South Kesteven District Council approves loan to LeisureSK to replace Bourne Leisure Centre's gym
More than £130,000 is set to be invested into a gym.
An urgent review put before South Kesteven District Council's cabinet found the gym equipment at Bourne Leisure Centre needed to be replaced.
Two machines have been removed while the current equipment is reaching the end of its life.
The board of directors for LeisureSK Ltd, a council-owned company which has run the leisure centre since 2020, approached South Kesteven District Council and requested a loan of £137,000.
In a report put before the cabinet on Thursday (September 22), councillors learned that 'without the investment, it will become increasingly difficult to attract and retain customers to the centre'.
Cabinet member Coun Mark Whittington (Con) said: "The decision is now of an urgent matter.
"We would plan for this work to take place in December as it is a traditionally quiet month.
"This will be completed by January when there usually is an uplift in gym users."
Leader of the Alliance SK group, Ashley Baxter (Market and West Deeping), welcomed the investment. The leisure centre in his own ward has been closed for more than a year due to a leaking roof.
He said: "Bourne Leisure Centre is now the nearest for the Deepings.
"Many people had to find alternative gyms and swimming pools. While some use Peterborough others, hopefully, use Stamford and Bourne.
"It would be dreadful to lose the facilities in Bourne."
The loan to Leisure SK will be paid back over a 60-month period.
