Centre reopens after Storm Éowyn damage

A leisure venue closed when Storm Éowyn caused major damage to its temporary roof has reopened.

Cumberland Council said repair work had been completed after high winds damaged the canopy of The Sands Centre in Carlisle on 24 January.

The temporary covering had been put in place while unsafe concrete in the auditorium roof was being replaced.

Sands Centre car park has also reopened but Swifts car park and the footpath adjacent to it remain closed.

The centre's event space was closed in 2023 following a change in government guidance over the use of Raac, a type of concrete found to have safety risks, although the pool and gym remained open.

Cumberland Council said it will now "assess the impact" the storm has had on the wider repair work.

About 26 tonnes of steel had to be removed from the scaffolding above the centre following the storm.

A spokesperson for the council said it's "too early" to gauge the full impact, but construction staff will "endeavour to get the work on the Raac removal back on track as quickly as possible".

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