The organisers of Ambleside’s Rothay parkrun are campaigning to save the event after United Utilities announced their previous location may not be available from next year.

United Utilities intends to use Miller's Field to carry out works and have told the organisers that the area could no longer be available for community use from April 2025.

This leaves the parkrun without a suitable location, and despite efforts to find a new venue, organisers fear this could be the end.

The five-kilometre parkrun was set up in 2020 and has been taking place on Miller's Field every week for the past three years.

Finding a place to hold the run took ‘ages’ to sort out because there are requirements to keep people safe, the path must be suitable for dogs and pushchairs and cannot cross a road.

The local councillor for Coniston and Hawkshead, Suzanne Pender is also a co-director of Rothay Parkrun, alongside Ursula Brendling.

Suzanne said: “Almost 200 people take part in this free community healthy event every week, with over 120,000 participating since the event started, supported by a group of 100 volunteers. It will be a great tragedy if United Utilities forces the event to close.”

Despite looking for an alternate site, nowhere suitable has been found, and to carry on the parkrun it would likely have to move out of Ambleside.

Suzanne said she has been corresponding with a representative from United Utilities for months to find a solution and has asked the designs to be modified to accommodate the run.

Run organisers have said they only need a little bit of space around the perimeter of the field, just two meters, to be able to keep holding the events.

 Suzanne said: “At the moment it is looking like the run will have to stop. We want to work with United Utilities on finding a solution, but I’m now really concerned that we will not be able to compromise on Miller’s Field and will be forced to move out of Ambleside.”

 

Events are held every Saturday at 9am. Everyone is welcome to join the parkrun, with between 150 and 200 people of all ages, sizes and abilities joining in every week.

A United Utilities spokesperson said: “As part of our investment plans to improve water quality in Windermere it is necessary to use some land on Miller’s field in Ambleside. These plans, which are subject to conversations with the landowner and planning permission, will allow us to build a new 4.5 million litre underground storage tank, nearly the equivalent of two Olympic sized swimming pools, and help reduce the number of times that the storm overflow needs to operate in heavy rain.

“Due to the size of the tank required, network configurations and geography of the area, this is the only location that we can do the work. 

“In a meeting with the park run organisers, we have said that we are more than happy to work with them to explore options so they can continue with their events.

“For anyone wanting to find out any further information about our investment plans around Windermere they can visit a community exhibition on 6 November between 2pm and 7pm at Ambleside Parish Centre.”