AN over 50s club is fearful that a major facelift at Andover Leisure Centre will destroy its membership.

Members of the Peter Pan Club have been using facilities at the centre for 22 years but say the changes being introduced will seriously affect the running of the club.

The club, which has around 225 members, runs a host of sporting activities including badminton, table tennis, swimming and dance and movement every Monday and Wednesday morning, as well as the chance to enjoy tea and coffee in the foyer.

But under the new proposals, the foyer area is to be turned into a restaurant and the hall space drastically reduced to incorporate a permanent children's play area and party rooms.

Club secretary Ted Hartley said there is real fear they will lose half their members when the changes are introduced.

"I know we offer lots of sporting activities but one of the main reasons that people come here is to enjoy the companionship and friendly atmosphere generated on these mornings over a cup of tea or coffee," he said.

"Some of our members suffered the loss of a partner of many years and join the club because they are feeling lonely. We really are concerned that the club's agenda for the older population of Andover will be destroyed because of this."

Members pay the leisure centre a £2 entrance fee and the club charges 15p for tea and coffee, with the proceeds used to pay for a party each year and a donation to the hospice.

A letter has been sent to the management of the centre highlighting the concerns of the club.

Sheridan Easton, chief executive of Valley Leisure, said the club would not lose any of the facilities they currently enjoy.

"We're improving all the facilities for everyone, not just the Peter Pan Club, and they will be relocating into other areas so they won't lose anything at all," he said.

"We're putting new catering facilities in and we've said we'll give them an area to have as a catering and meeting place but they can't have exclusivity as we are trying to cater for the whole population.

"We see the Peter Pan Club numbers growing, not falling, and they are part of a big change that everyone will benefit from," he said.