The closure of a Worsbrough youth club because the building is in need of repair is a great loss to the community, according to a councillor.
Bank End Youth Club has shut its doors to the 20 kids it attracted up to three times a week.
It was based in a former police house on Overdale Avenue but Coun Gill Carr said because the building needed about £100,000 to be spent on repairs to bring it up to scratch it had to close.
She described losing it as a disaster, particularly as other youth clubs in the borough face closure under Barnsley Council's plans to save £3 million in its budget.
"It needs a lot of money spending on it and there aren't the resources," said Coun Carr.
"It is going to be a great loss to the community. I know the fear of crime is bad which is why youth provision is cost effective - it costs a lot more to put right wrong doing on a dark night."
She also claimed youngsters would be reluctant to use other youth clubs in the area.
Despite concern the club's closure could lead to a rise in crime, Insp Julie Mitchell is not worried because there is plenty of youth provision in the area.
"We are aware of it closing from the youth worker we meet with," she said.
"It normally gets about 20 kids attending regularly and the plan is for them to still attend on the nights when Bank End youth club normally opens and walk them down to Hunningley Lane youth club so they can continue to attend there.
"The area is quite well served for youth clubs and I have no concerns at this time about a rise in crime."
