Leisure centres still open for business

People in County Durham are being reminded they can still visit the county’s leisure centres, despite the new restrictions aimed at reducing the spread of coronavirus.

Durham County Council is carrying out further work to ensure its leisure centres remain virus secure, with a number of measures to make sure they are safe to visit - including strict cleaning regimes, extra space or safety screens between equipment and additional signage to help users move safely around the buildings.

Weekly checks will be carried out and any changes implemented where necessary to keep people safe and in response to any modification to Government guidelines.

Users must also book their sessions in advance to limit the number of people inside and ensure they’re following the latest guidance when entering, leaving and inside.

To coincide with the launch of National Fitness Week, the county’s leisure centres have also offered free taster sessions to non-members to give them an opportunity to try out the facilities.

Cllr Carl Marshall, cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “We’ve worked incredibly hard to make sure our leisure centres provide a safe environment for everyone and that we minimise the risk of the spread of coronavirus. We’d like to remind people that they continue to be safe and remain open for users.

“These are difficult times for everyone but it’s vital that we look after our health and wellbeing and that’s one of the reasons we’d like to offer people the chance to access our facilities without them feeling tied into a contract that they must continue to pay for.”