**What's happening to the Walls Club in Barnwood?**


This is something slightly different: not a big global or national issue but a very specific local one: what’s happening at Gloucester’s Walls Club?

 

The Walls Club matters to many people - football teams, charities, Gloucester Rotary, all sorts of family and community events, birthdays, weddings - you name it - a big and very precious community space tucked away off Barnwood Road.

 

The Club is owned by Walls of Gloucester (ice cream) which continues to expand and is the city’s largest manufacturer. Some years ago Walls decided not to run the club directly and it is extremely unfortunate that their tenant has gone into liquidation - which in turn has understandably led to speculation about what Walls intends to do next. Some people have told me ‘it’s going to be sold for development’. 

 

I’ve had several conversations with Walls and the truth is simple. Walls wants the Club to continue as a community entity forever and is not trying to generate a commercial return from it.


*Walls Club outside*


That position has been accepted by Unilever and will not change when the ice cream division of Unilever demerges. 

 

The club is now back in Walls’ possession and the issue is a process to find and appoint a new and committed tenant who can run the Club sensibly alone or in partnership with others. The terms of the lease and who pays for eg necessary capital expenditure are part of the process.


*James Hopkins Trust event at Walls Club April 2024*


I’ve connected Walls to the City Council to draw on their experience of eg tender processes elsewhere and both Council / Walls are talking with interested third parties - two of which I know and should be able to do a good job, and there may be others who apply.

 

So please ignore speculation that eg Walls is either planning to sell or put a large housing development there. It isn’t. Walls just wants a thriving community hub benefiting as many people and eg football clubs and charities as possible, and as soon as possible.

 

For all those who’ve worked at the Club, like Sandra, Emily and others here, it’s been a very difficult time. Some will have found a new job. But some may be waiting for the Phoenix to rise from the ashes, as it will.


*Sandra, Emma and others in the Walls Club team*


I can’t say when a new tenant will be appointed and need staff, but if anyone who worked at Walls Club would like me to pass your contacts to Walls for the new tenant with a request to ensure you get the first interviews - just as we did for ex Aspire Trust staff - do email me.

 

**Lastly is there a trend?** Over the last few months Gloucester has had troubles at different organisations important to our city: **GL1, The Club at Tuffley, Roots and Walls.**

 

All of these had different challenges - and are being sorted.

 

GL1 under the new management of Freedom Leisure is now in a much better state than it was - and especially now we’ve won funding to put in solar panels to heat the Swimming Pool. The appointment of a long-term operator will be made by the City Council this summer. 


*Visiting GL1*


A decision on a new tenant for the Club at Tuffley will be announced by the new City Council cabinet very soon after the local elections on May 2nd and be in place soon.

 

Meanwhile Roots 2 is taking shape promisingly, 

 

Good news never sells as well as bad news, so the stories of how places vital to our community recover well (and often better) gets little media or social media coverage. But I can absolutely promise you that I will get stuck into each and every community asset that gets into trouble, whatever the reason.

 

So Walls Club will be back in action before long - and I very much hope it will be in better state too.

 

They’re now reviewing interest from prospective tenants and when an agreement has been reached can look at requests from users and former employees - if you are interested or know someone who may be, do encourage them to contact them at: [email protected]

 

Best regards


PS. Do let me know your thoughts at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) 


**Copyright © 2023 Richard Graham MP, All rights reserved.**

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