DUDLEY Leisure Centre will no longer be used as a Covid-19 testing site from next month.

The centre, which reopened last week, is offering limited access to gym sessions and lane swimming, with more facilities set to open as part of the next stage in the government’s roadmap.

To allow preparation to fully reopen, the testing site will close on Friday April 30, with the last appointment at 4.30pm.

Karen Wright, director of public health at Dudley Council, said: “Our priority is for everyone, including secondary school age pupils, to have twice weekly rapid symptom-free tests and for it to become second nature as part of their weekly routine.

“The number of positive cases in the borough is the lowest it has been in months and through regular testing and the rollout of the vaccine, we can work together to keep case numbers low and protect one another.”

In recent months, the council run facility has been used for rapid symptom free testing.

Karen added: “It’s important we give the leisure centre the time it needs to prepare to welcome back visitors and I’d remind people that we have ample testing capacity in other locations along with home testing kits, which give people the flexibility to do a test when it suits them best from the comfort of their own home.”

Dudley Council are still urging people to get rapid symptom-free tests twice a week either through the use of free home testing kits or at other testing sites.