The swimming pool at the Marina Leisure Centre will close temporarily from Wednesday next week as part of a wider refurbishment by Great Yarmouth Borough Council.

The council is revamping the authority-owned seafront facility on Marine Parade, which is run by the Great Yarmouth Sport and Leisure Trust, “to further improve the experience for customers”.

Since last year, the centre – which had not seen a major refurbishment since it opened in 1981 – has already seen a catalogue of key improvements, including extra car parking space, new gym equipment and new sports hall flooring.

As the next stage of the planned refurbishment, the swimming pool’s filtration system will be replaced to ensure customers can continue to enjoy clean, well-treated water, at a consistent quality and temperature.

Much of the work will be undertaken in the pool plant room, without the need to close the pool. However, it is necessary to close the pool temporarily while the old plant is turned off, disconnected, and the new plant is then connected and tested.

The pool closure will be from Wednesday, December 10, up to and including Friday, January 9. It is expected to re-open on a reduced timetable for Saturday, January 10 and Sunday, January 11, returning to its normal full timetable on Monday, January 12.

Martin Marsh, operations manager of the Great Yarmouth Sport and Leisure Trust, said: “This is a very exciting refurbishment which will benefit the Marina Centre’s customers. Should there be any delays or slippage in the closure timetable, we will endeavour to inform our customers at the earliest opportunity.”

Cllr Trevor Wainwright, leader of the borough council, said: “This latest improvement work to the Marina Centre will be welcome news to the many individuals, families, groups and classes which use the swimming pool.

“The temporary closure has been planned to take place over the quietest period of the year for the pool, to minimise the impact on users – and great efforts have been taken by the trust to provide advance notice, including circulating a letter to members.”