Leisure centre hit by sinkhole delay reopens

Ripon's Jack Laugher, the Olympic diver, opened the renovated facility

A leisure centre in North Yorkshire has reopened fully after years of setbacks that saw work to repair a sinkhole push up renovation costs by £2m.

The pool at Jack Laugher Leisure & Wellness Centre in Ripon opened in 2022, but plans for a larger gym and studios were delayed when the void was discovered.

The £23m renovation project was started by the former Harrogate Borough Council and taken over by North Yorkshire Council in April 2023.

Councillor Andrew Williams from the Ripon Minster and Moorside division said he was pleased to see the centre open to the public, and thanked the council for its "commitment and dedication to resolving the complex issues that arose".

Councillor Simon Myers, executive member for leisure services, said the centre had now been brought into line with other council-run facilities.

"This is a wonderful moment for residents in Ripon and surrounding areas who now have access to these high-quality, modern facilities," he said.

"This has been a challenging project which has required complex ground stabilisation works, and I would like to thank everyone – including customers and residents – for their patience and cooperation."

The centre, like much of Ripon, is built above a layer of gypsum – a water-soluble rock that leads to the formation of large underground caves.

The pool opened in 2022 but complex groundwork delayed the opening of the gym

The risk of collapse meant additional work was needed to stabilise the site and protect its long-term future.

Olympian Jack Laugher, after whom the facility is named, attended the opening ceremony alongside councillors, leisure centre staff and gym users.

The former Ripon Grammar School student achieved a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in the men's synchronised three-metre springboard alongside partner Chris Mears.

He was also awarded an individual silver medals in the three-metre springboard and two bronze, making him one of the most successful British divers of all time.

Laugher, 30, said he was proud to attend the reopening of the leisure centre where he first learned to swim.

The entrance to the Jack Laugher Leisure & Wellness Centre

"I am so proud to be here at the reopening as it means a great deal to me being in my home city," he said.

"My journey began in Ripon as I learnt to swim here before achieving so much success in my sport.

"But this is not just about elite sport, this is about engaging with all communities to be able to improve their health and wellbeing in such a fantastic new venue."

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