Portsmouth Pyramids Reopening Put Back A Month

6 August 2014, 10:39 | Updated: 6 August 2014, 11:12

The reopening of the Pyramids leisure centre in Portsmouth has been put back by another month.

The building in Southsea has been closed since February, when storms caused serious flood damage. It was meant to open again in August, but operators BH Live say it will now be sometime in September because they and the city council have brought forward other improvement works.

A statement from operators BH Live said:

"Since the Pyramids Centre closed in February, following significant flood and storm damage, Portsmouth City Council contractors have been undertaking a complex programme of works to replace the mechanical and electrical plant room equipment.  To avoid further disruption and closures in the future, Portsmouth City Council and BH Live have also brought forward planned improvement works.
 
"The majority of the works are planned to complete over the next few weeks. To then get the Centre ready for reopening to the public, there will be final works to be carried out including mechanical, electrical and pool testing, painting, outdoor lighting, installing industrial kitchen equipment and dismantling scaffolding."
 
Mike Lyons, BH Live Director of Leisure Facilities said:

“Contactors are scheduled to conclude most of the works in the next few weeks. Once these have been completed, we will then be able to carry out the final preparations ready for reopening. Tasks such as heating the swimming pool, deep cleaning, water quality test regimes (test results can take up to ten days), restocking bars and cafés are carried out alongside building safety checks including fire alarm testing and chemical assessments.

"Whilst all this is happening, our contractors will also be installing a new café, creating the new multipurpose fitness studio and bringing Pyramids to the standard we expect at any of our centres.”
 
Events are intended to restart in the Plaza Suite with a boxing event on 30 August. The reopening date of the swimming, gym, spa and soft play facilities will be during September 2014 with dates to be confirmed once the programme of works is close to completion.
 
Lyons adds:

“It was initially hoped we would be able to access parts of the building to resume some services whilst the final works were being carried out however, due to the complexities of the project, this has not been possible.

"The works both we and Portsmouth City Council have undertaken should significantly reduce the need for closures and disruption in the future and we will all be very pleased to be reopening the doors again and welcoming the local community back into the centre.

"We know our customers are very keen to get back into Pyramids and are appreciative of everyone who has supported us and Portsmouth City Council in getting the centre back up and running.”
 
Events which were scheduled to take place whilst the building remains closed will either be accommodated in alternative venues, rescheduled to another date or cancelled and information posted on the www.pyramids-live.co.uk.
 
Until the centre reopens, the Pyramids Centre customer service team is located at Portsmouth Central Library.