By Isle of Wight Observer
Sporting Island says the long‑unused sports facilities at the former Camp Hill prison could help plug a major gap in the Island’s community provision, offering badly needed space for clubs that struggle to secure training and match slots.
With support from West Wight MP Richard Quigley, the group has asked the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to release the sports hall, gym, hard‑surface pitch and artificial‑grass pitch for community use. Discussions with officials are under way. Mr Quigley said handing over the facilities “would be fantastic”, adding that former prisons minister, Lord Timpson, had backed the idea during a visit. He said he is now “wrangling with with the MoJ’s legal team” and would meet the new prisons minister shortly to push the case.
Junior football coach, Steve Fletcher, said opening Camp Hill would make a huge difference to clubs such as Gurnard, where demand far outstrips available all‑weather training slots. He said reliance on grass pitches had become increasingly difficult, with poor weather and limited maintenance leading to widespread cancellations.
He said the Island’s small number of artificial pitches – at Cowes, Queensgate, and Newport FC – could not meet demand, leaving clubs squeezed for space and facing hire costs that were hard to sustain. A reopened Camp Hill, he said, would provide safe, consistent and central facilities, helping young players train through winter and compete with mainland teams who enjoy far better provision.
Sporting Island chairman, Graham Biss, said “to have excellent facilities not being used is a waste, and we are imploring the HM Prison & Probation Service to support the local community by making these facilities available.”
He added that there are “several parties” would would provide financial support – but “understandably they won’t wait forever.”
