ARGUS readers have expressed disappointment at plans to close a Virgin Active gym.

The gym, based on the Falmer campus of the University of Brighton, announced in an email to members that it will close from November 21.

It comes as University of Brighton has announced it plans to close its campus in Eastbourne as part of restructuring plans.

Under the plans, the School of Sport and Health Sciences will be relocated to the university's Falmer campus, supported by the "repurposing" of the Virgin Active gym at the heart of the campus.

Eighty people are now set to lose their jobs.

The email from Virgin Active said: "The site will revert to the University of Brighton for its own use and, therefore, it is no longer possible to keep the club open.

"During the period leading up to the closure of Virgin Active Brighton, it will be business as usual with opening hours, group exercise classes and other activities remaining the same."

One reader said it was "such a great shame that a lovely family location is due to close", while another described it as "very bad news for both staff and members".

A regular at the gym told The Argus they felt sorry for the staff who have lost their jobs in the run up to Christmas.

They said: "This is devastating news for them.

"There are many regulars for whom the closure will no doubt affect their lives. A place for families to take their children, a social hub for many, and facilities that can't be matched anywhere else in the city."

The long lease of the site has been bought back by the university and intends to "repurpose" the space as it plans to expand its Falmer campus and close its Eastbourne premises by the start of the 2024-2025 academic year.

Brighton University has had a campus in Eastbourne since 1979.

Vice-chancellor of the university Professor Debra Humphris defended the decision and said: "The opportunity presented by the reacquisition of the Virgin Active site at the heart of our Falmer campus means we can invest in creating an outstanding home for our School of Sport and Health Sciences alongside Brighton and Sussex Medical School and our School of Education.

"In a post-pandemic world, the opportunities for collaboration and partnership in these areas has never been more important."

In a "prospectus for change" report, the university said that buildings at its Eastbourne campus are among the oldest, least accessible, least sustainable and most expensive to maintain.

It added that its campus in the town "represents a disproportionate and significant long-term challenge for the university's financial position and limits our ability to invest in enhancing the student and staff experience."

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