A BUSINESSMAN’S plan to bring fresh life to Colchester’s former lido has succeeded.

Six months ago, Scott Horton took over a disused boxing club. vowing to give the once-popular outdoor swimming spot under the road bridge in Colne Bank Avenue a facelift.

Mr Horton and Karl Borowiec, who will be running the gym, have cleaned up the pool and its surroundings – a place where hundreds turned out to dive and swim on weekends in the Fifties and Sixties.

New grass banks have been created and the crumbling concrete steps replaced so Colchester Canoe Club members can get into their canoes on the Colne.

Mr Horton waded into the river to drag out old shopping trolleys and has promised to buy new panels to help the owner of a nearby house fix his collapsing fence.

Colchester Council has played a major role, cutting back trees, twice removing graffiti from a subway and cleaning out a second underground tunnel which had been used as a toilet by vagrants.

Inside the former Champions Boxing Gym – now rechristened the Hercules School of Physical Training – has been transformed with an Ancient Greek theme to its decor.

Mr Horton, who also runs the Hercules Gym on the opposite side of the river, said: “The council was happy for us to do what we wanted, as the old boxing club was just an empty shell.

“We’ve played our part in improving the outside areas as well. It’s great the council has been able to help us get the area looking nicer.

“It had to remove the graffiti twice, because vandals came back and sprayed more. I’m not sure if it’ll last, but it’s looking good at the moment.”

The new gym has allowed Mr Horton to offer a wider range of classes than his existing premises, which specialise in weightlifting.

So far, bookings have been taken from self-defence and martial arts trainers. A women-only boxing club will also be using it every Thursday.

An open day is being held this Saturday, with personal trainers interested in using the facilities invited along between 9am and 5pm. The gym officially opens on September 4.