Leisure Centre approved for major improvement work – finally

At Tuesday (18 June) evening’s Marlborough Area Board at the Town Hall Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Health & Leisure (?) Ian Blair-Plling joined the meeting to inform everyone present that the Marlborough Leisure Centre had finally been ‘signed off’ for major improvement work.

Many in the Assembly Room quietly voiced ‘about time’ as little has been done over the years. The once outsource-managed Centre was taken back under Wiltshire Council control in the post-Covid period – which made the decision to commit expenditure on improvement much easier – but also through the efforts of both of Marlborough’s Wiltshire Councillors – Caroline Thomas and particularly Marlborough West Councillor Jane Davies, in who’s ward the leisure Centre lies. Persistent argument and prompting, and this was as much recognised by Cllr Blair-Pilling.

So what will be done, and importantly by when? Improvements will be to the areas most in need, which are the fitness and the wet change facilities.

It is, as Cllr Blair-Pilling stated, to “have long-term benefits for the health and wellbeing of residents”. And, if this results in an uptake of use and membership, a help to the Council’s finances.

Detailed improvements will include:

• Carrying out improvements and an extension to the fitness suite which will include new equipment and improving ventilation and air conditioning to create a spacious, modern environment. A consultation room will also be created.     
• Total refurbishment of wet change which will increase the size of the changing facility. This includes new fixtures and fittings throughout making this area more accessible, family changing cubicles and group changing. A Changing Places facility will also be installed, which will particularly benefit anyone who is limited in their mobility and who have complex needs, as it helps them to get out and about and enjoy day-to-day activities.  

When? ‘later this year’. We’ll report updates re. timings as and when.