North Yorkshire Jack Laugher Leisure Centre Reopens After £23M Sinkhole Delay

The Jack Laugher Leisure & Wellness Centre in Ripon, North Yorkshire, has fully reopened following a £23 million renovation project delayed by the discovery of a sinkhole that necessitated complex ground stabilisation work. Originally started by Harrogate Borough Council and later taken over by North Yorkshire Council, the refurbishment includes new exercise studios, changing rooms, and a full fitness program offering up to 85 classes weekly, with an immersive cycling studio and sports hall soon available for bookings. Local councillors praised the project’s completion and the modern facilities now accessible to Ripon residents and surrounding areas, emphasizing the centre's role in supporting community health and wellbeing. Olympian Jack Laugher, after whom the centre is named, attended the reopening ceremony and expressed pride in contributing a facility that promotes both elite sport and community engagement. The centre sits above a layer of gypsum, a water-soluble rock prone to forming underground caves, which caused the sinkhole and required additional work to ensure the site’s long-term safety. The renovation aligns the centre with other Active North Yorkshire facilities, providing a first-class health hub to enhance local residents' active lifestyles.