says her brother Samuel Gordon is “gutted” by the closure.
“He was meant to pay his rent today but no staff have been paid for their work in July,” she added.
“Sam is currently on dialysis and waiting for a kidney transplant so his ill health is going to make it very difficult to find a new job.
“He absolutely loved the job and sport has always been a huge part of his life. The fundraiser is just to try and give a little bit of help to the gym staff who are going to be struggling.”
Ms Stickler, who has been a manager at the centre for the past two years, says bosses will “try their hardest” to rescue the site.
She added: “We’re not bankrupt, we’re not insolvent, we just don’t have the cash flow. Our trust is completely done; we are hoping an investor is out there who might want to help us.
“We’ve had support from the banks and FHDC continued with the £150,000 grant that it gave us on a quarterly basis.
“We know the financial strains that councils are under so we are extremely grateful for that.
“We’re trying to maintain the building as much as possible. We don’t want to drain the pool. So if somebody can come in and save this for the community, then they’re not starting from scratch.
“This is the lifeline of an awful lot of people and it’s certainly a huge part of family life for the majority of the people in the community in one way or another.”
The centre has been part of Folkestone for more than 50 years and was used by a wide range of people.
As well as sports facilities, it provided cardiac rehab, stroke rehab, weight management classes, a dementia cafe and a programme for people who are suffering from mental health illnesses.
Items being removed from the site yesterday lunchtime were by individual classes that use the facility, not equipment owned by the centre itself.
Louise Butlin had been a staff member at the centre for the past 17 years and is “heartbroken” at the sudden closure.
The 41-year-old Folkestone resident said: “I first started off in the cafe and then moved to the bar area.
“More than 100 have lost their jobs without any pay. The centre has been a huge part of my life.
“I absolutely loved working there and I’m heartbroken that it has closed.”
New Labour MP for Folkestone and Hythe, Tony Vaughan, says “there was no warning at all” and will do “everything he can” to open the centre again.
Staff were only informed of the sudden closure in an emergency meeting on Tuesday.
In a message posted on its website, the trustees of Folkestone Sports Centre Trust thanked the centre’s staff for their hard work and personal sacrifices.
An independent administrator will be appointed in the coming days and no direct debit membership payments will be drawn on August 1, the trustees confirmed.
Ms Stickler added: “We will be putting out contact details for the administrators, for both the staff and for creditors.
“If people keep watching our website and our social media platforms, they will be able to know where they can get those details from.”
In a statement, Green-led FHDC said it is “very sorry” the trust has had to call in administrators.
“The independently owned centre, like leisure operators across the country, has faced enormous financial pressures to build business back up after the pandemic alongside the significant increases in utility costs,” it said.
“The council has provided long-standing support to the trust and in December 2022 councillors agreed to renew support for the centre with a three-year annual grant of £150,000 to deliver sports and leisure activities for the local community.
“Our thoughts are with the centre staff who face uncertainty over their jobs and council staff will be offering welfare advice and signposting to relevant sources of help for those who need support.
“The closure is also hugely disappointing for residents who are losing their local facilities at the beginning of the school summer holiday.
“The council will be working with the administrator and with the landowner, the Radnor Estate, as they decide the next steps to be taken.”