THE managing director of the Penthouse Fitness Centre, in Darlington, has reassured customers that it is not closing.

Planning permission has been applied for to open a dance club on the floor below the gym, in Skinnergate.

Even if the club opens, the fitness centre above will remain unaffected.

A number of concerned customers contacted the gym on Saturday, after a story about the proposed dance club appeared in The Northern Echo.

If the scheme goes ahead, the first floor of the building - last used as a gym ayear ago - would become the club.

The gym, which is run on the second floor, would be unaffected.

Richard Hadland, who has been managing director of the Penthouse centre since it opened 11 years ago, said: "The club, if it goes ahead, will be totally separate from the gym. It won't affect it whatsoever.

"The two won't even be open at the same time, and the stairs going up to the gym will be blocked off."

Mr Hadland also reassured Skinnergate residents the club would not lead to increased rowdiness.

"The reason we are successful here is because we look after everybody," he said. "There's no point opening a nightclub, only for everyone to complain about it every week.

"That would be no good for anybody. It will be fully soundproofed, there will be private transport afterwards for people, and it will be all-ticket.

"The security will be second to none. We're not going to have three doormen in tuxedos - we'll have eight stewards, and meeters and greeters.

"If you have a place where people aren't comfortable, and there's an atmosphere, and people fighting, they won't come back.

"We'll have the best MCs and DJs in the country - the guys that play at Manchester, Wigan, Ibiza. We want to put Darlington on the dance map."

Mr Hadland also has plans for a managed night for under-18s at the club.