THE cost of delays in handing over York's Barbican Centre to developers - and of keeping parts of the centre open for longer than expected - is estimated at more than £300,000.

City of York Council revealed last week that the executive was being asked to approve a delay in handing the centre to Absolute Leisure Ltd until December 1, because the company was unlikely to be able to start refurbishment work until November.

Leisure boss Charlie Croft was proposing to keep fitness facilities, catering, crche and soft play services available until October 31, but to carry on with plans to close the pool on June 6 - a decision which sparked protests from the Save Our Barbican campaign.

It later emerged from council leader Steve Galloway that the pool could not stay open any longer because the budget for 2004/2005 had been based on a June closure date.

Now a report from Mr Croft, the assistant director of leisure and lifelong learning, has revealed that the additional cost of keeping the centre open will be £297,000, although this will be offset by an estimated £40,000 profit from the UK Snooker tournament, which it was hoped would still take place in November. Extra parking revenue of £26,000 was also expected.

However, the delay in receiving a capital receipt for the site would cost an estimated additional £109,000 in lost interest, meaning that the total additional cost would come to £340,000.

He has recommended to the executive that the money should come as a one-off payment from the council reserves.

Updated: 13:36 Tuesday, May 11, 2004