A NEW improved cafe will form part of a £72,000 investment at Skipton's Craven Pool and Fitness Centre.

The money – which will have to be rubber-stamped by full council in August – will include £22,000 on the purchase of new exercise 'spinning bikes'.

Spinning classes – a high energy, cardio-vascular exercise – have proved to be a runaway success at the centre after bikes were introduced five years ago.

From the start of spin classes earlier this year, the centre now runs 29 every week, but the condition of the equipment has hampered any further expansion.

This has led to complaints and triathlon club, Craven Energy, stopped booking them and has gone elsewhere, indicating it would return if the equipment was replaced.

Users of the new bikes will be offered optional wearable technology, with Bluetooth connectivity and heart-rate monitors.

Craven District Council’s leisure services manager, Lloyd Hancox, said: “The spinning bikes have been a huge success since they were installed five years ago – they’ve been so popular they’re wearing out and need to be replaced.

“Spinning is a fantastic form of exercise and new bikes will attract even more people to take part."

Plans for the cafe include improving and extending the seating area, providing about 60 covers inside and an additional 32 outside, with a retractable canopy at the front of the building.

The kitchen will also be significantly improved to allow a higher and healthier quality of food to be cooked and prepared. Staff will also receive further cookery training at Craven College.

“We are excited about these plans to improve the cafe – it has the potential to become a much more attractive area providing high quality food for the centre and park users," added Mr Hancox.

It is estimated the new spinning bikes will increase income to the council, offsetting part of the cost, while the improvements to the cafe will pay for themselves in little more than a year.

The pool and leisure centre had hoped to replace the majority of the gym equipment, including the spinning bikes, in the current financial year at a cost of £235,000.

It has now been scaled down to just the spinning bikes, with the replacement of the remainder of the fitness equipment put on hold for two years.