More than £1.2 million will be invested in leisure facilities in Wellington and Taunton after a new contractor took charge on Thursday (August 1).

Everyone Active – part of the Leicestershire-based Sports and Leisure Management – has replaced Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL) as the official leisure contractor for Somerset West and Taunton Council.

At the start of the new contract, the company will be making improvements on five sites in the two towns, including improvements to changing rooms and indoor cycling facilities.

Wellington Sports Centre’s gym will close for ten days from September 16 to allow for new gym kit and lighting to be installed, with the changing rooms and studios being refreshed. Some £353,000 will be invested.

A total of £387,000 will be spent at the Wellsprings Leisure Centre in Cheddon Road in Taunton, consisting of new gym equipment, revamping the indoor cycling studio and repainting the entire interior.

To allow this to occur, the gym will be closed for 12 days from last Thursday.

At Blackbrook Leisure Centre and Spa in Blackbrook Way, £400,000 will be spent on extending the gym, refurbishing the toning suite with new equipment, refreshing the changing rooms and building a new indoor cycling studio.

The gym will be closed for ten days from August 19, with the entire refurbishment expected to be staggered over a three-week period.

Taunton Pool – near the council’s Belvedere Road headquarters –  will see an investment of £65,000, and £20,000 will be ploughed into the Vivary Golf and Adventure Centre within Vivary Park.

The total investment across all five sites is £1.225 million.

Local democracy reporter

Daniel Mumby