BURNLEY'S Thompson Centre is set to be bulldozed to make way for a new state-of-the-art town centre leisure complex.

Described as the end of an era by the town's MP Peter Pike, the closure of the 30-year-old centre could also spell the end of the road for some of the 17 sports clubs that use it.

Built in 1974, the centre was named after William Thompson, nephew of Burnley industrialist James Witham Thompson, who donated £500,000 to the £1.65m building costs.

The fate of the centre was sealed when a public consultation completed last month revealed Burnley residents voted overwhelmingly for its demolition and for a new sports centre to be built in its place.

Of the five options put forward by Burnley Council as part of its review of leisure facilities launched last year, two clear favourites emerged from the exercise - both of which will see the Thompson Centre replaced.

Now councillors are preparing to vote on adopting one of these two remaining options.

Mr Pike, who swims in the pool after his advice surgeries in the town, said: "This is truly the end of an era for the town.

"It only seems a relatively short time ago we were opening the centre, but it does seem rather jaded now and needs massive investment to bring it up to date. In fact, it would cost more to refurbish it than to build a new purpose-built facility.

"It would be sad to see it go, but as long as we get a good modern facility in its place that will part of taking the image of Burnley forward in the 21st Century."

News of the centre's imminent replacement was met with some concern by some users' groups.

Ian Thornber, who runs the Burnley Squash Club, which has 15 members, said: "The Thompson Centre is the only realistic facility we can use in the area so if the new centre does not have the same number of courts we will have to fold."

Council bosses have said that one possible site for the Thompson Centre's replacement is the St Peter's car park site in the town centre.

They want to off-load the 500-space car stack to make way for a new medical centre which could link in to the new leisure facility. Mick Cartledge, Burnley council's director of community and leisure services, said: "Burnley will not be left without a leisure centre because any new facility would be built on a different site to the Thompson Centre and would be open before that was knocked down."

The Thompson Centre's future was first called into question following a review of Burnley borough's three main centres - the Thompson Centre, Padiham Leisure Centre and Gannow Pool - by Burnley Council in August.

The centres currently cost the council £780,000 a year in subsidies and are in decline in terms of user numbers and appearance. Maintaining them with no improvements would cost the council £8million over the next 20 years.

Town hall leisure chiefs put various options out to public consultation, ranging from the refurbishment of all three centres to building new pools in local schools or closing all three and building a new Burnley town centre facility.

Of the five options first put forward, two clear favourites remain. They would see the Thompson Centre replaced by a new town centre leisure centre and Gannow Baths closed.

One option would see Padiham Pool refurbished, while the other would mean the pool being replaced with a new four-lane pool and sports hall linked in to one of the planned new secondary schools.

Councillors will decide at Tuesday's meeting of the executive which option they would prefer to see become reality.

Both options would cost between £9million and £10million and would attract outside funding from Sport England and the National Lottery, as well as possible private investment.

The Thompson Centre boasts three swimming pools - a main, teaching and diving pool, which provides the main focus for a wide range of water-based activities.

The two main event halls provide the base of the centre's dry programme, which includes gymnastics, trampolining, cricket, badminton, short tennis, basketball, martial arts and five-a-side football. The second hall is available for hire to accommodate special events such as Boxing Championships and Concerts, as well as Sports Tournaments.

The Centre has four squash courts and also boasts saunas, a steam room and sunbeds, a creche, a gym and an aerobics studio.

Brenda Nixon, 31, who has four children - Sherrie, 12, Martin, 11, Michael, 10 and Dean, four, -of Hunslet Street, Burnley, said of the plans: "I think it's a good thing. All the children learnt to swim at the Thompson Centre but if it's going to be replaced with something better then I am all for it. The children come here from school but I am sure they would prefer to go to a more modern facility."