A LEISURE centre is set to lose its swimming pool and squash courts after a takeover by a gym group.

LA Fitness gym, in Bournes Green Chase, Thorpe Bay, has about 2,500 members who enjoy the centre’s sauna, cafe and beauticians, but these are set to all go when Pure Gym run it.

Pure Gym took over 43 LA Fitness centres across the country in May and is rebranding the centres which will have no “wet facilities”.

The firm, which offers no contract, 24-hour access to its gyms says while no firm date has been set, the Thorpe Bay centre could be closed for refurbishment before next summer.

Spokesman Benn Ullman said: “Our intention remains to convert the majority of LA Fitness sites into Pure Gym gyms and work on this has already begun.

“We expect the conversion to be complete by the summer of 2016 and look forward to welcoming many more members to our facilities.”

Paul Wallace, 36, from the Garrison, Shoebury, is a longstanding member of the gym and visits regularly with his three-year-old son Charlie. He is also a county squash player and says the lost facilities will be a blow to members.

He said: “When it is converted it will close for three months and we will lose so many facilities.

“All the personal trainers will go, the cafe will go and Thorpe Hall School and Alleyn Court School pupils will no longer be able to use the club as they do now.

“I go every day, often with my son, but I won’t be going when it changes as there will just be gym equipment. It’s a travesty and really bad news for local members.

“Olympic gold medallist Chris Hoy is an ambassador for Pure Gym I would have thought he would want to encourage people to get involved in different sport activities, rather than deter them as this will. There won’t be so many families going there any more.”

A petition, started after the announcement of a £1million brand change at LA Fitness in Brentwood this month, has already gained 300 signatures from disgruntled members.