SpArC’s £35 summer pass gives Bishop’s Castle teens more choice

demoduck.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-17 13:17 3 min read

Children playing sports on a grass field during a sunny summer evening.

Young people aged 17 and under can use a new six-week activity pass at SpArC Bishops Castle Leisure Centre, with swimming, junior gym sessions, football and squash among the activities covered.

The pass costs £35 and is available exclusively to new junior members. It must be purchased at the leisure centre by Friday 28 August 2026, according to information published by Shropshire Council Newsroom on behalf of Shropshire Community Leisure Trust and Serco Leisure.

No fixed start date or daily start time was included in the announcement, but each eligible pass provides six weeks of access.

One pass covers several activities at SpArC

The offer is intended to give teenagers a flexible selection of activities during the long school break rather than access to a single sport. Confirmed options include:

Junior gym sessions
Use of the swimming pool
Football
Squash

The organisers say the programme is designed to help young people remain active, try different sports, improve their fitness and spend time with friends during the summer holidays.

SpArC’s £35 summer pass gives Bishop’s Castle teens more choice

Rhys Collins, contract manager for SpArC Bishops Castle Leisure Centre, said the holidays can be difficult for parents trying to keep young people active and engaged. He described the six-week format as a way for teenagers to choose between swimming, team sports and gym sessions or use the opportunity to try something unfamiliar.

At £35 for six weeks, the pass works out at less than £6 for each week of its stated duration. That calculation describes the cost across the full pass period; the source does not provide individual admission prices or specify how frequently each activity can be used.

A summer option for Bishop’s Castle families

The pass is aimed at under-18s in Bishop’s Castle and the surrounding area. It brings several existing facilities at SpArC together under one summer offer, potentially allowing a young member to vary their activity across the six-week period.

Councillor Sarah Marston, Shropshire Council’s portfolio holder for communities and environment, said the scheme supports opportunities for young people to be active, build confidence and enjoy time with friends. She highlighted its relevance to families in Bishop’s Castle and nearby communities.

Councillor Ruth Houghton, the local councillor for Bishop’s Castle and portfolio holder for social care, also pointed to the combination of sport and swimming available over the school holidays and beyond. She described the swimming pool as a place for young people to keep active and cool off during summer.

SpArC Bishops Castle Leisure Centre is operated by Shropshire Community Leisure Trust in partnership with Serco Leisure on behalf of Shropshire Council.

Eligibility and the 28 August purchase deadline

The central restriction is that the activity pass is only for new junior members aged 17 or under. The published offer does not extend eligibility to existing junior members.

Purchases are available in-centre only, so the pass cannot be obtained through an online booking route mentioned in the announcement. The source also provides no activity timetable, street address, transport guidance or accessibility information for the programme.

Eligible young people or their parents must visit SpArC Bishops Castle Leisure Centre to purchase the £35 pass no later than Friday 28 August.

Source: Shropshire Council Newsroom

Context & actions About this article

Source check Source trail

The eligibility, price, activities and purchase deadline were drawn from the council newsroom notice issued for the leisure-centre partners.

Checks

The price was listed as £35 for a six-week pass.
Eligibility was limited to new junior members aged 17 and under.
Swimming, junior gym sessions, football and squash were named as included activities.
The notice stated that passes must be purchased in-centre by Friday 28 August.

Shropshire Council Newsroom Check related coverage