Phase one of major Thorne Leisure Centre refurbishment begins

Local councillors Susan Durant, Mark Holbrook and Nigel Ball visited the Thorne Leisure Centre to see the construction that began on 11 October as part of the area’s leisure investment plan.

The first phase focuses on the pool hall, with the removal of asbestos and replacement of plant and pipework before updating the pool itself.

The works are part of a £5 million revamp that was signed off by the council in June.

In 2023, the centre will receive a new gym, soft play area, bowling alley, café and refurbishments of existing areas.

Some of the funding will also go towards a new leisure centre in Edlington, which is in development.

Chris Hone, development director for Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust (DCLT) who manage the venue, said: “We are really pleased to be starting work on this well-loved community asset.

“We are working closely with Doncaster Council and thank them for ensuring that funding has been made available for Thorne as part of the Leisure Improvement Programme.

“We are pleased to be in a position to get these enabling works moving and we know that the local community will be pleased to see progress on the site.

“It is great to see Doncaster council continuing to buck the trend of closing leisure centres permanently, understanding the importance of local assets for local people and while refurbishment works are taking longer than anticipated, they are being protected.”