Pershore's Avon Valley Leisure Centre is all set to close for a major refurbishment.

The centre, which was seriously affected by the Easter floods of 1998, shuts on October 29 for a £3.7million redevelopment which should be complete by early 2002.

Councillor John Smith, chairman of Wychavon District Council's community partnership committee, said: "Pershore is going to have some absolutely top-class facilities."

Peter Williams, managing director of Wychavon Leisure, which will operate the new complex, said the new facilities will be a significant improvement on the current ones.

The existing swimming pool building will be demolished and replaced with a new five-lane pool.

Part of the new pool will feature an unusual moveable floor, which can be adjusted to provide depths suitable for learner swimmers or to improve access for disabled users.

There will also be a sauna, steam room, spa bath and a 'changing village' featuring cubicles for family use.

The existing sports hall will have new changing facilities as well as a new gym and multi-use studio, complete with sprung floor suitable for dancing and other activities.

But some of the centre's users are unhappy at the council's decision not to provide a temporary gym during the refurbishment. Dan Harley, who presented a petition to councillors demanding a temporary gym, said the fitness routines of many centre users would be seriously disrupted.

Wychavon's community partnership committee considered several ways of providing a temporary gym at its meeting on September 5, and even looked at the possibility of setting one up in the Civic Centre.

But the committee concluded it would be unfair to provide temporary facilities for users of part of the leisure centre, such as the gym, while not doing the same for users of other facilities, like the pool. Instead the committee agreed to set aside £13,000 to provide all card carrying members of the leisure centre living in Pershore with a £1 reduction on visits to other Wychavon leisure centres in Evesham and Droitwich while Pershore's centre was closed.