New lease of life for Bedlington Community Centre

Sep 8 2010 by David Black, The Journal

A TOWN’S main community building is to be given a new lease of life by local councillors – six months after it was threatened with closure because of cost-cutting plans.

Anger erupted earlier this year when staff at Bedlington Community Centre were told by Northumberland County Council that it would close in July.

The centre – which was costing the council about £120,000 a year to run – was later given a reprieve.

But its funding was to be cut by 75% and talks were launched with organisations interested in taking it over. Now the building has been transferred to West Bedlington Town Council, which hopes to re-establish it as a key asset and facility for the local community.

Yesterday town council chairman Arthur Pegg said: “We have a lot of work to do and hopefully we will make a success of it. There are risks, but if we don’t succeed it will not be for the want of trying.”

Coun Pegg said it is now hoped to bring a popular local dance school and the County Church organisation into the re-opened building, and get other former user groups to return.