Free year’s membership at new Barnsley youth club backed by £150k council investment
Thousands of Barnsley children will be able to enjoy the town’s soon-to-open youth zone for free, thanks to a proposed £150,000 council investment.
Barnsley Council’s cabinet will be asked next week (September 3) to agree the funding, which would cover the £5 first-year membership fee at Base71 for all young people aged eight to 18 living in the borough.
Base71, located on Schwäbisch Gmünd Way, close to the transport interchange, is the first OnSide Youth Zone in Yorkshire.
The centre, named by local young people, will boast facilities including a climbing wall, a four-court sports hall, a music suite with recording equipment, an arts and crafts area, a teaching kitchen, and a café serving hot meals for no more than £1. Outdoor sports will be catered for with a floodlit games area, while a performing arts studio and film and multimedia spaces will also be available.
The venue is due to open on a soft-launch basis in autumn 2025, with the full range of activities on offer from January 2026.
Councillor Ashley Peace, cabinet support member for children’s services, said: “We are committed to making Barnsley a place of possibilities and ensuring all children, young people and families benefit from the prospects that a great childhood brings.
“This investment is a testament to our dedication to providing our young people with the best opportunities to grow, learn, and thrive. We believe that every child deserves the chance to explore their potential and be inspired by the possibilities around them.”
Mandy Carlson, Chief Executive Officer of Base71 Youth Zone, said: “This investment from Barnsley Council will help us make membership even more accessible, reaching young people from all walks of life and providing them with a hub of opportunity, inspiration and growth, right in their hometown.
“Base71 is delighted to be a part of the Great Childhoods Ambition programme, building a bright future for the young people of Barnsley.”
The membership scheme will run from 19 January 2026, with families still required to pay the 50p session fee for each visit.
Council papers estimate there are around 30,000 young people in Barnsley who could benefit, with the funding to be met from additional resources secured through the government’s Local Government Finance Settlement in December 2024.
The cabinet report highlights that the move supports the council’s priorities for a “Healthy, Learning and Growing Barnsley” and its ambition to help children “belong, explore, dream, grow and connect”.