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Bromley’s £17m Walnuts revamp adds EGYM, rehab and recovery

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3 weeks ago

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By Kath Hudson    08 Jul 2026

Walnuts Leisure Centre has a new competition-length swimming pool / Bromley Council

Walnuts Leisure Centre in Orpington, in the London Borough of Bromley, has reopened following a £17m transformation designed to secure the long-term future of the public leisure asset and reposition it as a community wellbeing hub.

The investment by Bromley Council has delivered a new competition-length swimming pool, training pool and children’s splash wall, while the gym has been expanded and upgraded with a new functional training area and equipment, including EGYM smart strength technology.

A new rehabilitation studio has also been created, featuring EGYM and InBody technology, to support health, wellbeing and active ageing.

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Cllr Yvonne Bear, Bromley Council’s executive councillor for renewal, recreation and housing, said: “The stage is now set to reveal the incredible transformation of this much-loved leisure centre, funded and delivered by Bromley Council.

“We know how eager residents are to return and we have been doing all we can to complete this huge investment in the borough’s leisure provision as soon as possible.

“Residents will be able to enjoy the state-of-the-art facilities over the summer and long into the future, thanks to a whole host of works completed behind-the-scenes to secure this centre for Orpington.”

Steve May, CEO of Mytime Active, said the project reflects the changing role of leisure centres in supporting community health, saying: “We’re passionate about providing more than just leisure facilities; our aim is to offer a true community hub to better serve the needs of local residents for many years to come.”

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May said the introduction of smart strength technology will help make strength training more accessible: “Strength training is incredibly important to build muscle that will help you stay strong, mobile and independent throughout every stage of life.

“With each workout personalised for every user, alongside a gamified screen to guide each movement, it’s like having a personal trainer built into the machine.”

A sauna and steamroom have been added to expand the centre’s recovery offer, while other improvements include new reception and café areas, a refreshed sports hall, new accessible facilities, including a Poolpod lift and Changing Places toilets.

Sustainability upgrades have also been central to the redevelopment, with a new low-carbon heating system replacing the centre’s fossil fuel-based infrastructure.

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The project received £3.4m from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, as well as £296,000 from Sport England and £125,000 from the London Marathon Foundation.

The new heating system includes air source heat pump technology and is expected to deliver direct annual carbon savings of more than 970 tonnes of CO2e, with lifetime savings of more than 19,400 tonnes of CO2e.

The centre also offers swimming lessons, group exercise, group cycling, squash, soft play, sports hall activities and wellbeing services.

“The scale of this investment by Bromley Council means the whole community will benefit from outstanding new facilities,” said May. “Walnuts Leisure Centre will be a vibrant hub where people can improve their health and wellbeing, try out new hobbies, connect with others and enrich their lives – all under one roof.”

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The works have been delivered by Alliance Leisure through the Leisure Framework, with Etec Contract Services acting as main contractor, alongside GT3 Architects and Varsity Consulting Project Management and Quantity Surveying.

Ruth Ripsher, delivery manager at Alliance Leisure, said: “We’ve worked closely with Bromley Council to bring forward a vision that secures the long-term future of Walnuts Leisure Centre.

“This project is about far more than bricks and mortar, it is about creating a high-quality, energy-efficient community asset that will support healthier lifestyles, social connection and local pride for generations to come.”

The redevelopment forms part of Bromley Council’s wider programme of more than £29m of investment to modernise its leisure estate, including the new West Wickham Leisure Centre, which is also being delivered with Alliance Leisure and Etec Contract Services.

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Sports

5 players who are switching states ahead of India’s 2026-27 domestic season ft. Shashank Singh

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10 minutes ago

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3 August 2026

By

The annual pre-season transfer window in Indian domestic cricket allows players to switch state associations as outstation or guest recruits under the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regulations.

State teams are permitted up to three guest players to strengthen their squads ahead of the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaigns. These transfers are driven by players seeking more game time, specialized roles, or leadership opportunities, while developing state teams aim to recruit veteran talents to bolster their squad depth.

The upcoming 2026-27 season features several notable moves, with prominent domestic regulars and IPL players shifting allegiances. Let’s take a look at five such moves.

#1 Shashank Singh

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) all-rounder Shashank Singh will turn up for Puducherry in the 2026-27 season after shifting base from Chhattisgarh. The Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh (CSCS) has already issued an NOC to the player.

Singh alleged that the state association didn’t support him while he was recovering from an injury that he suffered last season. He further claimed that the association questioned his commitment, saying that the batter only wanted to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The 27-year-old added that CSCS officials didn’t give him any clarity over why he was left out of the Chhattisgarh Premier League and the team’s pre-season camp.

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Singh has played 21 first-class games for Chhattisgarh over the last seven years. He has also represented the state in 31 List A and 42 T20s.

#2 Yash Dayal

Royal Challengers Bengaluru fast bowler Yash Dayal will represent Chhattisgarh in the upcoming domestic season. He has already joined the team’s pre-season camp in Alur.

Dayal has not played any competitive cricket since the IPL 2025 final, after which he faced charges relating to sexual assault. The left-arm pacer was retained by Gorakhpur Lions for the upcoming UP T20 League. However, he didn’t feature in the 18-member squad the franchise announced following the auction.

The 28-year-old has represented Uttar Pradesh in 27 first-class, 23 List A, and 71 T20s, picking up 186 wickets across formats, including two five-wicket hauls.

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Dayal will look to start fresh for Chhattisgarh in the upcoming season and make his way back to the scheme of things.

#3 Dharmendrasinh Jadeja

Chhattisgarh is looking to build a strong squad for the upcoming domestic season. As a result, they have roped in Saurashtra‘s veteran left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja.

The 35-year-old spinner has been a stalwart in the domestic circuit, picking up 423 wickets in 100 first-class matches, including seven 10-wicket hauls and 26 five-fors. Jadeja also has 121 List A and 65 T20 wickets under his belt.

Jadeja is also a very handy batter in the lower order, accumulating almost 2900 runs across formats. He also has 10 fifties under his belt.

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Jadeja’s addition will certainly boost Chhattisgarh’s squad depth as they look to put in a spirited performance next season.

#4 Prasad Pawar

Mumbai wicketkeeper-batter Prasad Pawar has signed with Puducherry to play alongside Shashank Singh as a guest player in the upcoming domestic season.

Prasad has struggled for game time in the Mumbai squad, with Hardik Tamore playing as the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter. As a result, Prasad has decided to shift base to Puducherry in search of more playing time.

Prasad made his List A debut in 2021, while his first-class and T20 debuts came in 2023. Overall, he has represented Mumbai in 27 matches, scoring 591 runs, including one hundred and fifty each.

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#5 Jayant Yadav

An offspinner from Haryana, Jayant Yadav, has decided to join Chhattisgarh for the 2026-27 domestic season. He brings truckloads of experience along with him, having represented India in six Tests and two ODIs while picking up 17 wickets in total.

Yadav has 96 first-class, 74 List A, and 95 T20s under his belt, picking up 272, 68, and 61 wickets, respectively, including two 10-wicket hauls and 15 five-fors. He is also very handy with the bat in the lower order, scoring 4781 runs, including three hundreds and 22 fifties. The 36-year-old cricketer also has one Test hundred and fifty each to his name.

Chhattisgarh will rely heavily on the spin duo of Yadav and Jadeja to bring laurels for the team in the upcoming season.