Gloucester GL1 and Oxstalls to reopen after recruitment drive

GL1 and Oxstalls will reopen under management by interim provider Freedom Leisure

A leisure centre which had to close suddenly after its provider went into liquidation will reopen.

GL1 Leisure Centre and Oxstalls will reopen on Saturday under its new interim provider Freedom Leisure.

Following a "very successful" recruitment day on Monday, the charitable trust has managed to recruit nearly 80 ex-Aspire employees.

Visitors will be able to return to the swimming pool, badminton courts and indoor sports and group exercise.

The indoor tennis and outdoor pitch hire will also reopen at Oxstalls.

All of these activities will be a on a pay-as-you-go basis with card payments over the weekend, Freedom Leisure has confirmed.

Freedom Leisure will welcome visitors back to the swimming pool, sports hall and indoor sports and group exercise classes

Karl Allen is the new Freedom Leisure area manager and was previously employed by Aspire Sports Trust.

He said: "I am personally so pleased to be reopening the leisure facilities in Gloucester with Freedom Leisure.

"It was a devastating time for all the employees and to the community that the venues had to close.

"I am excited and confident that with the support of Freedom Leisure, these facilities will thrive once more and I'd encourage as many of our users to return to support their local community leisure facilities."

Matt Wickham says GL1 and Oxstall's facilities are the "lifeblood" of the city

Matt Wickham, chief operating officer for Freedom Leisure, said the quick turnaround was down to the recruitment of former staff.

"It's really important for them, they've had a really tough time by being made redundant back in October. They've also got all the knowledge and they've got all the contact with the community," he said.

Mr Wickham said more the facilities are the "lifeblood of the city" and they will reopen as the centre continues to hire staff over the coming weeks.

"We'll be opening up more and more facilities over time and engaging with all of the clubs that were previously hired to get back into more of the pool space, the studio space and the sports hall."

Tennis and outdoor pitch hire will reopen at Oxstalls

Cabinet member for Culture and Leisure at Gloucester City Council, Andy Lewis, said: "It's fantastic news that more of the facilities will be opening this weekend, thanks to the extra hard work of the Freedom Leisure team with the support of the city council.

"We're also delighted that many former staff have been employed and that the future of the facilities is now in safe hands."

Freedom Leisure said it is aware that many clubs and societies used to regularly hire facilities at the Gloucester centres.

It said no details have been provided by the previous trust and encouraged any individual clubs and teams that would like to hire the facilities at any of the venues to contact them.