Base71, Yorkshire’s first-ever Youth Zone, will throw open its doors on Saturday 17 January 2026 marking the start of a brand-new era for Barnsley’s young people.
Base71 will be run as an independent charity, powered by a dedicated team of professional youth workers and volunteers, and becomes the 17th Youth Zone developed by national charity OnSide.
The state of the art, purpose-built Youth Zone,situated on Schwabisch Gmund Way will be a vibrant home from home for thousands of young people aged 8–19, and up to 25 for those with additional needs. Designed to inspire, support and empower, Base71 will offer young people a safe space buzzing with energy, opportunities and first-class youth work every day of the week for just 50p per visit, plus £5 per year for membership.
Inside, members will find over 20 activities every session, from a sports hall and fully equipped gym to music and recording studios, arts and crafts rooms, dance studios and chill-out spaces. A hot, healthy meal will be available for just £1.
Mandy Carlson, CEO of Base71, said:
“We are so grateful to Barnsley Council, ASOS, OnSide and all our stakeholders who have worked with us to get to this incredible milestone of announcing our opening date.
During the past two months we have welcomed thousands of young people into our building for taster sessions and their response to Base71 has been better than we could have imagined. We have already exceeded our membership targets for opening and are very excited about opening our doors to Barnsley’s young people”.
The stunning building has been part-funded by Barnsley Council, with online retailer ASOS contributing £1.2 million towards construction and running costs. Barnsley Council has also gifted £150,000 to cover a full year’s membership for every young person in the borough, meaning access is free for all under 18s living in a Barnsley post code for the first year. After that, membership is just £5 a year.
Cllr Ashley Peace, Cabinet Spokesperson for Children’s Services at Barnsley Council, said: “We’re excited for the opening of the Base71 Youth Zone in January, and we can’t wait for children and young people across our borough to have a new state-of-the-art space to socialise, develop new skills, and access a range of fantastic facilities and activities. As part of our Great Childhoods Ambition, we’re really pleased to be covering the £5 annual membership fee for the first year for all eligible young people aged 8 to 18 in Barnsley. If you haven’t signed up yet, please do visit base71youthzone.org and make the most of this offer. This is an exciting time for our borough, and I look forward to celebrating this fantastic new chapter for Barnsley’s young people.” To celebrate the opening, the Base71 team is planning a family fun day, giving young people and families the chance to explore the building, try activities and meet the youth workers who will be supporting them year-round
