Bromyard'S Leisure Centre's £800,000 redevelopment is nearing completion.

It is hoped the Cruxwell Street building, which will be renamed The Bromyard Centre, will be open to the public on Monday, January 5.

The new name has been chosen to reflect the range of services offered by the new facility funded by Herefordshire Council.

As well as the existing sport and leisure opportunities, visitors will be able to use services offered by the library, a tourist information centre, Learn Direct and Info in Herefordshire.

Internet access

A caf is also planned and is due to open by mid February.

Mark Warren, head of customer services and libraries at Herefordshire Council, said: "Opening on a site with other lifestyle services is good news for everyone."

"The range of partners is evidence of the council's commitment to making its investment in the centre a roaring success from day one."

With the new library open for a total of 84 hours split across the seven days of the week, the town's existing library will close on December 9.

Until the Bromyard Centre opens, customers will be able to borrow as many items as they like from the current library and return them to the new library or others in the county.

The new library will offer free broadband internet access, a wide choice of books, music, Playstation games, magazines and newspapers, and will be able to order most literature not found on the premises.

Info in Herefordshire will give people access to more than 700 Herefordshire Council services, including advice on council tax, benefits and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Learn Direct will offer information on thousands of education and career courses in the country.

For more information on the Bromyard Centre, contact either Gareth Miles on 01885 482195 or Lesley Lloyd on 01432 261845.