The Richard Herrod Centre stood for decades as one of Carlton’s most recognisable community landmarks. More than a leisure venue, it became a social anchor — a place where generations gathered to play, celebrate, compete, and connect.
The centre was named in honour of Richard Herrod, a long‑serving local Conservative councillor and former Mayor of Gedling, whose commitment to public service shaped much of the borough’s civic life. Built during a period of rapid community development, the centre was designed to provide Carlton with a modern, multi‑purpose leisure and social facility.
One of the most distinctive features associated with the site was the dry ski slope, constructed in the late 1960s. At the time, it was among the earliest dry slopes in the country, boasting a 20‑metre vertical drop and later extended to 80 metres. For many local families, it became a cherished part of childhood — a place for birthday parties, ski lessons, and, in snowy winters, improvised sledging on tea trays. Though popular for decades, the slope eventually closed in the 1990s after falling into disrepair.
In 1987, the Gedling Indoor Bowls Club moved into the Richard Herrod Centre, beginning a long and successful association. Over the years, the club grew to more than 300 members and became nationally recognised as a centre for disability bowls, hosting competitions and supporting inclusive sport long before it became a mainstream priority.
The centre’s large function rooms and bar made it a focal point for community life. Weddings, anniversaries, birthday parties, charity events, live music nights, and civic gatherings filled its calendar. Many staff members worked there for decades, becoming familiar faces to generations of local residents.
A Centre that adapted to its times
The Richard Herrod Centre continually evolved to meet the needs of the community. During the COVID‑19 pandemic, it served as both a foodbank distribution point and a vaccination centre, demonstrating its enduring role as a place of public service.
England’s deputy chief medical officer came to the centre to give out Covid-19 jabs. Professor Jonathan Van-Tam had been helping to administer the vaccine in his spare time. Photos were shared of him wearing scrubs at the centre.
For many residents, it was the place where life’s milestones were marked and memories made. Parties were held here and councillors and politicians were elected and defeated.
Controversy, Consultation, and Closure
In the 2020s, Gedling Borough Council proposed demolishing the centre as part of wider redevelopment plans to create a new leisure and community hub Called Carlton Active.
The announcement sparked strong community reaction. Members of the bowls club, local residents, and long‑time users argued passionately for its preservation, emphasising its importance to older people, disabled residents, and those who relied on it for social connection.
The indoor bowls provision was initially considered in proposals for Carlton Active but was later ruled out due to “affordability, design and deliverability risks”, according to council documents.
Members of the bowls club launched a petition in 2025 urging the council to reconsider its plans and retain indoor bowling as part of its redevelopment.
However, an assessment of the plans concluded that the incorporation of a bowls hall would “necessitate the reduction of removal of other essential elements of the leisure centre” and was not considered a “financial viable and sustainable model”, the documents said.
Despite these campaigns, the decision moved forward. The centre closed on April 30, 2026, marking the end of an era.
In its final weeks, staff organised farewell events, created a memory wall filled with photographs, and opened the snooker and pool tables for free as a gesture of thanks.
For many in Carlton and Gedling, the Richard Herrod Centre will always be remembered not simply as a building, but as a place where the community came together — a landmark woven into the social fabric of the area.
