In this article, which is part of a series on the 12 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2023, we’re looking at the council’s £47.9 million investment into local leisure centres.
The Harrogate district has undergone something of a council leisure centre revolution in recent years – with Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon all boasting multi-million pound developments.
The process has certainly not been plain sailing. From sink holes and temporary gyms to delays, North Yorkshire Council’s fitness projects have rarely been out of the Stray Ferret news.
But by the end of the year it was hard to dispute the view of Mark Tweedie, the managing director of Brimhams Active, which runs leisure facilities on behalf of the council, that the district’s facilities were the envy of North Yorkshire.
In a further twist, however, the new North Yorkshire Council has now said it is to scrap Brimhams and bring all of the county’s leisure services back in-house.
Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre
The former Harrogate Hydro, now known as the Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre, opened in September following an almost 18-month transformation.
The £13.5 million refurbishment included a 400-square metre fitness centre, a new sauna and steam room, improved reception area and café, as well as an overhaul of the existing gym, spin, leisure and swimming facilities.
The Brimhams Active-run site boasts three swimming pools: a 25-metre lane pool, a diving pool and a children’s pool.
People can also attend fitness classes, including an immersive spin class, pilates and yoga.
The opening was well-received. When the Stray Ferret reported on it, one person’s comment on social media summed up how many felt:
“It’s amazing, we are so lucky to have theses facilities in Harrogate.”
In May, North Yorkshire Council said the cost of the scheme had increased from a budgeted £11.9 million.
Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre
The long-awaited Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre opened its doors in December.
Work began on the site, which is next to the former Knaresborough Pool, in April 2022 after plans were approved the month before.
It was originally expected to open in summer, however, the opening date was repeatedly delayed until this month.
The transformed centre now offers a six-lane 25-metre pool, a leisure pool and slide, and a 60-station fitness suite.
Like the Harrogate site, there is also a sauna and steam room, a café, a group cycling studio and a studio for fitness classes.
The outdoor children’s play area is still in the works but is expected to open in January.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for arts, culture and housing, Cllr Simon Myers, told the Stray Ferret ahead of its opening:
“You come over the brow of the hill in Knaresborough and see the leisure centre building – it is such an attractive building.
“It sits so well in its space, it’s full of light and the facilities are fantastic.
“This is what local authorities can achieve. It’s a real asset to Knaresborough.”
Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre, Ripon
The Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre, in Ripon, has not only faced the most bumps – or holes – in the road, but also the biggest expenditure of the three.
Although the site officially reopened in March last year, Ripon residents are yet to see the full transformation.
The old part of the site is locked in a sinkhole groundhog day of never-ending work on a “void” beneath the building, which remains closed.
Following the discovery of the void, which is believed to have been there for several years, the now defunct Harrogate Borough Council submitted a planning application to install a temporary gym in the centre’s car park in July 2022.
This was to enable the closure of the existing gym on the upper floor of the 28-year-old building, which was found to require £3.5 million worth of ground stabilisation works.
The temporary structure was supposed to open that autumn – just months after the application was submitted – however, the installation was continually delayed.
It was not until April this year that the £300,000 building, which houses the temporary gym, was installed.
The stabilisation work, which began in June, brought the cost to £18 million — £8 million over budget.
However, that too has not come without challenges.
North Yorkshire Council said in October its movement checks revealed multiple cracks up to 10mm long.
It said the cracks have affected the “weather tightness of the building and the operation of doors and windows” but added specialists had said there were no safety concerns.
The council said at the time the estimated completion date and costs were “under review”.
Works at the site.
‘Stop throwing good money after bad’
Councillor Andrew Williams, a member of the Conservative and Independents group at the council and leader of Ripon City Council, said last year it was time to stop “throwing good money after bad” and to “look for a suitable location for a new leisure centre to be built on sound land”.
In response to the discovery of the cracks, Cllr Williams said:
“The building is under very close monitoring to ensure that there is no movement as the works progress, if there is movement then the position will have to be reviewed in the light of that information.
“The situation is far from ideal and I hope that it will prove possible to complete these works because the bottom line is that Ripon needs a functioning leisure centre.”
The new building, which includes the swimming pool, sauna and steam room, has remained open throughout.
However, it looks like members will be using the temporary gym and attending group classes at Hugh Ripley Hall in the city centre well into 2024…
Read more:
- VIDEO: First look at new £17.5m Knaresborough leisure centre
- ‘Multiple cracks’ detected at Ripon leisure centre
- ‘Our leisure centres will be the envy of North Yorkshire’
