The original Rivermead Leisure Centre will be demolished on Monday, July 24, the Chronicle understands.

The leisure complex, situated on Richfield Avenue first opened in 1988 and will be knocked down to make way for a large car park to service the new centre which opened to visitors on Monday, July 17. 

As previously reported, the brand new Rivermead Leisure Centre building is now open after a £40million project by Greenwich Leisure Ltd and Reading Borough Council.

A source told the Chronicle the 35-year-old original building, in a recognisable shade of green and red, will be bulldozed on Monday. 

Cordons have been put in place as workmen ready to site for demolition. 

A spokesman for Reading Borough Council said timings of the demolition have yet to be confirmed however further information will be available at the beginning of next week.