This is when Penwortham and Bamber Bridge leisure centres are set to reopen

Provisional dates have been set for the two facilities to welcome back exercise-hungry members - but the services will initially operate on a part-time basis and not all of the usual activities will be on offer.

The reopening plan is also dependent upon the completion of work to make the centres Covid-secure – and the Lancashire Post understands that use of the gyms at both locations will be permitted only upon the installation of ‘air handling’ technology.

If the final go-ahead is given, both sites will be open from 4-8pm on weekdays and 8.30am-2pm on Saturdays.

The Penwortham centre, on Crow Hills Road, is scheduled to open its doors on Monday 28th September. Visitors will be able to access the pool for family swimming, swimming lessons and lane swimming, up to a maximum of ten people per double lane.

Swimming slots must be pre-booked and members will be asked to arrive “beach ready”, wearing their costume under their clothes, as changing facilities and lockers are not guaranteed to be available.

Also on offer in Penwortham will be the 3G pitch, the sports hall for badminton only and the gym, if safety measures allow.

The Bamber Bridge site is currently expected to reopen on Monday 19th October, offering all of the same activities as Penwortham - although the Brindle Road site does not have a 3G pitch.

Leyland leisure centre reopened back in July and has gradually extended its opening hours to between 3.30 and 10pm. However, activities such as squash and gym lessons remain unavailable and the Post understands that the centre’s income is currently half of the level it was at this time last year.

South Ribble Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, Mick Titherington, said that the authority would continually review its stance on leisure centre openings in light of the latest government guidelines and instructions, “because we value customer safety above all else”.

He added: “I am pleased that we are able to look at reopening the centres because maintaining physical health and keeping active are really important elements of leading a healthy lifestyle.

“This pandemic has also affected our mental health – but we know that exercise is great for this too, so I’m glad that we will soon see people safely back in the pool and the gym in Penwortham and Bamber Bridge.”

“Throughout this pandemic, we have paid – and continue to pay – very close attention to the Government’s advice on the reopening of businesses and facilities such as leisure centres to make sure that we follow their guidance and do not open at a time where this could have an adverse effect on public health.

“We are now in a position, though, where we can start looking at the reopening of Penwortham Leisure Centre and Bamber Bridge Leisure Centre.

“However, I must stress that both of these things are conditional at the moment, pending essential maintenance work to ensure the facilities are Covid-secure,” Cllr Titherington added.

For more information, visit: southribbleleisure.com/leyland-leisure-centre/policies-documents/centre-rules and southribbleleisure.com