A CHARITY has promised it will be offering "many more activities" for older people when a long-standing activity centre shuts its doors for good.

Members of Lion Walk Activity Centre are due to move to Age Concern Colchester, on North Hill, when Lion Walk Activity Centre closes at the end of the month.

Many have said the new Age Concern headquarters is not fit for purpose and will not offer the same activities.

However, Simon Prestney, CEO of Age Concern Colchester, told the Gazette changes were being made to ensure it would be suitable for all.

He said: "In terms of access there is flat access to the rear of the property where individuals can be dropped off close to the door.

"There is a gentle ramp and then a couple of steps into the main area.

"We are working through the funding process for a complete renovation of the front area which will include shallow steps and a ramp access together with a beautiful gardening project designed to combat social isolation and an external area that allows for refreshments and friendships to be built.

"We have a stairlift which is being installed for access upstairs also. The centre will be called The Veranda at Age Concern."

Colchester Council announced in August it was consulting members over closing Lion Walk Activity Centre.

Councillors said the centre was losing members because it was duplicating many of the activities of Age Concern Colchester, with only 180 using the centre, and were facing a continuous funding shortfall of £76,900 a year.

Instead, they said members would be able to use Age Concern Colchester's new centre and would be putting £45,000 towards it for the next two years.

However, members told the Gazette access to, and inside, the North Hill site was not suitable, it would not offer hot dinners and the range of activities would be severely limited.

Mr Prestney said: "We are offering many more activities that were previously running in Lion Walk and all current Lion Walk Activities are accommodated in the new building.

"A bereavement and support in loss group, osteopathy, a legal surgery and pension wise will also be moving in to make it a centre focused on developing health and wellbeing for those in later years. "This compliments the existing advice service, befriending service and all current activities that run in Lion Walk."

While an official decision on the closure of Lion Walk Activity Centre has yet to be made, it is likely to happen by the end of the month.

But one user, a retired fire officer, said the North Hill centre was not easy to get to the and close proximity of Colchester Sixth Form College made it too busy to reach.

He said: "Unfortunately, the Age Concern building is an office space and was never designed for the purpose they expect it to now have.

"What a shame they were not offered financial help to run the Lion Walk Centre rather than start from scratch in an unsuitable office building. The council’s argument is that they don’t need to double up the activities that Age Concern want to offer.

"Lion Walk was offering them first and has done for several decades. The Lion Walk centre is still the best place for older people to attend. It’s much safer."