Revealed: How council makes thousands of pounds selling junk food at leisure centresKnaresborough gym unveils £50,000 makeoverKnaresborough play area reopens

A new play area in Knaresborough has reopened after prolonged wet weather.

The playground at Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre opened in February but closed just days later due to flooding. It had remained closed since under puddles of water.

Three months later, the first dry spell of the year has led to its opening.

Cllr Hannah Gostlow, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough East, informed the Stray Ferret of the news after visiting the site today.

A cone is in place over a remaining wet section.

Cllr Gostlow and fellow Lib Dem Cllr Matt Walker, who represents Knaresborough West, have been seeking updates from North Yorkshire Council, which owns the site.

Cllr Walker gave an update last month in which he said there were still lots of snagging issues and concerns about inadequate drainage.

Cllr Walker at the site last month.

But the play area is finally open — at least while the dry spell persists.

The leisure centre, which is run by council-owned Brimhams Active, includes a six-lane 25-metre swimming pool and slide, a 60-station fitness suite, a sauna and steam room, and group fitness class studios.

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Still no re-opening date for new Knaresborough playground

There is still no re-opening date for the new playground at Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre.

North Yorkshire Council opened the £17.5 million leisure centre in December last year. It said at the time the Fysche Hall Field Play Area alongside it would open in January.

It briefly opened in February but closed after just a few days due to flooding. More than two months later it remains closed.

Cllr Matt Walker, who represents Knaresborough West on North Yorkshire Council, gave an update yesterday after visiting the site with fellow Liberal Democrat Cllr Hannah Gostlow, who represents Knaresborough East.

Cllr Walker said they had a “very productive” meeting with the council and developers, and added:

“They have accepted there are still lots of snagging issues and we sent them home with a very long list to address. This included fixing the inadequate drainage at the playground that is still causing water to pool and stopping the opening.

“Sadly we weren’t give a timescale and I’ve escalated to senior staff to get it resolved. I will be insisting that the council does not pay the final bill until all the issues are resolved.”

The leisure centre, which is run by council-owned leisure company Brimhams Active, has a six-lane 25-metre swimming pool, a slide, and a 60-station fitness suite.

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School holiday frustration as Knaresborough play area remains closed

A family has voiced frustration about the ongoing closure of the new council-owned play area next to Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre.

Fysche Hall Field Play Area opened briefly in February only to close a few days later due to wet weather. It has not reopened since and is now not expected to do so until May.

This is disappointing news for Knaresborough families whose young children would like to use the facilities, which include swings, a climbing frame and a slide, during the Easter holidays.

Hayley Lister, whose step-grandson is nearly two, said it was frustrating not to be able to use council facilities when council tax was rising.

She added:

“I understand we have had a lot of rain but surely if they are building a brand new park they would have a good drainage system in place for the water to run away.

“It’s the Easter holidays now and I just hope this will be open as there will be a lot disappointed children if it stays shut.”

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Council for an update.

Karl Battersby, the council ’s corporate director of environment, said:

“The play area was installed as part of the new swimming pool complex in Knaresborough and was handed over to our parks team to manage once building work on the development was completed.

“The play area opened in time for the February half–term holiday, but the site became very muddy due to extremely wet weather over the last few months and was closed as the newly-laid turf needed to dry out.

“As the weather has not improved and heavy rain is still forecast, the current plan is to reopen the site at the beginning of May.”

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No.3: Leisure centre revolution in Harrogate and Knaresborough

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…

Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre

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Knaresborough Leisure Centre opens today

The long-awaited opening of Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness takes place today.

The centre, which cost £17.5 million to develop, has a six-lane 25-metre pool, a leisure pool and slide and a 60-station fitness suite.

There is also a studio for group fitness classes, a group cycling studio, a sauna and steam room and a café.

The outdoor children’s play area is still in the works but is expected to be open in January 2024.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for arts, culture and housing, Cllr Simon Myers, said:

“By moving the service offer from being a conventional swimming pool to a community health and wellbeing service we aim to help people move more, live well, feel great and reduce the proportion of the population that is physically inactive.

“We look forward to welcoming the public into the facility next week.”

The site is managed by Brimhams Active, the council’s health and wellbeing company, which oversees the Harrogate and Ripon sites too.

According to the Brimhams Active website, all-inclusive membership at the sites costs £44.95 for adults per month and the concession price is £35.95 per month.

A gym or swim-only membership will set people back £33.95 a month, and a pay-as-you-go swim session costs £5.45 for adults and £2.85 for children.

There will be immersive spin classes on offer.

North Yorkshire Council also said the new building will be “more efficient” than the former.

It said the carbon output of the previous leisure centre has been reduced by 60%.

The gas boiler was replaced with sustainably efficient air source heat pumps and solar panels have been installed to provide a source of renewable energy.

Alongside LED lighting, upgraded building management systems and improved electrical supplies will increase energy efficiency, the council said.

The Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre is part of a £47.9 million investment into leisure provisions, which also include the newly developed Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre and the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre in Ripon.

Mark Tweedie, chief executive of Brimhams Active, said:

“The creation of this new leisure and wellness centre provides a modern, safe space where all walks of life, at every stage of life’s journey, can come together and enjoy a range of activities from swimming, gym and group exercise, to eating and relaxing.

“The investment really does deliver something for everyone. I’m now looking forward to working with my team to bring these facilities to life.”

The new centre has been built next to the former Knaresborough Pool, which was built in 1990 and last refurbished 20 years ago.

The swimming pool will open at 6.30am and the gym will open at 6.15am every morning.

The sauna.

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Knaresborough leisure centre opening delayed again

The opening of Knaresborough’s new leisure centre has been delayed again.

North Yorkshire Council originally planned to open the £17.6 million Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre when Knaresborough Pool closed at the end of summer.

But the opening was put back until November because of what the council described as “an unavoidable delay involving the new electrical supply to the building”.

In a fresh update today, the council said the scheme had been delayed by another month and was now due to open in early December.

Work on the pool is continuing.

How the site currently looks.

Nic Harne, the council’s corporate director for community development, said:

“We have been informed by the contractor that due to complex mechanical and electrical works at Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre taking longer than anticipated there will, unfortunately, be a slight delay to its re-opening.

“We now anticipate that the newly refurbished centre will be open to the public in early December.”

A council spokesperson said the delay had not increased the cost of the project.

It means people in Knaresborough will be without a pool for at least three months.

The leisure centre, which is being built next to the former pool, will include a six-lane 25-metre pool, activity pool with flume, sauna and steam room, fitness suite and studio, spin studio, café, electric car charging points and bicycle storage.

Once the old pool has been demolished, a play area will be installed in front of the new facility.

The activity pool

Brimhams Active, the council-owned company that manages leisure services in the Harrogate district, uploaded some photos of the leisure centre site today, which we have shown in this article.

The former Harrogate Hydro, which is also operated by Brimhams Active, reopened in September as Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre after a £13.5 million refurbishment.

Councillor Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough West, said:

“Having no pool in Knaresborough for an additional couple of months will add cost for young families during this cost of living crisis who will have to take children to Starbeck Baths or the Hydro.

“I will be asking the council for £1 swimming admissions for all children for the first month when the new Knaresborough pool finally opens.”

Cllr Walker added he was disappointed not to have been informed of the news before the media and called on the council to “improve its poor communication with elected members across Harrogate and Knaresborough”.

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Brimhams Active forecasts £330,000 loss after leisure centre delays

Brimhams Active is forecasting a £330,000 loss at the end of the year due to delays in opening new leisure centre projects in the Harrogate district.

The company, which is wholly owned by North Yorkshire Council, operates leisure facilities in the district.

Its sites include Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre, Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre, the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre in Ripon and Nidderdale Leisure and Wellness Centre in Pateley Bridge.

According to a council report, the company is forecast to record a £330,000 loss by the end of the 2023/24 financial year.

The shortfall is attributed to the delayed openings of both the Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre and Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre which has “negatively affected trading projections”.

The Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre.

Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre

The £13.5 million Harrogate scheme on Jenny Field Drive was due to open in January, but did not do so until September.

The Knaresborough facility, which is set to cost £17 million, was scheduled to open at the end of summer but is now not due to welcome customers until November.

A council report said:

“The delayed opening of two facilities, Harrogate Leisure and Wellness and Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness, has been brought about by construction delays and has negatively affected trading projections for the remainder of the year.”

However, the report added that income from the reopening may reduce losses before the end of the year.

In an interview with the Stray Ferret last month, Mark Tweedie, managing director of Brimhams Active, admitted the delays at the sites had been frustrating.

However, he said the benefits of the investment would soon be felt across the district.

He said:

“We will have an estate that will be the envy of North Yorkshire. The investment that’s gone in is unprecedented and significant.”

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New photos show Knaresborough’s £17m leisure centre shaping up

New photos have shown Knaresborough’s £17 million leisure centre taking shape.

Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre is due to open in November. It will replace Knaresborough Pool, which closed a month ago.

Like the old site, it will have a pool and a fun pool with a slide. But unlike the old site it will also have a a studio, gym, steam room and sauna.

Councillors were given a tour of the site today.

Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat on Knaresborough Town Council and North Yorkshire Council, shared some photos on his Twitter account. He said:

“It’s a huge investment for the town with lots more facilities than the previous pool.”

Cllr Walker added green technology would save about 50% of the running costs and 85% of the old pool will be recycled after demolition.

The children’s playground and zip wire is due to be reinstated.

The new sauna

The steam room

The site is due to open in November.

The leisure centre will be run by Brimhams Active, a leisure company controlled by North Yorkshire Council.

Brimhams reopened the former Harrogate Hydro as Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre this month.

Look out for an interview with Mark Tweedie, the managing director of Brimhams Active, this weekend.

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