Councillors have been told that membership figures for the new Whitwick & Coalville Leisure Centre has tripled since opening in February.

The new £22.5million complex off the A511 replaced the Hermitage Leisure Centre in Whitwick - which has now been closed down with the site's future currently the subject of debate.

Tuesday's meeting of North West Leicestershire District Council's Cabinet heard that the latest figures suggest the new centre has been a success.

It is owned and operated by Everyone Active and is said to be performing better than some leisure centres across the country.

Although the facility was opened to members in February, it was given an official opening last April.

Cllr Andrew Woodman told the committee: "I was talking to the Everyone Active management this week about our progress after coming out of Covid with the new leisure centre,

The centre receved an all-star official opening in April after the public were first admitted in February. Photo: Coalville Nub News

"At Whitwick & Coalville, it would appear that memberships are about triple what they were in the old centre.

"It would also appear that we are one of their top performing leisure centres as well.

"We're bucking the trend and going forwards as opposed to some centres who are going backwards.

"Leisure-wise, we're hitting targets and we couldn't have opened at a better time."

Cabinet chair, Cllr Richard Blunt added: "It's heartening to see we have built a first-class leisure centre and that it's being used."