VILLAGERS’ hopes of buying and reopening a defunct leisure centre as a community centre have been backed by Tendring councillors.

Local people set up the Ardleigh Hall Fall Outs group when Ardleigh Hall Leisure Club closed last August.

The club had been a base for many up-and- coming squash players, small businesses and village groups.

This week Tendring Council confirmed it had agreed to the group’s request to officially list the centre as a “community asset”.

The move gives villagers six months to put together a bid if the building is put up for sale, but doesn’t oblige the owner, Ardleigh Leisure, to sell it to them.

Resident and former club member Clive Salmon said the group planned to apply for grants to help buy the building, in Dedham Road, which is estimated to be worth £3million.

Mr Salmon added: “We are now seeking a meeting with the owner to discuss what might be possible. Together with Ardleigh Parish Council, we have asked for this but there is no date for a meeting.”

Senior Tendring councillor Carlo Guglielmi has backed the decision to designate the centre. He said: “I’m certain the club provided real value to the community. A new operator could make a go of running it again.

“The parish council is putting a huge amount of effort into this and I agree 100 per cent to the club being listed as an asset of community value.”

Ardleigh Fall Outs has about 100 members, including villagers and people from further afield whoused the centre’s facilities when it was a private club.

The club told staff and members on August 9 it was closing with immediate effect. At that point, it had about 350 members and employed about 12 people, including bar staff, cleaners and class instructors.

A spokesman for Ardleigh Leisure told the Gazette yesterday it was too soon to comment, as it was still looking at options for the site.