Delight as Werrington Leisure Centre to re-open after nine months

A councillor has said he is ‘over the moon’ at the news a city leisure centre will re-open later this year – more than nine months after it was shut in a cost cutting measure by Peterborough City Council.

Werrington Leisure Centre closed its doors on January 1 this year, and has not re-opened since.

At the time of the closure, the council said the leisure facilities were forecast to make a net loss for 2021/22 of £190,000, increasing to £205,000 for 2022/23.

However, now it has been confirmed the centre will open again later this year.

The centre – not including the gym – will open again on September 19. Peterborough Limited, which manages the venue under the Vivacity brand, has been working over the past 6 months to train and develop a new staff team.

Following the announcement, Werrington councillor John Fox said: “It is great news that the centre can re-open and we can get people back inside and using the facilities. I am over the moon, because at one stage I didn’t think it would ever re-open.

"Hopefully people will come back and will have not moved to another facility.

"I know Werrington Joggers have been using the Ploughman pub as changing rooms while the centre has been closed. We need to get these groups back in and using the site.

"We have had badminton and squash courts going unused for too long. It shouldn’t be happening in a city this size.

"I know businesses including the Ploughman have been impacted by the centre being closed – it is all about having a community here.”

Councillor Steve Allen, Cabinet Member for Communication, Culture and Communities, said: “I am really pleased to be able to announce the reopening of the leisure centre. We hope from 19th September the Werrington community will show it their full support,

and ensure the site is booked out! I support Vivacity’s ambition is to build a fitness class timetable to support the wider health and wellbeing of Werrington residents, and look forward to this starting in the New Year”.

Information on how to make individual or group bookings at the centre will be available closer to the time on the Vivacity website www.vivacity.org.