Promotion - Alliance Leisure: building a better future

Get HCM digital magazine and ezines FREE
Sign up here ▸

Jobs News Features Products Magazine Advertise

Promotion

Alliance Leisure: building a better future

Health is a national asset that drives prosperity at an individual and collective level. Alliance Leisure CEO, Sarah Watts, explains how the organisation is supporting communities through the reimagining of public sector leisure

Published in Health Club Management 2023 issue 5

Read in digital edition Download PDF of this issue More from this issue

Working through the UK Leisure Framework, we’re partnering with local authorities across the UK to design and build place-based active environments that engage and inspire whole communities.

Since 1999, Alliance Leisure – the UK’s leading leisure development specialist – has delivered numerous regeneration projects, often involving transformation across entire leisure portfolios. Projects completed and in progress include the delivery of 12 new-build leisure venues from concept through to completion.

Creating brand new facilities
White Oak Leisure Centre, owned by Sevenoaks District Council and managed by Everyone Active, is a prime example of the value a modern-day, place-based activity and wellness hub can deliver.

In addition to offering a diverse range of physical activity options for all ages and abilities, the centre also incorporates a number of community health services, from GP referral programmes to free access and support for those living with Parkinson’s disease.

The centre is also helping to level up disparities by offering free access to those who might otherwise struggle to engage – including children in care and Ukrainian refugees – while also running campaigns such as This Girl Can and forming strong community links with primary schools to encourage more activity from targeted groups.

Completed in 2022, the centre has become the heartbeat of the community, with 440,000 visits recorded in the 12 months post-opening. This included 180,000 swims, 31,000 swimming lessons and 53,000 visits to the soft play area and the TAGactive Arena.

The art of the possible
All Alliance Leisure developments are built on the foundation of community needs.

Facilities are designed to tackle inequalities, creating inclusive environments that answer the needs of everyone – old and young, able and disabled, fit and unfit, healthy and unwell.

Through a mix of technological innovation, proven project experience and more than 600 years of combined leisure knowledge, Alliance Leisure is reimagining public sector leisure, creating environments that bring communities together while also instilling a sense of civic pride.

From sensory stimulating splash pads and digital, gamification adventure play zones to immersive cycle studios, aspirational training spaces and power-assisted wellbeing suites, Alliance Leisure is creating a new standard in leisure provision.

Why choose Alliance Leisure?
With over 20 years of leisure development experience and more than 220 projects under its belt, Alliance Leisure has worked with local authorities to deliver more than £300m of investment in public sector leisure.

In addition to independent projects the company is also the lead leisure developer on the UK Leisure Framework, which is managed by Denbighshire Leisure. Through this – the UK’s only dedicated leisure framework – Alliance Leisure continues to provide local authorities with efficiencies and leisure-specific expertise at all levels of the supply chain, mitigating investment risk and optimising every penny spent, making the company the leisure developer of choice for the sector.

More: www.allianceleisure.co.uk

photo: Everyone active

“Alliance Leisure was instrumental in making this project happen. Not only did it bring together the right team of experts, but they were also there to solve problems along the way and work in partnership with us to create the fantastic White Oak Leisure Centre. I’d recommend anyone looking at a new facility to talk to Alliance Leisure and involve them in the process as early as possible” – Duncan Cogger, regional contract manager, Everyone Active

ALLIANCE LEISURE

"Facilities are designed to tackle inequalities, creating inclusive environments that answer the needs of everyone – old and young, able and disabled, fit and unfit, healthy and unwell." – Sarah Watts, Alliance Leisure CEO

