Words: John Baron
Pudsey Leisure Centre’s gym is set for a £150,000 refurbishment which will replace equipment more than 10 years’ old.
Council leisure chiefs have signed off on the refurbishment, which will see the gym redesigned, new equipment installed alongside new flooring, decorations and branding throughout.
Work is due to start shortly, ahead of an expected increase in interest in January. The council hopes the move will increase membership by at least 200.
A council report says the maintenance and service of the current equipment increases year on year, and is currently costing over £20,000 per year in repair costs. The report said the improvements will improve the facilities and aid recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic and added:
“The gym equipment will give greater opportunity to engage more people to increase their activity levels to lead happy, active and healthy lifestyles, improving the health of people in the catchment around Pudsey Leisure Centre as part of the recovery from the pandemic.“
The report adds that membership levels across the city’s leisure centres, including Pudsey, have dropped by 20% compared to pre pandemic levels.
Leeds City Council has agreed spend £149,917.20 on gym equipment at Pudsey, supported from prudential borrowing at a cost of £24k per annum over seven years.
The full report can be read in full here.