Part of Abergavenny leisure centre could be closed for £1.7 million revamp

Part of Abergavenny Leisure Centre could close for up to 20 weeks later this year if funding for a £1.7 million revamp is given the go-ahead.

A proposal was brought forward in April, which outlined plans to refurbish the top floor of the leisure centre building in Abergavenny, and Monmouthshire council’s cabinet agreed at the time to proceed to a feasibility study.

Next week they will decide whether to recommend that £1.7 million is released by the council to fund the refurbishment. If they approve this, then full council will have the final say on whether the revamp goes ahead. 

A council report says the construction would take around 20 weeks and would likely start in autumn this year.

The full proposal is to upgrade the whole leisure centre, but this cannot take place until the new school, which will be on the site of King Henry VIII School, is complete in 2024.

Instead, the work that could take place later this year would be redevelopment of the first floor fitness hub to include a fitness suite, spin studio, fitness studio, changing rooms and a viewing area to the ground floor pool.

The second phase of the project, which will take place after the new school building has been completed, would see the sports hall, ground floor reception area and entrance all repurposed.

Membership at Abergavenny Leisure Centre has fallen dramatically in the last year – predominantly due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In February 2020 the leisure centre had 1,862 members, but in May this year it only had 1,240 members with many continuing to freeze their memberships. This is a 33 per cent decrease.

The report says: “There continues to be a risk that the increase in memberships would not occur for a significant period of time however there is a general confidence in the industry and peoples appetite to return.”

The closure of the upstairs of the leisure centre for 20 weeks could result in a £105,000 income loss.

A report on the plan says there are “health and safety issues” that need to be taken into account.

It says: “A compound would need to be installed on site and access to the rest of the site would have to be carefully managed.”

Alternative provision could be made, but it would impact on school usage so wold need to be carefully managed. Discussions with the school are on-going.

A decision on whether to recommend that full council release the £1.7 million for the revamp, will be made by the council’s cabinet on Wednesday (July 7).