A "neglected” sports club is set to undergo a £70,000 facelift to restore it to its former glory after being taken on by a group of friends.

The new owners of Gravesham Legend Sports decided to club together to buy the facilities behind Cascades Leisure Centre in Gravesend while at the pub.

Head of operations Sam White said the group of four couples had been involved with the venue in one way or another before deciding to take the plunge and buy it.

She told KentOnline: “We have all been coming here for years and always thought about its potential, now that dream is becoming a reality.

“As members of the community ourselves, we saw how this facility, once a vibrant hub for sports enthusiasts was neglected for more than 15 years.

“We believed it was high time for a change and a transformation that will restore it to its former glory and establish it as a shining star in the industry.”

The husband-and wife duos, Simon and Sam White, Adam and Sam Baliey, James and Hayley Pullen, and Nick and Lyndsy Anota, finally got the keys at the start of December.

They have already started making changes, such as refurbishing the toilets, party room, and giving it a fresh lick of paint, as the two-year long project to transform the venue starts.

Co-director James Pullen said: “Our hope is to revamp and reenergise the building to get it to its full potential in the next couple of years and we have big plans for it.”

Sam added: “It is an asset for Gravesend and people do not know it is here. We want to put it back on the map.”

The club, in Thong Lane, has two sports domes with two five-a-side football pitches and two tennis courts, a clubhouse with a bar and kitchen and a function room.

It runs children’s sport camps in the school holidays and coaching but the new owners have plans to expand this by welcoming more community groups and sports clubs.

It is also used by Riverview Football Club which James is the chairman of.

Explaining his involvement, he said: “I was interested because it allows us to expand as a football club but having used the facilites for many, many years we all had an interest in making it a place where people want to play sport.

"We wanted to see a local place really become a decent venue for sport and leisure.

“We would love it to be the central hub for Gravesend, particularly Riverview. It is tucked away in the corner and not may people know about it.”

While improving the already existing facilities, Sam said they want to encompasses more traditional sports such as dart and pool and potentially look at hosting league games.

She added: “Just because it has always been football and tennis does not mean it always has to be. We are reaching out to other groups so anyone from the age of one to 100 can enjoy it.

“It is a really exciting time for Legends. We want it to be something people are proud of.

“We are excited about the future and are grateful for the opportunity to revitalise our local sports community.”

It comes as Gravesham council decided to completely demolish and rebuild Cascades Leisure Centre, next door to Gravesham Legend Sports.

The new £34 million facility will have a 25m pool, 17m learner pool, an aqua play and water flume area, poolside steam and sauna, a sports hall with six courts, a multi-level soft play zone, a 'clip n climb' zone, party and community rooms and a café, all on the ground floor.

On the first floor, there will be two squash courts, two multi-use studios, a spin bike studio and a 100-station fitness suite.

Outside facilities would include a children’s play area, an active play area, an outdoor gym and trim trail, as well as a tennis and netball court.