£6m Elmbridge development

At the beginning of April, Elmbridge Borough Council awarded Places Leisure the new leisure management operator contract until 2033. The new contract will allow the council and Places Leisure to build on their already well-established partnership which dates back over 30 years.

The new contract includes the running of the Xcel Leisure Centre, Hurst Pool, Elmbridge Xcel Sports Hub, and synthetic turf football pitches on behalf of the Council.

As part of the new contract, Places Leisure have pledged to deliver more energy efficient, affordable facilities and committed to a £6m investment package into further improving the Xcel leisure complex. This investment includes a new dedicated luxury health suite, immersive cycling studio, new climbing wall, an extension to the existing fitness suite, a costa coffee store  and a new soft play area.

The new development works commence later in the year. The extended and new facilities will be an exciting addition to the Xcel leisure complex, already a popular venue with 1 million customers visiting every year for a wide range of activities including exercise classes, junior sports and sessions, a health referral scheme for rehabilitation, in addition to the gym and pool.

Following Places Leisure’s extensive investment programme, visitors will also have access to a wider choice of exercise and leisure opportunities. We are also pleased that the enhanced facilities will remain accessible to all our residents, including those in receipt of benefits as Places Leisure will continue to provide a comprehensive concessionary pricing policy.

Councillor Simon Waugh Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Environment, said, “The enhancement to the facilities will bring substantial benefits to residents and we will be following the development works closely to inform you about their progress. It is important to us to be able to offer high quality, affordable and sustainable facilities for residents to enjoy. Our partnership with Places Leisure will play an important part in the delivery of our Elmbridge Vision 30 as we are working towards a thriving Elmbridge. We cannot wait to see these new facilities being used and enjoyed by the community”.

Dan Walker, Business Development Director added, “We are delighted to soon be kicking off our development programme at the Xcel leisure complex. We have based our improvement plans on our experience operating 100 leisure facilities across the UK and look forward to opening the improved and extended facilities to Elmbridge residents in the coming months, works will be phased to minimise disruption for customers.. The enhanced facilities will give customers further opportunities to try new forms of exercise and encourage more residents to visit facilities to feel the full benefits on their health and wellbeing.”

To find out more about the development, follow the link