AFTER 20 years of using the gym at Hexham’s Wentworth Leisure Centre, a 75-year-old says he has been forced to cancel his membership after being told charges were about to rocket.

With just eight days notice, a letter landed on the doormat of David Jackson’s Hexham home, advising that his £11.65 monthly gym subscription would shoot up to £32 from November 1.

The price hike of almost 200 per cent for David, is part of a new pricing structure applied by Active Northumberland at leisure facilities across the county, including Prudhoe Waterworld and Ponteland Leisure Centre.

And it comes just weeks after the company, which runs the centres on behalf of Northumberland County Council, quietly scrapped a discount card available to Tynedale residents.

David, who first joined the Wentworth Leisure Centre in 1996, said: “I pay by direct debit for use of the gym only. Now I can’t have that; now it’s gym, fitness classes and swimming and it’s £32 a month.

“It was a complete shock when I got the letter on Monday. Why do you have to have the whole lot – if you can’t swim or don’t want to why do you have to pay for it?

“For a pensioner like myself, who goes along to keep mobile, there’s no way that’s worth it.”

And it seems David is not alone. For 227 people across the county have signed an online petition calling for Active Northumberland to consult with members before introducing the changes.

New membership options are £40 per month on a three-month tie-in, to use any centre’s swim, gym and class facilities, or £32 per month for 12 months.

Families with young children taking swimming lessons at Wentworth have also reported price increases of over £20 per term – amounting to over £60 across the year –since the Active Northumberland card was withdrawn.

County councillor for Hexham East, Cath Homer, said: “This is going to hit young families, the elderly, and hard working, decent people on lower incomes who will now be isolated and excluded.”

Hexham’s MP Guy Opperman has written to the county council’s chief executive expressing concern.

“These changes have been very poorly communicated to users. The first many people will know is when they turn up for sessions next week,” said Mr Opperman.

However, Active Northumberland insists many customers will be better off under the new pricing structure, with the standard price for swimming reduced to £4 for over 18s and £2 for under 18s or those on concessions. Gym use will be £7 per session.

Fitness classes at Wentworth Leisure Centre were £6.70, but will be £5.60.

“The membership structure Active inherited from a variety of previous leisure operators was confusing, often unfair and differed from centre to centre,” a spokesman said.

“The gentleman in question has been on an old membership price from a different provider. We have replaced this maze of categories with memberships that can be used at all sites, and have introduced concessions for low-income customers. This has let us offer better value and fairer prices across the county.

“Those on specified benefits will be eligible for any reduced concession prices.”