A council has confirmed it will continue to run a town's leisure centre, despite taking over the running of a gym less than a mile away.

Maidstone council had been weighing up the future of Maidstone Leisure Centre in Mote Park, due to the costs of maintaining the 1970s building.

It had been considering a £35m refurbishment or rebuilding the venue completely.

So when the council announced it was taking over the running of facilities at a former David Lloyds gym at Lockmeadow, less than a mile away, it raised questions over whether the Mote Park venue's days were numbered.

But now the authority has confirmed it has agreed to extend its contract with providers, Serco Leisure, and will renew funding for the facility.

A spokesman said: “Both leisure facilities will run simultaneously, and memberships are not transferable between the centres.

“There are no plans to close Maidstone Leisure Centre.”

The council will now look to invest £2 million into the Mote Park facility to pay for the upkeep and maintenance while improving the facilities for visitors.

No new contract has been confirmed but in the meeting negotiations between the council and Serco were given the go-ahead and are hoping to make an agreement until 2031.

The running of the Lockmeadow facility is scheduled to be taken over by Serco on June 3 and will be for 15 months.

Leisure group David Lloyd, which had a gym, pool and spa, has been a tenant since the complex was first opened.

It shut in May, allowing members to transfer to its Kings Hill site.