It’s not just the economy that needs to be restored, but consumer confidence


UK, many people don’t have family and friends nearby to do sport with, and this is where operators can step in – setting up low-key, informal participation groups in local outdoor spaces, for example, or perhaps creating ‘player pools’ for games of squash or tennis at leisure centres. Subscription-based, interest-led offers could also generate groups of people with mutual interests. In this way – by shifting the emphasis


and portraying sport as a fun, social activity – motivational problems and the intimidation factor of trying something new can be overcome more easily than by merely focusing on the end results in terms of health and fi tness.


building revenue The leisure centre and swimming pool market has proved buoyant, according to Mintel’s Leisure Centres and Swimming Pools – UK report. Revenues are up 14 per cent in the past five years and admissions 10 per cent. However, this is in large part down to the free swimming initiative, which provided a boost to both admissions and secondary spend; with the abolition of the scheme, centres will have to look elsewhere for growth. Swimming remains the most popular


activity undertaken at a leisure centre, with more than half of users going with friends or family and a third on their own. Meanwhile just over half of users visit the gym or health club. The next most popular dry-side activity among women is fi tness classes. For men it’s indoor sports like racquet sports or football. Similarly, when asked what facilities


they would use if they were to visit a leisure centre, the largest proportion of non-users chose swimming – again underlining its universal appeal – followed by fi tness classes and indoor sport. However, the report shows that nearly six in 10 adults did not use a leisure centre last year, suggesting that


january 2010 © cybertrek 2010


sites could do better in terms of reaching out to the communities they serve. While lack of interest in exercise – the main reason why people don’t go


– is probably a wider issue that leisure centres cannot tackle alone, there’s a sizeable proportion (more than a third of non-users) who choose to exercise outdoors or at home rather than at a leisure centre, suggesting that opportunities might exist for drawing them in as regular users. Operators could instigate outreach


programmes with supervised outdoor exercise by type – running sessions, fi tness classes or mountain biking – held in other local authority sites such as parks. Participants could tap into a network of experts for advice on training or even rehab in the case of injury, while for female exercisers there would also be the added security of exercising in a group. Making a connection with established


exercisers in this way might provide a platform that operators could then build on, such as offering short-term indoor memberships during the winter when it’s more diffi cult to exercise outdoors.


future opportunities However, challenges remain in the sector, with the Comprehensive Spending Review of October 2010 set to make an impact. With local authorities’ funding by central government set to decrease by a massive 26 per cent during the next four years, and total capital expenditure by local authorities slated to fall 30 per cent by 2014–15, it seems certain that there will be less money available for the maintenance and development of council leisure facilities, many of which are in need of renewal. Nevertheless, looking ahead to 2011,


it seems the opportunities are there for the industry – but only if it can meet consumer demand. The momentum


Swimming remains the most popular activity at leisure centres, but how will the loss of the free swimming initiative affect that?


behind the budget health clubs looks set to continue in response to the needs of cash-strapped customers. There are also 12 per cent of UK consumers planning to go to health and fi tness clubs more often, but it’s up to the sector to provide the motivation and seal the deal. Initiatives such as loyalty and reward schemes linked to the number of visits, for example, could be just the incentive needed to get customers moving. And as the country continues to


feel the after-shock of the economic crisis and government cuts, there will be other areas for fi tness facilities to consider. Further public sector job cuts – which seem set to hit women the hardest – may lead to a change in how and when people exercise, and savvy brands will ensure they match their offer to changing consumer needs. It’s not just the economy that


needs to be restored, but consumer confi dence. With exercise clearly linked to feeling better about yourself, alongside positive economic indicators, 2011 could be a promising year for the health and fi tness sector.


healthclub@leisuremedia.com michael oliver is senior leisure


analyst at mintel Read Health Club Management online at healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital 71


©WWW.SPORTENGLAND.ORG


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84