EXTRA staff and additional training tools will be made available to members as part of a major rebranding at Basingstoke Sports Centre.

The centre, in Festival Place, has already installed signage featuring a brand new logo as part of the makeover, while the website has also been given an overhaul, making it easier to view on smartphones.

Five new gym instructors are also being employed to ensure that staffing levels are high enough to deal with the centre’s membership of more than 5,000 people, with a new programme being launched on December 17.

The centre’s Aspirations Programme will see instructors work with members to help them reach a range of personal goals and targets.

The changes are the brainchild of James Starbuck, who took over as general manager of Basingstoke Sports Trust, which manages the leisure centre, earlier this year.

He said: “We just felt that our existing brand had exhausted its natural life, and we are hoping to expand our business and make a positive contribution to the town.

“We are a registered charity and one of our objectives is to improve the health and wellbeing of people in Basingstoke.

“We are currently working to develop a new strategy that will give us more of an external focus. We will look at what other agencies are doing and try to work in partnership with them.”

The centre, which boasts swimming pools, sports halls and two gyms, one for ladies only, is already preparing for January, traditionally the busiest month of the year within the industry.

“We hope to welcome a lot more new people in January, and are gearing up to look after them once they join,” Mr Starbuck said.

“Too many people sign and then never see a trainer again. We want our unique selling point to be that if people join us, they will have a training partner every step of the way.”