FITNESS fanatics are worried that developments to Perdiswell Leisure Centre could leave them out in the cold.

Aerobics class regulars welcomed news that the centre would receive a £2.9m facelift from Leisure Connections, which is expected to take on the contract in the next few weeks.

But they are so worried a revamped gym will take over their space that they have launched a petition.

Sue Sowden, one of the aerobic club regulars, said 60 people attended each session in the centre's projectile room, and many were worried about the changes that are being discussed.

One of the proposals by Leisure Connections is to increase the gym from a 20-piece facility to a 65 or 70-piece space, taking over the projectile room.

"This could cancel aerobics and could restrict judo, trampolining, and badminton classes," said Mrs Sowden, of Crowle.

Mrs Sowden said if the aerobics was moved to a smaller space such as the squash courts or the old gym, it could halve the number of people who would be able to join in the classes.

Membership

"And if they move aerobics into the main hall then something else like trampolining or badminton would have to go because they run at the same time," she said.

Plans to introduce membership to the gyms, where users pay monthly fees for the facilities, would be too expensive for some people and members would be able to book all the places in advance, Mrs Crowle warned.

"It's not just about the aerobics it's a social thing as well," she said.

"A lot of people cannot afford to pay monthly and they just want to pay when they use it.

"We are putting together a petition which we are going to present to Councillor Gareth Jones."

Mrs Sowden said a number of gyms had already sprung up in Worcester and there would not be enough demand to keep this one going.

However, Nigel Mansfield, the centre's sports and recreation manager, said a membership scheme would not discriminate between members and non-members.

"The charges will remain the same. We are offering the membership for people who regularly use the gym and it will cost them less," he said.

Mr Mansfield said members being able to book places in the classes and leaving no spaces for people who turn up and pay was unlikely to happen.

"That is something we haven't discussed, but I can't see it happening," he said.

"We're going to run more classes for fewer people and occasionally have a bigger session in the main hall."

He added that, although there were other gyms, there was a demand for facilities at "local authority prices".

"We're just bridging the gap in terms of quality," he said.