The future of one of Britain's most significant grassroots snowsports facilities hangs in the balance as Rossendale Borough Council conducts a comprehensive review of its leisure sites. The Hill Ski Centre in Lancashire, which has served as a training ground for generations of skiers, is currently under scrutiny due to its high operational costs and limited ability to generate sustainable revenue.
According to a report cited by PlanetSKI, the facility—which first opened in 1973—is facing severe financial pressure. The report suggests that the costs associated with running the site, combined with inter-company loans and maintenance requirements, make it difficult to justify the investment needed to keep the slope operational in its current state. The council is currently weighing whether the Rossendale Leisure Trust should pivot its focus toward more profitable activities, such as swimming and gym facilities.
This situation has drawn sharp criticism from Dave Ryding, Britain’s most successful alpine skier. Ryding, who began his skiing journey at the age of six on the dry slopes of the region, emphasized the vital role these facilities play in the national sporting ecosystem. As the first British skier to win a World Cup slalom race and a five-time Olympian, Ryding’s perspective carries significant weight within the community.
"It would be short-sighted," Ryding remarked, noting that the loss of the facility would have a profound impact on the local community and could discourage young athletes from entering the sport. He argues that the community benefits provided by The Hill outweigh the purely financial metrics used in the council's assessment.
The plight of The Hill is not an isolated incident in the UK. The industry is witnessing a trend of financial instability among artificial slopes, with the Gloucester Ski and Snowboard Centre currently on the market for £625,000. Olympic ski jumping pioneer Eddie the Eagle, who trained at the Gloucester facility, has also expressed his concern regarding the potential loss of such iconic training venues.
As the council prepares to meet on May 6th to discuss the findings of the report, the local snowsports community remains in a state of uncertainty. The decision will likely set a precedent for how local authorities across the country value the role of grassroots sports infrastructure in the face of tightening budgets.
