Bramford's Riverhills health club reopens after fire

Riverhills, just outside Ipswich, has reopened its gym and spa facilities - delighting staff and members who couldn't wait to get back.

It's likely to be another year before the pool reopens - the whole aquatic centre needs to be rebuilt, but bosses hope it will be better than ever when it does return.

The pool was gutted in June. (Image: Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service)

The pool complex was gutted two months ago - but firefighters managed to prevent the blaze from spreading to the rest of the building.

However, manager Phil Rowe said it was not simple bringing it back to life.

"They did a great job preventing the fire from spreading - but the centre's electric supply all came in near the pool so we had to get a new power supply to start with.

Firefighters managed to stop the flames in the pool reaching the main building. (Image: Paul Geater)

"We have refurbished and updated the gym. There was a bit of smoke damage there but we have taken the opporunity to bring in more equipment."

The cafe bar at the entrance has been refreshed and there are improvements to the restaurant, but the feeling of the place hasn't changed.

Chrissie Day is one of the best-known faces at Riverhills (Image: Paul Geater)

Visitors returning to the club were greeted by the friendly, and familiar, face of Chrissie Day. She has worked at Riverhills, and under its former name Clarice House, for 28 years.

She said: "It's really good to have everyone coming back - we've done a lot to keep in touch with our members but it's nothing like being open for business again."

Dan Brown putting Alex Eddy through his paces on one of the new pieces of gym equipment. (Image: Paul Geater)

Members were trying out the new equipment in the gym. Personal trainer Dan Brown was working with Alex Eddy on one of the new multi-trainers.

Dan said: "It's just so great to be back here. We have been keeping in touch and working in other ways - but it's not as good as actually being here together."

While there are improvements to be seen already, the development work at the club continues.

A relaxation room at the Riverhills spa (Image: Paul Geater)

Upstairs many of the spa rooms and suites have been refurbished, redecorated and look like new. A few still have to be completed - and a new upstairs reception is being created.

But it is the pool that will take the longest to get back in operation - although this week will mark an important step towards that.

The roof of the Riverhills pool should start to come down this week - then experts can decide whether the steam room and sauna on the left can be saved. (Image: Paul Geater)

Mr Rowe said: "We start the demolition of the pool roof and other parts on Tuesday. Once that happens we should get an idea of whether the walls will have to come down or whether we can rebuild on them.

"We should also soon be ready to decide on exactly how we want to rebuild that - we'd like to take the chance to make some improvements there but that would require some planning input." 

Mr Rowe said the pool was unlikely to reopen for a year - but until the plans were finalised and there had been discussions with the Mid Suffolk Council it was difficult to say more.

He said: "We certainly hope to have it open again this time next year but at the moment we can't be precise at all."

The damage to the pool at Riverhills is clear. (Image: Paul Geater)

Looking at the damage, it is clear what a brilliant job the firefighters did to prevent the flames from reaching the main part of the building.

Mr Rowe said: "A couple of windows (of the main building) did blow out because of the heat, and if the flames had got in there it would have been very different - but they managed to confine it to the pool."

And once the main part of the pool is demolished experts will be able to get into the sauna and steam room at the end of the main building, to see whether that can be salvaged or will also have to be demolished.