A MAJOR new youth centre is to open in St Neots next year at the town s Bargroves Centre in Cromwell Road. As part of the transformation, the facility will undergo a refurbishment and once complete offer a large hall for activities and a kitchen for healt

A MAJOR new youth centre is to open in St Neots next year at the town's Bargroves Centre in Cromwell Road.

As part of the transformation, the facility will undergo a refurbishment and once complete offer a large hall for activities and a kitchen for healthy eating projects.

Carol Way, Cambridgeshire County Council's children and young people's services locality manger for St Neots, gave an update on the project for the town council on Wednesday (October 7).

Mrs Way said: "This is something we are very excited about because the town hasn't had anything like this for some time.

"We believe it will really help us to provide the best possible service that we can."

Youth worker Darryl McMurray echoed Mrs Way's enthusiasm. He said the centre would house the Green Fingers project, which aims to promote to children the importance of healthy eating and growing their own food.

During the presentation at the Priory Centre Mrs Way said it was "unlikely" the youth centre would open until next summer.

She did not rule out the venue possibly providing a home for the town's much-anticipated boxing club but said "more investigation" would be needed.

Part of the Bargroves Centre opened this week as a home for Prospect House, a project between St Neots Community College and Longsands College. The initiative will provide additional support to children aged 11 to 14 who are struggling at school and according to Mrs Way, help raise their "aspirations".

The county's locality team, which offers services to young people, will move into the building along with a new sixth form centre for Samuel Pepys Special School.

Town councillors gave the project their full support with Cllr Derek Giles describing it as "exciting time for Bargroves".

Cllr Steve Van de Kerkhove added: "I think this all sounds absolutely excellent. As a ward councillor for Eynesbury I am only too aware of the shortage of youth facilities in the area. I look forward to seeing it open.