RIBBON was cut to mark the official opening of the newly refurbished Leominster Leisure Centre this week.

Staff, centre members, council representatives and others joined together for the ceremony on Tuesday night.

Halo leisure has spent £1.3 million on upgrading the centre and visitors now have access to a new gym, new workout studio, improved flooring in the sports hall, refurbished changing rooms and toilets and improved disabled access.

Speaking at the event, Bryan White, chairman of the Halo board of trustees, said: "In particular at a time when local authorities are under such immense financial pressure from central government, resulting in all but essential public services being cut out of budgets – it is remarkable that Halo and Herefordshire Council have worked together to put in place funding arrangements to enable this facility development programme to be implemented.

"Of course, the capital sum and borrowing costs invested in these developments have to be repaid over the years by income from

public use and it is calculated this will be achieved. Thus it is vital that the Herefordshire community responds to the investment made on their behalf, which I am confident they will so when they are made aware of the imaginative and top grade facilities they have access to."

Leominster Leisure Centre is the second Halo managed facility to be upgraded after Hereford Leisure Pool and the remaining county-wide facilities should be completed over the next year.