Barnsley is set to open Yorkshire’s first Youth Zone.
Base71, located near the town centre transport interchange, will offer a wide range of facilities for young people – including sports courts, a climbing wall, a music studio, performing arts and creative spaces, as well as a café with low-cost meals. The centre will hold a soft opening this autumn, before fully launching in January 2026.
Membership will cost £5 per year plus 50p per visit. However, under Barnsley Council’s Great Childhoods Ambition initiative, local residents aged 8 to 18 who sign up before March 2026 will have their first year’s membership fee waived.
Council leaders say the scheme will give all young people in the borough the chance to enjoy the new facilities and access enrichment opportunities.
