A new fitness suite is set to be created at Ripon Leisure Centre, North Yorkshire, as part of a £285,000 scheme funded by Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) and Ripon City Council (RCC).

The venue's original ground floor Brimhams' Fitness Suite, will be developed into a free weights training area as part of the project, which will create one of HBC's largest fitness facilities boasting 209sq m (2,250sq ft) gym space. Technogym will supply 36 pieces of equipment for the new suite. Earlier this year, HBC secured a deal to take over the freehold transfer of Ripon Leisure Centre from RCC, having previously run the venue under a leasehold/management contract. RCC has also provided £125,000 to invest in the centre.

HBC cabinet member for resources, Andrew Jones, said: "Residents of Ripon are going to get a state of the art fitness facility that also has an investment pot set aside by the borough council to make sure that the equipment can be renewed at regular intervals."