THE under-threat Ravenscraig Sports Centre will not close next month — but £600,000 is needed to keep it open and its future looks bleak.

Campaigners yesterday launched a last-ditch bid to save the Larkfield facility, which was due to close at the end of next month.

But Inverclyde Council have confirmed the centre will now stay open until an ongoing feasibility study into its future is completed by Inverclyde Leisure (IL), which runs Ravenscraig on its behalf.

The closure was suggested last year as part of cost-cutting measures and was included in the local authority budget in February.

Council leader Stephen McCabe says the facility will stay for now but warned that it needs ‘substantial investment’.

Councillor McCabe said: “The position is Ravenscraig Sports Centre will not close at the end of March.

“It is in need of substantial investment in the order of £600,000.

“We are sympathetic at looking to keep it open for that area of Greenock and how it would be used in the best interests of the community.

“There’s no immediate prospect of it closing.” But he added: “We don’t see it necessarily as having a long term future.” The council chief also criticised the ‘Save Ravenscraig’ campaign launched by the local SNP group and members of the public, branding it a ‘stunt’.

Councillor McCabe said: “This is quite clearly a political stunt.

“I stated last February that the council would look at the options for the future of Ravenscraig along with IL, who manage it.

IL are currently undertaking a feasibility study on the future use of the centre and until we receive and consider this report it will remain open.

“We will include the necessary funding in next week’s budget to ensure this happens.

“The local community and users will be consulted before a final decision is taken on the future of the centre.”