A LEISURE centre branded 'filthy' by unhappy customers appears to have started to improve its cleanliness.

Users of the Windrush Leisure Centre in Witney complained about unsatisfactory facilities at the end of July, in the latest of a string of concerns stretching back more than three years.

But the Windrush recently received 'excellent' status from QUEST, the UK Quality Scheme for Sport and Leisure, while a Facebook poll of customers last week suggested conditions have improved.

Of those polled in the Facebook group 'Campaign for a better Leisure Centre for Witney', 12 people said the venue was as clean as the time of the latest wave of complaints.

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Seven people said cleanliness was 'slightly better' and one claiming it was 'much better', with one user adding: "They are slightly better but there still needs to be a big improvement."

Of those who said cleanliness had not improved, eight said conditions in the general changing areas needed to be better, while six earmarked the toilets, five were unhappy with the showers and one claimed the poolside areas were not good enough.

West Oxfordshire District Council officers carried out a surprise inspection of the leisure centre days after the complaints at the end of July, but they discovered the facilities had been deep cleaned.

A Freedom of Information request found the district council carried out six unannounced inspections at the Windrush from August 1, 2018 to July 31 this year, although none of these were due to cleanliness.

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During that time, the council received no complaints about the cleanliness of the facilities, the request found.

But some customers remain unhappy about Witney's only leisure centre, including swimming coach Bran Walker.

The 56-year-old has flagged up issues including 'poor ventilation' of the pool area and one poolside shower 'continually running hot water for more than six months'.

She said: "The whole place needs a lot of money spending on it, replacing the ancient boiler and overhauling the whole pool area."

Since May 2017, the facilities have been run by the council’s leisure operator GLL Better, which is also responsible for centres in Chipping Norton and Carterton.

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After the leisure centre received 'excellent' status from QUEST, GLL spokesperson, Carole Pendle, said: "This accolade follows an in depth assessment and mystery visit. Only 15 per cent of UK leisure facilities achieve an 'excellent' rating.”

A West Oxfordshire District Council spokesperson added: “Since working with our leisure provider as a result of customer complaints and this publication’s original story several weeks ago, no further concerns have been raised with us and we have no reason to believe that safe, clean and enjoyable facilities are not being provided at the Windrush Leisure Centre .”