FITNESS fans in Corsham will be among the first in Wiltshire to get back into council-owned sports and leisure centres, which are due to start re-opening again on Monday, August 3.

Following the latest government advice that leisure centres can reopen with social distancing measures in place, Five Rivers Centre, Salisbury, and Springfield Community Campus, Corsham, will open their doors to the public for the first time since March 20.

The fitness suite, swimming pool and group exercise classes will come back into operation first, with other events and activities gradually being re-introduced as it is felt to be safe, and provided the national lockdown easing continues.

To manage the number of people at each centre at any given time, customers must book in advance, and follow social distancing and increased hygiene measures.

Then, from August 10, the council plans to reopen The Vale Community Campus, Pewsey and Devizes Leisure Centre. Marlborough Leisure Centre will follow later in August or early September.

Also on August 10, a number of the sites managed on behalf of the council by Places Leisure will also reopen, including The Olympiad, Chippenham; The Activity Zone, Malmesbury; Castle Place Leisure Centre, Trowbridge; Melksham Blue Pool and Warminster Sports Centre.

People wanting to use Lime Kiln Leisure Centre, Royal Wootton Bassett; Bradford on Avon Swimming Pool; Westbury Swimming Pool; and Leighton Recreation Centre, Westbury will have to wait until September, as they are in the last wave of re-openings.

Today the council said: "The opening schedule has been devised to ensure that both Wiltshire Council and Places Leisure can manage resources effectively during the COVID-19 pandemic, while keeping customers and staff as safe as possible at each centre. This means not all leisure centres will initially reopen, though these arrangements will be regularly reviewed.

"Facilities such as cafes and creches will remain closed at this stage, and due to the restrictions on group swimming it is not possible to continue with under 16s free swimming."

Centres will initially reopen with revised opening hours. To find out more, go to www.wiltshire.gov.uk/leisure-covid19; or for centres managed by Places Leisure, see www.placesleisure.org/wiltshire/.

Calne Leisure Centre will reopen later this autumn, when its development work is complete. Repair works are continuing at Trowbridge Sports Centre, with work set to be complete before the end of the year. Amesbury Sports Centre and Durrington Swimming and Fitness Centre will remain closed for the time being. The council is working with the MoD on the reopening of Tidworth Leisure Centre.

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Wiltshire Council cabinet member for leisure, said: “Our teams have worked hard to put the arrangements in place to be able to provide leisure services again during the pandemic. This is a new way of providing services, and we ask people to bear with us while we reopen in a careful and phased way.

“We have closely followed government advice to ensure that when each centre opens it’s as safe as possible for our staff and customers. Our staff are eager to welcome people back and as time goes on we hope we can introduce more services for all to enjoy.

“For those that have to wait a little longer for us to reopen, we appreciate your patience and hope you understand that this approach takes into account our current resources and financial pressures. Our focus is on ensuring the safety of every individual at our centres and reopening in this phased way is the right way to do it.”

The decision to reopen, including the phased approach agreed, is subject to a five-day call-in period for councillor. People who have leisure centre memberships will be contacted next week with final confirmation of reopening dates.

For more information, including membership details and FAQs, people should visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/leisure-covid19

For information about Places Leisure managed services, people should visit www.placesleisure.org/wiltshire/