Recent Alliance Leisure new-build developments

OPEN

2019 SC2 Rhyl, Denbighshire

2021 Chard Leisure Centre, South Somerset

2022 Duncan Edwards Leisure Centre, Dudley

2022 White Oak Leisure Centre, Sevenoaks

Under construction

2024 Sharley Park Leisure Centre, North-East Derbyshire

2024 Warsop Health Hub, Mansfield

2023 The Hydro, Harrogate

2023 Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre, Harrogate

2024 Parsloes Park Sports Hub, Barking and Dagenham

2024 Derby Racecourse Football Hub, Derby

2024 Ormskirk Leisure Centre, West Lancashire

2024 Skelmersdale Leisure Centre, West Lancashire

2024 Mablethorpe Leisure and Learning Hub, Lincolnshire

Mablethorpe Leisure and Learning Hub in Lincolnshire / Alliance Leisure

Everyone Active’s White Oak Leisure Centre / Alliance Leisure

FEATURED SUPPLIERS

Legends never die: four legends, four philosophies of life

Panatta brought together four of the most influential figures in bodybuilding history on the stage of RiminiWellness 2026: Phil Heath, Lee Haney, Ronnie Coleman and Hany Rambod. [more...]

Introducing a new era of Nautilus Leverage

Strength training has never been more important for member retention, facility differentiation and long-term commercial success. [more...]

+ More featured suppliers

COMPANY PROFILES

Serco Leisure

Serco Leisure Operating Limited is one of the UK’s leading national operators of leisure centres, de [more...]

The Fitness Group Education

The Fitness Group provides education and workforce development for learners and fitness operators. [more...]

+ More profiles

CATALOGUE GALLERY

Physical Company..

+ More catalogues

LATEST NEWS

World Firefighters Games creates new opportunities for collaboration with the fitness sector

Italian Exhibition Group – the organiser behind industry events Dubai Active and Dubai Muscle Show – has been appointed to deliver the Health and Wellness Expo and Fire and Safety Expo at the 16th World Firefighters Games.

Planet Fitness deal hints at blueprint for global expansion

Private investment company, Franchise Equity Partners, has acquired Bravo Fit, the Planet Fitness franchisee in Australia, from existing shareholders.

Fitness First UK unveils makeover of Highbury club with new recovery and Pilates offerings

Fitness First UK has raised the bar with its latest refurbishment, in Highbury, London, as it continues to premiumise its estate.

Total Fitness research charts the fitness industry’s post-pandemic transformation

It’s been five years since the fitness industry reopened after the last lockdown – long enough to look back on the impact the pandemic had on the sector and what might come next.

Wattbike and EGYM integration allows addition of VO2 max tests

Wattbike has announced a new integration with EGYM, which enables the bikes to contribute to the Cardio BioAge score of individuals via a VO2 max result.

Les Mills launches reformer Pilates workout

Les Mills has launched a reformer Pilates workout. The 45-minute workout blends traditional reformer movements and more contemporary exercises, choreographed to music.

HCM Invest opens applications for pitching slots

The inaugural HCM Invest event has opened applications for pitching slots ahead of its launch in London on 21 October 2026.

Researchers find that 90-120 minutes of strength training a week has longevity benefits

According to research which tracked more than 147,000 people for 30 years, 90-120 minutes of strength training a week may deliver some of the biggest long-term health rewards.

Everlast pushes internationally with Dublin site

Everlast Gyms expands its footprint outside of the UK this month with the imminent launch of a club in Dublin.

UK updates physical activity guidelines with focus on daily movement

The UK's four Chief Medical Officers have published a refreshed edition of Physical activity guidelines: UK Chief Medical Officers' report, updating the evidence that underpins the nation's physical activity recommendations and placing greater emphasis on strength, balance, reducing sedentary behaviour and, for the first time, supporting people taking weight loss medications.

Places Leisure is working with Roberts Limbrick to build £60m wellness flagship in Basingstoke

Places Leisure has exchanged contracts to build and operate a flagship £60m water and leisure destination on behalf of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

PureGym announces expansion into Ireland

The Republic of Ireland will become the latest market in PureGym’s expanding international portfolio, with the first launch planned for Dublin in 2027.

+ More news