Endless Devon ski-ing on the way

But not till 2022

A date's been set for a new leisure centre in Barnstaple to open that will have the county's first endless ski slope. 

However, if you fancy going ski-ing never to come off the slope again, you'll have to wait till 1 February 1 2022 and hope lockdown is over.

It will also cater for snowboarding and tobogganing, as well as having a a 25m, eight-lane swimming pool leaner pool, sports hall, gym, cafe and play areas. The pool will enable lifeguards to be trained, and a moving floor in it means sports such as water polo can take place too.

Located next to the Tarka tennis centre, it will replace the outdated North Devon leisure centre on the Seven Brethren industrial estate. That facility, which had been due to close this year, will stay open until the fancy new one opens. Construction work should begin this summer if a piece of planning jiggery pokery is completed.

North Devon Council leader Cllr David Worden has previously said: “Replacing the existing leisure centre has been our ambition for the past 10 years. The new facilities, along with our recently completed artificial grass pitch, fantastic tennis centre and Falcons Gymnastics Academy next door, mean that North Devon will have some of the finest sports facilities in the South West.

“This ‘bucks the trend’ at a time when many authorities are having to rationalise their leisure stock and are closing old facilities.”