Exclusive: Review of uni sport

By sprideaux

The recession has prompted the University of Bath to launch a review of its £30 million sports facilities.

Senior officials say they are looking at the spending of a number of departments, including its extensive sports empire, to see where money could be saved.

The review, which will look at the way the university provides facilities for sportspeople from Olympic athletes to beginners, has been blamed on the credit crunch.

A university spokesman said: "Like many other universities across the country, we are looking at ways to tackle the challenges facing the higher education sector during the economic recession.

"Our sports department, along with a number of other departments, has been asked to review its activities to help us make sure that our institutional costs do not exceed our income.

"A number of recommendations have been made and these will be considered in consultation with staff. No definite decisions have yet been reached."

So far there are no details about the timescale of the review, or the recommendations that have already been made.

The decision to review spending was applauded by Bath MP Don Foster, although he added that he would not welcome any reduction in sports facilities.

Mr Foster said: "All universities across the country are feeling the impact of the credit crunch and the recession and as a result are reviewing all their organisations, so this is a sensible thing for them to be doing.

"That said the sports department is a very important part of the university and the city.

"Many of its facilities are open to the local community and used extensively and it gives a boost to the city's status because we have some of the best sportspeople in the world training there.

"Although I entirely understand the need to have a review and I think it would be wrong to criticise the university's decision, I hope there will be no need for closures."

Bath-based Olympic gold medallist Jason Gardener, who has trained at the university, said it would be a shame if any facilities had to close.

He said: "There's some great development projects happening up at the university and people are working alongside some of the very best sportspeople and athletes across the country and even the world.

"It would be such a shame for any of the projects to have to be stopped or reduced because there has been some good work over the years.

"It is a great foundation to develop further, especially as we look towards such a great part of our sporting future with the 2012 Olympics."

President of the university's students' union Alex Nicholson-Evans said they would want to see the facilities stay.

She said: "As a students' union we will be working with the university to ensure that facilities and provisions for our students are maintained and that improving the student experience remains an institutional priority."

The university has built a reputation on the world-class standard of its sports facilities, including the Sports Training Village, which was completed in 2004 with £25 million of lottery funding.

Its Team Bath brand covers sports from swimming to fencing and also includes the Team Bath football club.

The Times Good University Guide described the university's sports facilities as its "great claim to fame" and added they were already among the best in the country before the lottery funding for the training village.

However in recent years there has appeared to have been a shift of focus away from the sport towards the more academic side of the university.

In its 12-year masterplan, which was revealed in November, the university announced proposals to pave over three grass sports pitches and turn them into car parks.