Skaters Club Gloucester might as well be a right-of-passage for Gloucester’s teenagers. But after its last session on Friday 18 May 2018, dressing up in your coolest threads, donning a set of roller skates, and dancing the night away with your mates will become a thing of the past.
After 15 years, Skaters Club Gloucester has been given notice on its use of the large hall at GL1 leisure centre, which is located in the city centre.
Lorraine Evans, who runs the club told SoGlos it was shock: ‘I received a call giving us notice to finish. When I did enquire to ask why, they just said they were rescheduling things in the main hall.
‘I did ask if they’d thought it through and if there was there any way of accommodating us, as we’ve held this slot for 15 years. But so far, they haven’t. So tonight, it’s our last ever skaters club in Gloucester.’
In response, Jacquie Douglas, director of business for the Aspire Trust, which runs GL1, told SoGlos: ‘We gave skaters club a 30-day notice as per their block booking agreement with us. The group decided it wanted to run its last session early on Friday 18 May 2018.’
When asked why the club had been given notice Jacquie continued: ‘We are rescheduling the timetable in our sports hall and we could no longer continue to offer the space to Skaters Club. We might consider reintroducing skating in the summer as part of our family activities, but that’s not on the cards at the moment.’
GL1 intends to release its new timetable on Monday 11 June 2018.
Skaters Club Gloucester launched at GL1 in 2003 by Lorraine Evans, who was a British champion speed skater during the 1980s. The group also runs a skating club at Leisure at Cheltenham on a Saturday evening.
If you think you can help provide a new home for the Skaters Club in Gloucester, or for more information, call Lorraine Evans on 07720 261817.
