Sport NI is to carry out a Strategic Review of Tollymore National Outdoor Centre (TNOC) and the body’s overall role in the outdoors sector.
TNOC, outside Newcastle County Down, has been closed since its forest trails, trees and outdoor facilities were seriously damaged by Storm Eowyn earlier this year. Significant expenditure would be required to safely re-open the facility. However, it has become increasingly unsustainable financially in recent years.
TNOC will remain closed while the Strategic Review is completed. The Review will explore all options for the future operating model of the Centre. In the meantime, the move will result in a small number of local redundancies.
Interim Chief Executive of Sport NI, Richard Archibald explained,
“In recent years, the running costs of the Tollymore National Outdoor Centre have steadily increased and its income has reduced. In the last financial year, it cost over £1.3million to run, versus an income of around £250,000. While the Centre was never intended to be profit-making, we have a duty to ensure value for money for the public purse and for the whole sports sector. The current operating model for the National Outdoor Centre is no longer financially sustainable.
“The enforced pause in bookings resulting from the extensive storm damage provided a window for a detailed Strategic Review of the Centre.
“The initial part of this Review – a health and safety audit – has concluded that the Centre could not reopen without major investment. We cannot justify such investment when the facility is significantly under-utilised.
“This Strategic Review will now thoroughly scrutinise the operating model, costs and potential return on investment from the Centre. Through broad consultation, it will also examine the needs of the wider outdoor sector here. We want to ensure that our national facility meets the needs of its users, that it is operating in a way that unlocks greater return on the investment from the public purse, and that it will be fit for purpose long into the future.”
Early work is already underway on the Strategic Review, involving engagement and consultation with key outdoor organisations and other stakeholders. This is expected to take up to a year to complete.
Richard Archibald continued,
“With the extended closure of up to a year and having explored other options, very regrettably, we have now commenced redundancy consultations with some of the centre’s permanent staff.
“Sport NI remains fully committed to the outdoors sector. The Tollymore Centre has facilities which are unique on the island of Ireland, and it is an important part of Northern Ireland’s outdoor activity offering. Its staff have played a significant role in the sector today: it has been a vital training ground for instructors, coaches and teachers and it provides inspirational outdoor experiences for people of all ages and backgrounds every year.
“This Strategic Review will look at a wide range of options aimed at reimagining the role and function of Tollymore in a financially sustainable way, and ensuring it continues to develop our outdoors sector in an impactful and effective way.”
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Media contact:
Lee Campbell, Communications Manager, leecampbell@sportni.net / 07583043899