A member of Dover Leisure Centre says conditions there are “disgusting and rotten” and is calling for improvements.

Peter Ward has been a member at the leisure centre in Townwall Street for two years and says that the conditions have got worse and worse.

The 37-year-old, from Balfour Road, said that the changing rooms have severe damp and mildew which exacerbate his asthma.

The disabled facilities have two broken toilet seats and a leaking air conditioner. He also claims the showers often do not work and the swimming pool has cracked tiles and grime. When the pool is sectioned off for classes, he says the public half is often too busy.

He added: “It’s at the point now where I’m thinking about finding somewhere else to swim. Nothing seems to improve. The only positive is the friendly staff, they are very nice people.

“The company needs to find the money to get this place sorted out.”

Mr Ward, an IT technician, often goes to the leisure centre after work for a swim.

He said: “There’s no excuse for a public place to have damp and mildew. I’m asthmatic and I’ve come back from there and had an asthma attack. I don’t expect these conditions.”

Mr Ward pays £37 a month for his membership and says some of this money should be spent on refurbishments. He complained to Your Leisure, the owner of the centre, and was told that some refurbishments are in the pipeline but Mr Ward said: “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Managing director Steve Davis told the Mercury: “We all know Dover Leisure Centre has reached the end of its useful life. They are designed to last 25 years and it’s 40 years old. There are various options to replace it or refurbish it but anything we do now is short term as it hasn’t got a long-term life.”

Mr Davis said there were two options, either a full refurbishment or to knock the building down and start again – something Mr Ward would like to see happen.

It is not known when Your Leisure will make a decision on which option to take.