High Borrans Outdoor Education Centre, a council-owned facility in Windermere, is set to close in November 2026 after North Tyneside Council deemed it “no longer financially viable.” The centre, which has been in the council’s ownership since the 1960s, requires a £3m investment for maintenance at a time when the local authority is under significant financial strain.
Declining Usage and Financial Pressures
Recent attendance figures show that only 1,255 pupils from Years 5 to 8 used the centre, out of a potential cohort of 9,300. This low uptake, combined with rising operational costs, made the facility unsustainable. Rebecca Wall, director of children’s services at North Tyneside Council, said: “The Council has taken the difficult decision to close High Borrans Outdoor Education Centre following a detailed review of its usage, costs and long-term sustainability. We know how valued the centre is and the important role it has played for many years.”
She added: “However, like councils across the country, we are facing significant financial pressures. The level of investment required to maintain and modernise the centre, alongside the ongoing subsidy needed to support each visit, means it is no longer financially viable.”
Impact on Staff and Schools
The council acknowledged the impact on dedicated staff and schools with existing bookings. Wall stated: “We recognise the impact this decision will have on our dedicated staff team and on schools with existing bookings. We are committed to working closely with them to provide support and ensure a carefully managed transition.”
Historical Context
In 2018, the Local Democracy Reporting Service noted that local school bosses were urged to continue funding High Borrans during a review of North Tyneside Council’s school forum finances. At that time, the forum contributed £95,000 to subsidise school trips to the facility. Without the subsidy, the average cost of a week-long school trip for a whole class could rise from £8,000 to £10,000.
High Borrans originally served as a summer sporting lodge for the Durning-Holts, a wealthy Liverpool shipping family, in the 1880s. Part of the original estate was sold to Tynemouth Borough Council in 1967.
