Helpful staff and high levels of cleanliness – just two of the highlights which have seen an upgrade in a recent Visit Scotland inspection report praising Kirkcaldy Leisure Centre.

Following the thorough review of the centre, facilities and staff, Kirkcaldy Leisure Centre has been awarded a four-star award. The Visit Scotland award means the centre has improved on its previous grading and has achieved an ‘excellent’ rating, recording a 82 per cent score on overall visitor experience, just a few points away from a much-coveted ‘exceptional’ standard which would give the facility a five-star rating.

The centre has become a popular venue for locals thanks to a much wider choice of facilities and programmes than were previously available at the town’s old swimming pool. The Visit Scotland report praised the “excellent staff service and the consistent high quality of all areas”.

Paul Hossack, area leisure manager, said: “We are very pleased with the upgrade in our Visit Scotland rating, and in particular, it’s very rewarding that our customer service was rated so highly. We are always striving to improve the customer experience so to have bettered our score in key areas such as staff friendliness, facility cleanliness and core experience is a great refection of the hard work of staff.

“To be independently reviewed is a great opportunity for us to look at areas we can still improve and aim to do better. We will continue to ensure that the centre delivers high-quality facilities and a great range of programmes so that more people can access affordable leisure opportunities and experience the health and wellbeing benefits associated with getting active.”

Cllr Judy Hamilton, Convener of Fife Council’s Community & Housing Services Committee, welcomed the news. She said: “Kirkcaldy Leisure Centre has a great range of facilities and programmes on offer and I’m pleased at the recognition that it’s achieved from Visit Scotland.

“The leisure centre is an important town centre asset and it’s encouraging to see it continue to grow in popularity, and particularly, that the trust is doing such a great job at engaging with young people looking to be more active. I’d like to congratulate the staff at the facility for achieving this accolade.”