Folkestone Sports Centre put on the market following sudden closure
A Kent leisure centre has been put on the market after being placed into administration earlier this year. Folkestone Sports Centre shut suddenly at the end of July due to a "dramatic increase" in costs.
Specialist leisure property adviser Christie & Co has been instructed by administrators Opus Restructuring LLP to put the sports centre in Radnor Park Avenue on the market. The price for which it will be sold has not yet been disclosed.
The property, which occupies a site of just over 11 acres (4.46 ha) originally formed part of the Radnor Estate in Folkestone and is understood to have been gifted by Lord Radnor in the 1960’s, with the main centre being developed in the late 1960’s/early 1970’s and being formally opened by Princess Anne in 1972.
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Over the years the property and business have evolved, adding on a Wellness Centre through acquisition in 1986. The business had been operating on both a regular user and membership basis as well as for pay and play visitors, offering a wide range of indoor and outdoor leisure facilities.
These include two swimming pools (25m and learner pool), a health and fitness suite, an indoor sports hall, three squash courts, spin and aerobics studios, a health and beauty facility and café/bar.
Outside are three outdoor tennis courts, an archery area, ‘dry’ ski slope, nine hole footgolf course and a SkyWalk high ropes course, which was one of the most recent developments, opening in Spring 2021.
Free on-site car parking is provided in three distinct car parking areas around the main building. Joint Administrator, Adrian Dante of Opus Restructuring said: “The administration of Folkestone Sports Centre Trust Limited, particularly after such a long period of ownership and operation of a business that is so highly regarded by users and the wider community alike came as a shock.
"The administration process will enable the property to find a new owner and hopefully new investment, through an open marketing process. We have asked Christie & Co to coordinate the sale on our behalf and any potentially interested parties should contact them for further information.”
Director at Christie & Co Tom Glanvill said: “This is an extensive piece of real estate on a large site and as a result, we envisage that interest could come from a diverse range of property investors, as well as operators within the health and fitness and wider leisure sector. We are aware of the importance of Folkestone Sports Centre to the local community and indeed, we have already received a number of expressions of interest in the property.
"We envisage that following a period of marketing, invitations to submit offers on a subject to contract only basis will be made in order that the future of Folkestone Sports Centre can be determined as soon as possible.”
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