Spiralling costs close community centre

The decision to shut Conisbrough’s Windmill Community Centre, on Windmill Avenue, was taken by the community group charged with running the facility during an emergency meeting.

The chairman of the Windmill Community Association, Brian Palmer-Panther, said: “It had reached the stage where we had little option.

“Gas, electricity and insurance costs have all been on the rise recently and the use of the centre has been in decline.

“The bills were rolling in and we knew that we had to close now if we wanted to do so without a considerable debt to think about.”

Mr Palmer-Panther said that Move—an organisation attempting to deter youngsters from drug use—and the Silver Threads old people’s groups had ensured the centre’s survival in recent times, but both had been forced to stop their activities due to funding cuts.

The Windmill centre has also been subject to a run of bad luck which saw flooding from a burst water main shortly after Christmas and a spate of vandalism.

Mr Palmer-Panther added: “It’s very sad to have to close the centre. It was very popular at one time. It’s the end of an era.”