Greenwich Council’s parks department spent more than £1 million refurbishing changing rooms that have been used only three times in the past 11 months, The Greenwich Wire can reveal.

The council spent £1,061,640 on revamping the block in Charlton Park, which also contains a small café kiosk, in 2022.

But only three bookings have been made since April last year, a freedom of information request to the council has revealed, netting the council just £92 in fees.

Between April 2023 and March last year, the changing rooms were booked only ten times, earning £860.

But while the changing rooms were expensively revamped, the football pitches themselves were not and are in a poor condition. Once busy with adult matches on Sunday mornings, the bumpy, patchy grass now is more likely to be used for youth matches and practice sessions, with players arriving in their kit.

Youth football match taken from a distance
The pitches are mainly used by youth teams who arrive in their kit. Image: The Greenwich Wire

The outlay came months after the council refused to fund lighting for paths and the skate park after complaints that Charlton Park was unsafe at night, especially for women and during the winter months. 

The refurbishment replaced an old gas boiler with an air source heat pump, as well as adding solar panels and LED lighting. Separate changing facilities for men and women were added, along with a new disabled-accessible toilet. In addition, there were improvements to the café kiosk and the staff welfare area.

While the £1 million was quietly spent on changing rooms in just one park, 11 parks had to share another £1 million in a much-publicised drive to improve the borough’s open spaces.

The management of the parks department is coming under scrutiny after the council scrapped plans to close Maryon Wilson Animal Park to save just £60,000 a year following a public outcry. The department has 205 staff working across 97 parks and open spaces, and includes 13 residential properties in its empire.

Residents angry at the animal park’s planned closure got up a 10,000-signature petition while threatened to stand against the ruling Labour Party at the council election next year. The Greenwich Wire understands that a number of Labour councillors even threatened to vote against the closure plan, challenging the authority of council leader Anthony Okereke.  

Greenwich Council said that of the £1 million spent on the changing rooms, £200,000 had come from a government grant and another £200,000 had come from Section 106 money paid by developers to help improve local services. It said that pitches were marked weekly and spiked monthly with other repairs carried out at the end of the season.

Small squat building in a park
The changing rooms block also contains a small cafe kiosk. Image: The Greenwich Wire

Sandra Bauer, the cabinet member for equality, culture and communities, said it was one of the council’s missions to “invest in the health of our residents so that they can live their best life. The much-needed refurbishment of the changing rooms at Charlton Park was part of that investment.” 

She added: “The complete modernisation to the changing rooms included a change in the layout to allow for separate male and female changing areas, accessible toilets, showers, and a new heating and ventilation system.

“The works also included the installation of a low carbon heating system, solar panels and LED lighting, which supports our role in tackling the climate crisis, in line with our commitment of being carbon neutral by 2030.

“The pitches are maintained as part of our regular schedule. We encourage teams to make the most the improved facilities and football pitches. If your team is registered with the borough then you can benefit from paying a reduced rate for a pitch. Teams looking to book can do so by visiting royalgreenwich.gov.uk/book-football-pitch.”  

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