Cubby Construction has announced that it is 'officially on site and hard at work' on the Sands Centre in Carlisle.

The venue is expected to open again in spring 2025 after £2.5 million of work on its roof.

This comes after events were cancelled in September 2023, following a change in government guidance on reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

In addition to the removal and replacement of the RAAC panels, Cumberland Council is also undertaking some additional internal improvements including a full replacement of the customer seating and upgrades to the back of house facilities.

In a post on social media on October 18, Cubby Construction wrote: "We’re officially on site and hard at work.

"The roof is getting a full upgrade, and we’ve got some amazing interior improvements on the way too.

"We're proud to be partnering with Cumberland Council on another fantastic project."

"Stay tuned for more updates."

The main Sands Centre building’s leisure centre, which includes the pools, gym, studios and sports hall, is unaffected by the ongoing work. 

The classical concert programme, which will run throughout the rest of this year, has been temporarily relocated to the sports hall.

Speaking previously, a spokesperson for venue managers GLL said: "We are excited that the works are now progressing to the construction phase and can’t wait to welcome audiences back to the venue in Spring 2025.

"We look forward to working with Cumberland Council and Cubby Construction Ltd to establish a reopening date and hosting top-class entertainment in Carlisle once again.

"In the meantime, we advise customers to keep an eye on thesandscentre.co.uk and our social media channels for show announcements, news updates and more.”

Confirmation of the opening date of the event centre and the events programme for 2025 will be provided by Cumberland Council and GLL in due course.