Refurbishment work is to commence at Manchester Aquatics Centre .

The centre will close its doors today, 26 November, and will fully reopen again in late Spring 2023, although there will be limited access to the training pool while the work is undertaken.

The refurbishment scheme has been designed to maintain and grow the centre's aquatics and health and fitness programmes for the next 20 years. It will include upgrade works to all areas of the centre including: all the swimming pools; fitness suites including all gyms and studios, leisure water; cafe; health suite; changing places with accessible changing provision to meet the needs of disabled people.

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The refurbishment will introduce new digital and sustainable technologies helping to make the centre more energy efficient, reducing the building's carbon footprint, contributing to the city's wider drive to cut carbon emissions and to provide a more modern and efficient building in the long term.

The improvement works will be split into phases which will enable a reduced programme of public swimming to continue for the duration of the refurbishment.

Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, executive member for Neighbourhoods said: "The work to upgrade the facilities at the Centre is needed to future proof it for the next 20 years and beyond and although it may be inconvenient in the short term, the long term gain of high quality, affordable leisure facilities for the community will be very much worth the wait when the work is complete. There is a huge range of alternative centres across the city which the local community can use while the work take place including the Sugden Centre which is close by and we have tried to ensure that some swimming can take place although it is much reduced while the refurbishment programme is underway."