Littledown Centre, including its café, bar and outdoor sports facilities (football pitches and park toilets) will be temporarily closed to the public for four weeks from Monday 4 December 2023 for essential maintenance work to take place.

The facilities are scheduled to reopen on Tuesday 2 January 2024.

Littledown is managed by registered charity BH Live, in partnership with BCP Council.

Over the four-week closure, work to be carried out by specialist contractors includes the installation of new electrical panels to replace those that were damaged during a plant room fire in November 2022.

To coincide with this, and mitigate further disruption and closures, BCP Council has also commissioned the removal of the centre’s water flumes which had reached their end of life and were no longer operational.

Other essential maintenance will be carried out by BH Live’s contractors including the installation of energy-efficient LED lighting.

Customers with a BH Live Active membership are being advised of the temporary closure and their options to use other local facilities including pools, gyms and classes. These include Queen’s Park, Stokewood, Pelhams, Sir David English and Corfe Mullen. Facilities vary at each centre – see website for details. Swimming lessons and the Littledown Juniors’ winter terms will close two weeks early this year. For those who have regular club and pitch bookings or events, the team at Littledown will contact them to go through their options.

The main car park at Littledown Centre will remain open with temporary lighting. Access around the centre and footways adjacent to the parkland will be restricted.

Rob Cunningham, BH Live’s Associate Director for Leisure said,

“The Littledown electrical fire in 2022 damaged some of the centre’s main systems. While we have managed with a temporary fix to keep the building running, the time has come to get the essential repairs and replacement work done. This will ensure the building runs as efficiently and sustainably as possible.

“We have been working closely with our council partners to plan these works around the least disruptive time for our customers. To further minimise the impact, we are fortunate to be able to provide access to other local gyms, pools and classes operated by BH Live to ensure people can still keep active for better health and wellbeing.”

Cllr Mike Cox, BCP Council Portfolio Holder for Finance said;

“We know how popular Littledown is to people of all ages and abilities who want to get active and improve their health and wellbeing. That’s why the council and BH Live have worked closely to ensure this necessary closure has the least impact.

“Some of the work undertaken during this closure will be the removal of the centre’s swimming pool flumes. In August 2021 an extensive inspection and assessment of the flumes by specialists and structural engineers confirmed that they had reached their end of life and were no longer operational.

“Further assessment since, established that the original design of the splash pool, and modern legislation in relation to the installation of water flumes, would not be compliant with today’s standards. To install replacement flumes would mean a significant cost to residents.

“Whilst this work is ongoing, I would encourage residents to keep active and use the fantastic other local facilities including pools, gyms and classes available via their BH Live Active memberships.”

Alternative pools, gyms and classes are available for customers to use as part of their multisite BH Live Active membership or on a pay as go you basis at other local centres.

Visit bhliveactive.org.uk for more information and ask in centre if any assistance is needed.