NEW OPENING
MIX ’n’ MATCH
Lauren Applegarth reports on an initiative by Telford & Wrekin Council to open multiple sites, each with their own specialism, with a reciprocal membership package
S
ince the start of 2014, residents of the West Midlands borough of Telford & Wrekin have welcomed
two new fitness facilities: Oakengates and Newport Leisure Centres, which are the fourth and fifth sites to be opened by Telford & Wrekin Council in the last two years alone. But with competition nearby from
some of the health and fitness industry’s well-known brands including Nuffield Health, DW Sports Fitness and the budget chains Simply Gym and Pure Gym, how do five local authority-run health and fitness facilities really stand out from the crowd?
Creating a network Abraham Darby Leisure Centre, the first in this series of new-build sites by Telford & Wrekin Council, opened in February 2012. Comprising a swimming pool with moveable floor, sports hall, health and fitness suite, aerobics studio
and outdoor tennis courts, the leisure centre is adjacent to Abraham Darby Academy, a renovated establishment funded by the government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Scheme. The region remains one of the success
stories from the BSF Scheme, an investment programme for secondary schools in England. As one of the first local authorities to secure funding, Telford & Wrekin Council continues to use this to support the development of the new sports facilities across the borough. “By 2015, three of our leisure centres will be partnered with secondary schools, and we’ve worked closely with schools and local clubs to identify complementary sports and activities to shape the new facilities,” explains Sophie Griffiths, group service development manager for Telford & Wrekin Council. Now two years on from the opening
of this flagship site and the local authority is operating five gyms across
its borough, each offering its own unique specialism. “With our diverse client base, it’s
important our gyms cater to a range of training requirements. Managing multiple fitness facilities in a small geographical area provides us with the opportunity to specialise within this network, giving members the flexibility to use different sites depending on their training needs and preferences,” explains Matthew Newens, operations team leader (south) for Telford & Wrekin Council. “We wanted to ensure that, through
our network of centres, we were maximising the provision of sport and leisure within the region.” And the sites do just that. Thanks to the membership package – Aspirations
– the gyms’ members have access to all five of the leisure facilities located within a 10-mile radius. Priced at just £27 a month, Aspirations gives members access to all five facilities with no restriction on day or time of use. In addition, the council recently launched Aspirations Plus, an extended membership package which incorporates access to the fitness facilities as well as the borough’s other leisure facilities, which includes an indoor tennis centre, the 18-hole Horsehay Golf Club, Ski and Snowboard Centre and the Telford Ice Rink – all for an additional £7 a month.
Working in partnership Central to the appeal of the new gyms is the range of equipment. Cybex International UK was awarded the contract following the installation at Abraham Darby Leisure Centre. The key challenge was to determine
Facilities at Abraham Darby include a pool with moveable fl oor
the unique focus for each site – a process that’s been aided by the council’s close working partnership with Cybex. “We provide Cybex with a brief for each gym, consisting of our members’ feedback, site specifications
68 Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital April 2014 © Cybertrek 2014
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