Bridport Leisure Centre has been awarded £19,000 to enable it to bring back the wetside changing rooms when the centre reopens.

It has been awarded £14,000 from Sport England 'Return to Play' grant and £5,000 from Symondsbury Parish Council's 'Recovery' grant.

Both these grants are restricted to making improvements to areas that are otherwise not available due to the current Covid-19 restrictions.

The changing rooms have been closed since the centre first reopened after lockdown restrictions last year.

Improvements will include:

• Replacing lighting in both the male and female changing rooms for energy efficient LED panels and emergency LED spotlights
• Installing additional cubicle changing to both male and female changing rooms, including accessible and family changing cubicles
• Replacing the old vanity units in both the male and female changing rooms and the installation of new trough sinks - a modern and smart improvement
• Re-grouting of both the male and female changing room floors

Under current Covid restrictions, the showers in both changing rooms will remain out of action until such time the centre receives additional guidance.

William Thrower, general manager at Bridport Leisure Centre, said: "These are much-welcomed improvements to the leisure centre and we are excited to get the works underway imminently.

"Stay safe everyone and we look forward to welcoming you back to the centre soon."

Under Prime Minister Boris Johnson's four-part plan to ease lockdown restrictions, gyms and leisure centres can reopen from April 12.

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