End of an era as Festival Hall demolition commences

A new car park for Kirkby Leisure Centre is moving a step closer as work to demolish the Festival Hall leisure centre has commenced.

Ashfield District Council’s construction partner, Kier, informed residents that work to disassemble the building has now begun. The demolition will comprise of careful disassembly of the building using mechanical plant. This will be followed by crushing of materials into recycled aggregate which will be used in the car park construction. The main element of the demolition will last approximately twelve weeks and works will be carried out during the core hours of 08:00-18:00.

The new car park on Hodgkinson Road will have spaces for 95 cars including disabled parking and six electric charging points. It will also have ten cycle hoops and lockable cycle storage. It is expected the car park will be completed by Spring 2023.

Festival Hall was opened in the 1930s and has been a focal point for leisure and sport events in the town for the last eighty years. A public consultation was carried out in August 2016 on the future transformation of the town’s leisure services which resulted in a strong message of support from the public for investment in new sport and leisure facilities.

Work on the new Kirkby Leisure Centre started in December 2020 and it officially opened in August 2022 as part of Ashfield District Council’s £15.5m investment to transform leisure facilities in Kirkby including the addition of a brand-new swimming pool.

Robert Docherty, Director for Place and Communities at Ashfield District Council said: “The work to create the new car park at Kirkby Leisure Centre will mark the completion of this superb facility. Thousands of people have already visited the Centre since its opening, and we hope many more will visit when the parking facilities are complete. We have been assured that disruption for residents will be as minimal as possible.”