ANOTHER gym has been taken over by the social enterprise that runs Bournemouth council’s leisure and entertainment venues.

BH Live has announced it has snapped up the former Virgin Active at Corfe Mullen and will spend £1million refurbishing it.

The announcement comes two weeks after the news that BH Live had taken over Fitness First’s original gym in Bournemouth.

The East Dorset gym, which had been empty for two years, will reopen under the name BH Live Active, Corfe Mullen.

BH Live, which describes itself as the south coast’s leading operator of leisure and event venues, said the site required repairs and improvements ahead of the planned relaunch this summer.

It said it would spend £1m on updating and improving the pool, gym studios and community facilities. A Terrace Cafe and Bar is planned.

BH Live chief executive Peter Gunn said: “This acquisition, together with the recent former Fitness First club in Bournemouth, is driven by our social objective to encourage more people, irrespective of fitness level or ability, to take part in, and enjoy the benefits of, physical activity.

“Expanding into Poole and across East Dorset is a significant development for us to grow our health and wellbeing programmes even further across the region.”

He added: “The support we have had from the local community has already been very encouraging and we are looking forward to launching a much improved facility with a greater range of activities in the coming months.”

The latest Life Fitness equipment will be installed in the gym, and weekly group fitness classes will be programmed into the studios. There will be a learn to swim programme for adults and children, together with an 813 Club and Kids’ Zone to increase family participation in physical activity.

More health and wellbeing activities will be introduced in partnership with local healthcare providers – including an exercise referral activity programme aimed at encouraging people with health conditions into physical activity. Details of membership and ‘pay as you go’ options are to be revealed soon.

There were protests outside the Corfe Mullen site when Virgin decided to close it in 2014.

BH Live already runs the Littledown, Stokewood, Sir David English and Pelhams clubs in Bournemouth, along with Pyramids in Portsmouth. It also operates the BIC and Pavilion.

It was set up as a not-for-profit charitable trust in 2010, initially to run Bournemouth council venues.