DEVIZES Leisure Centre is to close for four days at the end of next month in preparation for a £1.87 million refurbishment.

The centre will be closed from March 29, the day after Easter Monday, to April 2, so that the transition to temporary accommodation can be carried out.

But the centre, including the swimming pool, will be open during the refurbishment, which is likely to continue until March 2006.

However, the council has warned there will be occasions when the centre will be closed for essential work to be carried out. Notification of these dates and likely disruption will be available at the centre and on the website www.kennet.gov.uk/leisure.

The centre will be operating two reception areas. The pool reception will be in temporary accommodation next to the swimming pool while the dry side reception will be in the corridor next to the sports hall and approached from the youth centre.

The swimming pool will have temporary changing facilities.

The Fitness Zone gym will move to one of the two squash courts but the sauna will be closed during renovations. The council's plan originally proposed the loss of one squash court permanently, but this was changed after objections from players.

The work will include extending the front of the building almost to the access road, creating a larger area for the popular fitness suite. The cafeteria will be relocated into what is now the fitness suite.

The pool changing rooms will also be extended, creating a dry changing area for people using the fitness suite and the Astroturf pitch. Users had complained about having to change in humid, wet conditions.

The poolside changing area will have cubicles so that dads can take their daughters swimming without the embarrassment of taking them into the opposite sex's changing area.

A new activity room will be built on a the second floor over the present fitness suite.

It will be a gymnasium space with a low ceiling where activities like aerobics, after-school clubs, over-50s keep fit and children's activities can take place, but not games such as badminton.

It will be lined with mirrors and wall bars but will have no furniture so that it can be used as a flexible space.

The leisure centre management have said they will endeavour to keep disruption to the minimum. Any queries about the arrangements can be made to the centre on (01380) 728894.