Health & Lifestyle, Poole, Sport | Posted on September 4th, 2024 | return to news
Residents express frustration over changes to Poole leisure centres
BCP Council has ended a partnership with Everyone Active, which managed three leisure centres in Poole.
Gym-goers in the Poole area may be disappointed to learn that BCP Council has ended its contract with operator Everyone Active, which managed three leisure centres on behalf of the Council.
Members of Rossmore Leisure Centre, Poole Dolphin Leisure Centre and Ashdown Leisure Centre were informed in late August that, from the beginning of September, Everyone Active was no longer managing these facilities.
The change means that people who belong to these centres can no longer use other Everyone Active sites as part of their membership. Everyone Active operates leisure centres across the country.
One frustrated customer, Katie Hook, wrote on Facebook: “Not even a month’s notice that our memberships are being downgraded? Disgraceful.”
The centres will now be managed in-house by BCP Council.
Cllr Richard Herrett, BCP Council cabinet member for Destination, Leisure and Commercial Operations, said: “With our current contract set to expire in September 2024 and the council facing a difficult financial situation, we carefully considered our options for the future management of these Poole leisure centres.
“There has been extensive work to bring the management of these facilities back in-house, so we can be sure that residents are getting the very best access to high quality local sport and leisure activities. The team responsible for Two Riversmeet in Christchurch have proven an in-house model works and that we can deliver this.
Cllr Herrett added that members of the Poole centres can continue to enjoy visits to the Dolphin Leisure Centre, Rossmore Leisure Centre, and Ashdown Leisure Centre with no change in pricing.
He said: “The BCP Leisure management model includes a capital repayment investment plan across the three facilities, which will improve the quality of services on offer for our residents.”
Amanda Barrie, BCP Council’s director of commercial operations, said: “The contract arrangement the Council has with Sports and Leisure Management (SLM) to run the three leisure centres in Poole [was] due to expire in September 2024.
“In September last year, BCP Council’s Cabinet approved bringing the management of the Dolphin Leisure Centre, Rossmore Leisure Centre, and Ashdown Leisure Centre in house.
“Once the facilities are managed in-house, the council plans to invest across the three leisure centres, to modernise the facilities and install state of the art, brand-new fitness equipment.
“The in-house management model has proven a success in recent years with the award winning Two Riversmeet Leisure Complex in Christchurch performing exceptionally well when measured against the performance of other leisure providers in the UK.
“The management of the three leisure centres in Poole, Kings Park Leisure and Learning Centre and Two Riversmeet Leisure Centre will form the brand-new harmonised BCP Leisure in-house offer.”
Everyone Active declined to comment.
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BCP LEISURE after having to cancel sessions for my son who had broken his arm in an accident during the change over of the Everyday Active to BCP was overcharged for diving sessions with new Operators, which he could not complete even with a doctor’s note—reconsidering my membership. After receiving email to say I was to get refunded only to be told I wasn’t eligible over the phone. Frustrating to say the least.