Organisation appointed to run city leisure centres

GL1 reopened earlier this year after the closure of Aspire Trust forced it shut in September 2023

A new organisation has been appointed to manage Gloucester's leisure services.

The city council, the University of Gloucestershire, and Blackbridge Charitable Community Benefit Society have chosen Freedom Leisure to run GL1, Oxstalls and the Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub, due to open in 2025.

Freedom Leisure took on the interim running of GL1 and Oxstalls after the Aspire Trust's closure last year.

Its CEO, Ivan Horsfall Turner, said the trust and council hope to "better the facilities and reduce our impact on the environment".

The not-for-profit trust has been awarded a 15-year contract to run GL1 and Oxstalls, and ten year contracts for the other two facilities.

The contract to run GL1 comes with an £8.3m investment into updating the leisure centre to attract new users, reduce operating costs, and offer an improved experience for residents.

Gloucester City Council will invest £5.9m as part of the plan, which will be paid back over the term of the contract with the remaining investment coming from Freedom Leisure.

'A significant investment'

Councillor Caroline Courtney said the agreement "secures the long-term future" of Gloucester's leisure facilities, and ensures residents have "access to some excellent facilities".

"Having modern and welcoming places to exercise and take part in sport is vital if we're going to encourage more people to take part in sport and physical activity, which we know is vital for people's health, wellbeing, and sense of community."

Mr Horsfall Turner said Freedom Leisure has seen an increase in footfall "across all the centres in Gloucester" and had been "overwhelmed by positive feedback" since stepping in on an interim basis.

"Between Gloucester City Council and ourselves, we have committed to a significant investment throughout the life of the contract to better the facilities and reduce our impact on the environment," he said.

"We look forward to working with the different stakeholders to improve the lives of the people of Gloucester through leisure."