Leisure centres to receive £100 million to keep Britons 'fighting fit'

Leisure centres will receive £100 million of Government funding to keep Britons "fighting fit through the winter months".

Community Leisure UK recently warned that 85 facilities would be at risk of permanent closure without further financial support.

The new fund from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport will help to support council-run facilities most in need.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: "It's vital that we keep ourselves fighting fit through the winter months and local authority leisure centres are crucial to this.

"This £100 million fund will help keep leisure centres across the country open. I urge leisure centres to bid for the money and people to make the most of these precious local facilities."

It comes as gyms and leisure centres will be able to reopen across Liverpool after the Government decided to bring the city's measures in line with other Tier 3 areas.

The venues were ordered to close when the area was placed into the "very high" level of coronavirus restrictions.

However, Liverpool Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said they would be allowed to reopen on Friday.

He said: "The Government have agreed with the case I put forward on behalf of city region leaders and that they would now bring us in line with other Tier 3 areas."

Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick has also confirmed the allocation of the £1 billion of extra support for councils announced by the Prime Minister earlier this month.

Birmingham will receive the biggest chunk of funding after being allocated £44 million, followed by Manchester at £24 million.

Mr Jenrick said: “Since the start of the pandemic, we have backed local councils with the funding they need to support their communities, protect vital services and recover lost income.

“This extra £1 billion funding will ensure that councils have the resources that they need over the winter and continue to play an essential role on the front line of our response to the virus while protecting the most vulnerable and supporting local businesses.”