The users of K2 Crawley’s climbing wall have been left stunned since the recent shock announcement that it would be closing at the end of March.  This was also a surprise to opposition councillors at Crawley Borough Council, who had no forewarning of the public announcement or any opportunity to have any input.

During the last week, I’ve been able to find out information from Crawley Borough Council and from users of the climbing wall, including sadly, on some of the negative impacts on children with special needs that its closure will have.  I remain unhappy at the lack of any public consultation.

Last Wednesday evening at the public question time at the Cabinet meeting of Crawley Borough Council that lasts up to 15 minutes, two regular users of the climbing wall asked questions relating to the closure.  A third questioner was unable to ask his question due to waffling in the answering of the first two questions.  It emerged that evening that Everyone Active and Crawley Borough Council hadn't correctly aligned releasing the bad news, which was why opposition councillors hadn't been advised when Everyone Active publicised the announcement.

I discovered that there is not a nearby facility like K2's climbing wall as had been claimed, with London and Brighton being the nearest equivalent facilities.  I’ve also learned that the Brighton facility is heavily over-subscribed with a long waiting list.

Notably, I've been advised that the reason there was no public consultation is that the decision is regarded as operational, both for Everyone Active who requested the change, and for the agreement given by Crawley Borough Council in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Wellbeing.

I note a major difference with the Council’s Labour Administration to what happened in 2012, when I was the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Wellbeing, when we had a proposal to close K2's indoor Bowls Hall.  At that time, as the previous Conservative Administration, we held a public consultation and following that, we decided not to close the Bowls Hall.  That’s a real eye-opener as to the differences locally between the two main parties.

Councillor Duncan Crow, Leader of Crawley Borough Council Conservative Group

11th February 2026