Groups denied access to changing facilities in Sheffield park due to Covid-19 regulations

But community groups are still being barred from the changing rooms at a popular Sheffield park because of Sheffield's own Covid rules.

The changing rooms in Graves Park have been closed to local sports teams who stored their kit in the premises.

Sheffield Council has said part of the main building is currently being used by an inclusion service at present, but this has no effect on the changing area, which is located at a different part of the building.

Andy Bagley, a member of the Woodhouse cricket team that regularly plays at the park, said at least two teams were no longer given access to the changing area.

Mr Bagley said: "We have been told that the Super Kings Indian team who have been playing at the park for many years can't get in there at all.

"I'm amazed that sort of all of a sudden the council decided to use what are sports facilities for something totally different and all of a sudden sports teams are getting kicked out.

"It just seems ludicrous to me when we’ve just finished the Olympics and encourage people to take up sports. This is no encouragement, is it?”

However, the council said the space in the main building where some groups were informally storing kit is no longer available and these groups have been made aware.

But once the loca restrictions have lifted, the changing facilities will reopen alongside the inclusion service.

Coun Alison Teal, executive member for sustainable neighbourhoods, wellbeing, parks and leisure said "While central Government Covid-19 restrictions have lifted, Sheffield City Council recognise that the virus has not disappeared and therefore we are continuing to implement Covid-safe risk assessments and procedures to keep everyone using our community buildings as safe as possible.

"These regulations mean that all council owned buildings used by community groups are either managed by council staff with enhanced cleaning regimes and a limit on the number of users, or that the use of a building is given solely to one community group for them to carry out their own risk assessments and cleaning regimes.

"As the changing rooms at Graves Park are used by multiple groups, and the council do not have the resources to staff the building, it wouldn’t be fair to give sole access to just one group. Therefore, we have had to take the most equitable decision and close the changing rooms until further notice.

"All community groups with pitches booked have been informed. We understand how important these facilities are to the communities who use them, so I would like to reassure people that we will continue to review these procedures and open the facilities back up as soon as it is safe to do so.

"We appreciate the way in which groups have organised themselves throughout this period, allowing them to continue playing sports without the use of changing rooms. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to use our facilities when we can."