Concerns over Shankill leisure centre work amid claims groups turned away

Concerns over Shankill leisure centre work amid claims groups turned away Councillors say there has been no consultation with groups who use the leisure centre 17:46, 23 Oct 2026 Belfast City Council is to have an emergency meeting with its leisure providers GLL and local representatives are demanding a suspension of works at Shankill Leisure Centre, after it emerged elderly and disabled groups were told they could not use the facility. ‌ ‌ At the October meeting of the council’s Strategic Policy and Resources meeting on Friday (October 23), elected members agreed for a meeting next Monday between councillors, officials, and representatives from GLL. ‌ Nicola Verner, DUP Councillor for the Court District Electoral Area, said at the meeting at City Hall: “Back in August we were asked to agree a proposal for the upgrade and modernisation of Shankill Leisure Centre, to include conversion of the main hall space for Padel. At that time we were happy to agree to the proposal on the basis that there was consultation and engagement with current users, and that no displacement would occur. ‌ : Shock and anger after poisoning and criminal damage in South Belfast community garden : Controversial Dunmurry housing estate to go ahead despite 157 locals opposing “But since then we have learnt no engagement has happened to date. Groups have been told however that they will not be able to use the hall from the beginning of November. ‌ “We agreed on the provision of consultation. Some of these groups that have come forward are elderly and disabled, and are very local to the community.” She added: “We can’t continue with this direction of travel. I am asking GLL to meet us as a matter of urgency, that they suspend any imminent work, and provide us with the details of their consultation, their findings and recommendations. (We want to know) who they have spoken to and how many groups will be adversely affected by this.” ‌ Last month it was agreed Shankill Leisure Centre would receive “interim” refurbishment, including a padel facility, before a large-scale leisure transformation project planned for the centre. In a restricted Belfast Council committee meeting, held away from the public and press, councillors approved proposed USPs, or unique selling points, for the business case for Shankill and Whiterock leisure centres. ‌ Minutes for the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, while not giving full details of the restricted meeting, were released at the start of this month, for October’s full council meeting. Elected members agreed to further site visits for Shankill and Whiterock and noted an update in respect of “site optimisation plans” for both sites. The minutes state: “(Elected members) agreed to progress the refurbishment of the reception area at Shankill and to the introduction of new Padel product in the main hall in Shankill, as an interim measure ahead of the future Shankill leisure transformation project to be funded by GLL as part of their ongoing investment programme.” ‌ Belfast City Council outsources Greenwich Leisure Ltd, or GLL, to run 16 leisure centres in Belfast under a multi-year contract. ‌ Operating under the brand “Better,” GLL is a non-profit, charitable social enterprise and the largest public leisure centre operator in the UK. It manages over 150 to 250 leisure facilities, gyms, pools, and libraries across the UK. GLL states it reinvests all profits back into its services and facilities, including funding major capital initiatives like Belfast’s £105 million Leisure Transformation Programme. Ever since Belfast City Council outsourced to GLL in 2015 to cut costs, the arrangement has drawn regular criticism as being a form of “privatisation.” Objectors have said councillors are powerless in the face of price hikes, and lower income residents are being priced out. Article continues below Unions said that Belfast leisure workers were the lowest-paid in Northern Ireland, receiving 13 percent to 15 percent less than staff doing identical jobs in neighboring councils. Strike action occurred in summer 2025, and staff later received a 52p per hour pay rise, and a further 5 percent annual pay increase was established for 2026–2027. For all the latest news, visit the homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.