Public Consultation Launches on Future of Greenwich's Play Centres
Residents in Greenwich are being given a chance to shape the future of the borough's youth play services as a long-awaited public consultation launches next week. The review, focusing specifically on five adventure play centres (APCs), comes amid growing fears that some facilities could face closure as the council seeks to bridge a significant budget shortfall.
Greenwich Council will officially open the consultation on Monday, November 17, after initial plans to begin the process in the summer were delayed. The move forms part of the authority's medium-term financial strategy for 2025/26, which identified the play service review as a way to save £400,000 this financial year and £2.2 million over the next four years.
Financial Pressure and Disparity in Use
The council is operating under severe financial strain, currently facing a £45.1 million budget gap that is projected to balloon to over £100 million by 2028/29. Council documents reveal that running the five APC sites currently costs £730,000 per year, making changes to the service a financial necessity.
Data from May 2025 highlights a significant disparity in usage across the centres. Glyndon Adventure Play Centre in Plumstead was the least visited, attracting an average of just 69 unique visitors per week. In stark contrast, the most popular centre, also located in Plumstead, welcomed 273 weekly visitors.
The council has suggested there is an opportunity to invest a one-off capital sum into improving open spaces near the existing centres, potentially making them "more accessible to more people, more often".
Community Concerns and Campaigner Response
Since the review was first announced in February, many local residents have expressed anxiety that it will lead to the shutdown of cherished community hubs. The council has been presented with several petitions demanding a guarantee that the centres will remain open, though it has not confirmed whether any closures are planned.
Lara Ruffle Coles, representing the Save Greenwich Adventure Play Centres campaign group, voiced a mixed reaction to the consultation announcement. "Whilst we welcome yesterday's announcement... we continue to be disappointed that the council is conducting the consultation in the run up to Christmas, and that it finishes mid-December," she said.
She argued the consultation should extend into the New Year when families are less preoccupied with holiday events. Despite these concerns, the campaign group plans to actively engage, encouraging widespread participation in the survey and hosting its own events at the play centres to promote the consultation. The group also intends to attend the full council meeting on December 3.
How to Get Involved and What Happens Next
The consultation period will last for four weeks, concluding on December 14. The council aims to engage everyone affected by the proposed changes through a combination of methods, including:
- Online surveys
- A detailed brochure outlining the proposals
- In-person visits to the APCs and other community centres
- Potential focus groups in schools
Once the consultation closes, the council will analyse all responses and prepare a report for its Cabinet. A final decision on the future of the adventure play centres is scheduled to be made at the Cabinet meeting on January 21, 2026.
The five adventure play centres included in the review are:
- Coldharbour Adventure Play Centre
- Glyndon Adventure Play Centre
- Meridian Adventure Play Centre
- Plumstead Adventure Play Centre
- Woolwich Adventure Play Centre
Residents can find the consultation and details about in-person events on the royalgreenwich.gov.uk website from Monday, November 17.
