Darlington Dolphin Centre pool to shut for four months

A swimming pool will close for four months as part of a multimillion-pound refurbishment.

From January, the main pool at Darlington's Dolphin Centre will shut for "essential maintenance".

Darlington Borough Council, which runs the leisure centre, has given people the option to freeze their memberships while the pool is out of action.

The council said the work was necessary after the site was first opened in 1982.

Despite the closure, the council said swimming lessons and lane swimming would still take place in the training pool.

Councillor Kevin Nicholson, the council's cabinet member for health and housing, thanked people for their patience.

"There have been numerous interventions and changes to the building over the years, the most significant in 2006, which resulted in remodelling of the building," he said.

"However, limited work was carried out on the pool, mechanical and electrical installations at that time.

"The pool works forms part of a £3.9m improvements programme delivered over the last four years, which have included the installation of the bowling alley, new soft play and gym refurbishment, as well as changing rooms and meeting room improvements."