A new gym has welcomed back fitness fanatics after a major £600,000 refurbishment.

Whitstable Swimming Pool has been renamed as part of an investment by Active Life, which runs the site on behalf of Canterbury City Council.

Now called Whitstable Pools and Fitness, it is now fully open to customers who can now use an extensive range of equipment.

It follows a new dance and class studio opening in September.

The Lord Mayor of Canterbury, Cllr Jean Butcher will officially launch the new-look centre with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, December 21.

Derek Hambidge, business manager for Active Life, said: “We are delighted to have been able to deliver these fantastic new facilities at Whitstable Pools and Fitness for our members and the local community.

“We are grateful for their patience during the works, but I’m sure they’ll agree it’s worth the wait.

“We are incredibly proud that this centre is such a big part of the local community, which is why it was so important to invest and improve this wonderful facility for the local area to use and enjoy for years to come.”

Whitstable Pools and Fitness says it offers more than just a space for members and the local community to come together for fitness and wellbeing but also a social space with an inclusive and supportive environment.

All areas of the Whitstable centre remained open during the revamp but customers were warned availability of parking would be slightly reduced during this time.

Running alongside that project is the highly-anticipated £8 million Kingsmead Leisure Centre revamp – with a steam room, sauna and three fitness studios all set to be added to the district’s most-used sports facility.

The swimming pool at the centre will continue to remain open during the project alongside popular group exercise sessions – though it has been confirmed the gym and sports hall will remain closed until the renovations are complete.

The transformation of Kingsmead Leisure Centre will also include a new entrance, foyer and café area as well as a large new gym with a dedicated ‘Intencity’ studio.

Bosses at Active Life are hoping the Canterbury upgrades will be finished by summer 2024.