Planet Sport and Community, Llandough trading Estate, Penarth (2026)

25/08/2026

19/08/2026

It is with a heavy heart that we write the post below:-

Last October the landlord on our building increased our rent by nearly 50%. Despite ongoing negotiations with them, and doing all that we could to pay the increased rent, they did not engage with us for months and then at the end of July, suddenly said there would be no negotiation on the increase and furthermore they had decided that they had been billing us incorrectly for 6 years, so there was also significant back payment in rent to pay, an issue entirely down to them. They notified us they would be terminating our lease in October if we did not make these payments. As a non profit organisation we cannot continue to pay a huge rental increase, let alone the extra payment on top.

Therefore, it is with a heavy heart that we let you know that Planet won't be continuing from this September. We have explored lots of different options but there are logistical, location and staffing operations to consider. We also have financial obligations still to fulfill to staff, to close the gym and clear the space.

I'm sure that you can imagine this is a really difficult time for us, we have created Planet as a club from scratch and over the last eighteen years have seen thousands of children pass through our doors. We now have the children of past Gymnasts coming to us & for us this club has been more than Gymnastics. Mum has been in gymnastics for over 50 years, an acheivement often unmatched in modern society & Gymnastics has been my life for 43 years. Since Covid, Mum & I have run Planet on a voluntary basis, myself alongside a full time job & the stress & strain in the last few years have been significant, just to keep the doors open.

Our staff, most of whom have been with us since the start have been absolutley incredible. Between us, we have given over 200 years of service to Gymnastics. Some even started as Children with us. We would like to thank staff past and present for their dedication, support and commitment to Planet. It would not have the been the success it was without you.

All members have already been emailed re closure, i will be in contact next week with suitable alternate classes in the area. For those that attend Little stars Childcare also, this will continue as normal until October half term, whilst we try to find alternate facilities.

We want to say a huge Thank you for the hundreds of lovely messages that we have received from customers, old and new over the last couple of weeks. We have been overwhelmed by the kind words we have received and apologies that we just have not had the time to answer everyone individually.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to you as parents (both old and new) for always supporting us as a club, bringing the children to gym, helping with fundraising. We feel so privileged over the years to have met so many lovely families & been a small part of your child's sporting journeys.

We would like to thank the staff at Welsh Gymnastics for their support and all the coaches and clubs that we have had the pleasure to work alongside over the years.

Lastly, our biggest thanks must go to our own family, who have supported us in this rollercoaster. Endless voluntary hours of equipment building, moving, counter serving, fundraising and emotional support when things got tough. Long hours, evenings and weekends taken from family life, all for the benefit of the thousands of children coming through our doors, lots who became friends and like family to us. One of our greatest pleasures is to see ex gymnasts in later life, with their own families utilising the skills learnt from their time in Gymnastics.

Whilst this is an emotional time, and not the ending or timescale that we had envisaged, we would like to end on a positive note, remembering the joy, endless possibilities and memories that Planet and Gymnastics has created for us and others.

With heartfelt thanks
Becky & Denise