MAY I add my voice to those that have contacted the Messenger about the closure of George Carnell Leisure Centre.

I live in Stretford and attend GC for squash, yoga and aerobics.

I go to GC because Stretford Leisure Centre doesn't have squash courts or run the yoga class on Tuesday that I can get to. I walk to GC and this only takes five minutes longer than the walk to Stretford.

I am protesting against the closure because of the secrecy with which it is being done.

I read Andy Worthington's letter in the Messenger (July 13th), and I'm very suspicious when he says "granted we are in the early stages of these plans".

Their announcement of a welcome £24million transformation plan must have been done on the basis of a number of scoping studies and planning estimates. So why not share this information with the public at this stage.

Why is Andy Worthington not willing to be transparent and explain what expansion there will be at Urmston Centre to cope with the classes and sports lost by the closure of GC in those initial studies/estimates.

The public expect proper management of our leisure facilities. This would include the profit/loss accounts for each centre being managed. Why isn't Andy Worthington sharing this information to justify the closure of GC on the basis it is a loss-making centre?

I suspect there is a strong possibility that GC is being closed so that the money raised from sale of its land for redevelopment will fund other centres. In other words the local communities affected by the loss of GC are experiencing their loss so other parts of the borough will benefit from better facilities.

When Andy Worthington says: "it does none of us any good to speculate on what might be when we have the facts in front of us" he is missing the point that his lack of transparency is exactly what is giving rise to the speculation.

Sharing the existing profit/loss information for each centre and sharing the scoping studies and planning estimates that led to the £24million transformation announcement is something he could do now if he wanted. Clearly, he doesn't want to do this. The question is why not!

Regards

Owen Bristow