A PETITION has been launched in an attempt to save Tetbury Leisure Centre.

Residents in Tetbury were left shocked last month when the town’s only leisure facility suddenly closed.

There were no prior warnings of the closure with staff and gym-goers only informed on the morning of the closure when they turned up to find locks on the doors.

Owners Sir William Romney’s Leisure Limited put the closure down to ‘the cessation of grant funding.’

Now an online petition has been launched which will be sent to Cotswold MP Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown calling for the facility to be saved.

So far, 358 people have signed the petition.

On the change.org page it says: “Tetbury is becoming a thriving town with lots of new builds being built, and with a lot more people moving to Tetbury we need to keep our leisure facilities.

“It helps with bringing the community together with different activities, football, badminton, netball, fitness classes, spin etc.

“Its helping people with weight, self esteem and mental health issues.

“In 2011 the census confirmed that 5,472 people lived in Tetbury, its now grown to over 10,150 people, this is why we need our leisure facilities.”

Following the closure, Tetbury Town Council has started a process to set up a working group to look at facilities within the town.

A spokesman said: “We are ideally looking for one representative from each sports club/organisation to join the working group so we can obtain information on the facilities we currently have and what facilities are needed for the town. If you are interested in being part of the working group please email mayor Nikki Ind at nikkiind@tetbury.gov.uk before August 23.”

A spokesman for Cotswold District Council added: “A task group has been set up to look into the closures of leisure facilities in Tetbury and Fairford.

"Committee members decided more information was needed and set up a group to look at the details.

"The aim was to come up with practical lessons which might be more widely applied and could be used to develop services in the future."

You can sign the petition at

bit.ly/33iDpVi