healTh and fiTness


GLL secures 15-year deal to operate Merton facilities


peTe hayMaN


Leisure trust GLL has secured a 15-year deal to run three facilities on behalf of Merton Council, following a re-tender process. The agreement will see the operator


continue to run Canons Leisure Centre, Wimbledon Leisure Centre and Morden Park Pools, while implementing a £3.5m investment programme. Areas earmarked for improvement


include Wimbledon Leisure Centre, which will benefit from an upgraded health and fitness area, and Canons Leisure Centre.


Three new locations for The Gym peTe hayMaN


Property agent Cushman and Wakefield (CW) has acquired three new locations for low- cost chain Te Gym. In December, the health


club operator confirmed its plans to add up to 20 new sites to its portfolio during 2011 aſter securing a multi-million pound funding package. Te three latest locations


that have been secured by CW on behalf of Te Gym include a 20,000sq ſt (1,858sq m) site in Leeds and a 16,500sq ft (1,533sq m) Bristol property. A 17,500sq ft (1,626sq m) location in


Te Gym is eyeing up a major expansion of its portfolio across the UK


Kingston-upon-Tames will also be incorpo- rated into Te Gym’s expanding UK portfolio of low-cost health clubs. CW senior surveyor Thomas Rose said:


“Tese three illustrate the demand for afford- able gym membership across the UK. Te


Te move could create the UK’s largest gym chain


Sporta members to create national chain of gyms


ToM waLker


Members of the Sports and Recreation Trust Association (sporta) are finalising plans to create a nationwide chain of lei- sure centres and fitness suites. Te move, which can be seen as an expan-


sion of the current UK Fitness Network (UKFN), could result in linking more than 900 centres across the country – making it the largest gym chain in the UK. UKFN currently includes 14 leisure


trusts, which gives the public access to nearly 130 leisure centre gyms.


New trust to operate Doncaster leisure facilites


peTe hayMaN


Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust (DCLT) is to run a number of leisure facil- ities on behalf of the local authority. The trust, which operates Doncaster


Dome, is set to be further developed aſter Doncaster Council’s cabinet agreed that it would offer the best way forward. Adwick; Armthorpe; Edlington;


Rossington; St James Pool and Health Club; and Torne will to be taken over by DCLT on 1 April, along with Hatfield Water Park and Crookhill Golf Club.


6


prime locations we have secured highlight the quality of Te Gym’s offer and appeal to major landlords such as Hammerson and LaSalle. “Te Gym is the leading operator in the sec-


tor and it is continuing its aggressive expansion having secured £30m of funding to acquire at least 20 new sites in 2011.”


Tone to roll out ladies-only concept peTe hayMaN


Leisure trust Tone is to roll out its Feel Good Factory concept at its managed centres follow- ing a successful 10-month pilot period. Currently based at Tone’s Blackbrook Pavilion centre in Taunton, Somerset, Feel


Good Factory is a ladies-only power assisted fitness and inch loss centre. It has its own entrance and reception, which


separates it from the main facility, and is tar- geted at females who are overweight and/or have limited mobility.


New £450,000 gym for Brighton facility peTe hayMaN


Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) is to unveil a new £450,000 fitness facil- ity at the King Alfred Leisure Centre in Hove, East Sussex. Due to open on 24 January,


the gym features more than 40 stations of cv and resistance machines, which have been supplied by Life Fitness. A former café has been


transformed as part of the scheme, while a spinning stu- dio is located next to the gym area and contains 12 Star Trac spinning cycles. Meanwhile, both male and


Life Fitness has supplied equipment at King Alfred’s new fitness suite


female changing areas have been revamped, along with the toilets and showers. New air conditioning and audio-visual systems have also been installed.


Read Leisure Opportunities online: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital BHCC cabinet councillor for recreation


David Smith said: “We promised to improve the King Alfred in the current building and this is what we’re delivering.”


Twitter: @leisureopps © CYBERTREK 2011


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