Date set for pitch to reopen

A popular Dudley five-a-side football pitch is finally set to reopen in March, three months after it was closed for repairs after the surface became water-logged.

The council is thought to have lost more than £5,000 in takings since the indoor sports dome at Dudley's leisure centre was closed due to heavy rain in December. But the hundreds of footballers who normally use the facility each week have got cause to celebrate today after council bosses revealed they expect it to reopen on March 12.

Officials said the sodden surface at the Wellington Road facility was caused by water seeping in from the sides of the dome.Originally council bosses said they hoped the facility would be reopened for use early in the new year after a new drainage system was installed on the pitch to stop the problem re-occurring.

As part of work carried out at the site, officials have altered the walls on the inside of the hall to make it easier for a football to stay in play rather than get stuck in sidings.

Dudley council spokesman Phil Parker said: "Work on the drainage around the dome is now complete. We are currently finishing off work on the inside of the hall to square off and fully board the walls."

Figures released to the Express & Star earlier this year show that Dudley Leisure Centre looks set to fall just under £90,000 short of its expected income of £529,000 this year.

It is one of three facilities in the borough which looks unlikely to bring in as much money as council finance bosses hoped although takings are still expected to better last year's figures.

Repair works on the fun pool at the Crystal Leisure Centre in Stourbridge had also taken longer than expected.

Labour leisure councillor Tim Crumpton, said: "At last, they have finally got it open. I am very pleased that the dome is going to be reopened. I only wish it could have been sooner.

"There have been a few closures of leisure centre facilities in recent months and lets hope that this is the last one."