'Confusion' over closure of site at Brickfields

SPORTS AND LEISURE FACILITY CLOSING FOR £21M REFIT

- WILLIAM TELFORD

PLYMOUTH’S Brickfields sports facility will close for six months at the end of this week to undergo a £21 million redevelopment – but some users are still confused about what will happen to their membership and the jobs of fitness instructors.

Plymouth City Council owns the site, which includes the gym, but is transferring its management from Plymouth Active to Plymouth Argyle Community Trust (Pact). The facility will then shut until next year for redevelopment which will see a community hub, centre of excellence and base for Argyle’s women’s team all created.

The council has ploughed £2.75m into the overall cost of the project, a collaboration between the council, Argyle, Pact, Plymouth Albion rugby club and Devonport Community Leisure. But while arrangements have been made for Brickfields users to go to other city leisure facilities, some people are still confused about what happens to their multi-site membership. And instructors will have to wait and see what happened when the Brickfields site reopens.