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Local government leaders have teamed up with the fitness and leisure sector to demand that public gyms and swimming pools receive a share of the £400 million announced in the government’s Spending Review for grassroots sports facilities.
The coalition – made up of the Local Government Association (LGA), Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association (CLOA), Community Leisure UK, Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers, Swim England, and ukactive – is calling for the funding to be invested in “vital community assets”, such as leisure centres, swimming pools and local gyms.
They argue that local authorities are “best placed” to identify where investment is most needed and to ensure the funding delivers maximum impact for communities. “With
councils already the largest funders of public fitness and leisure services, directing investment through them would help safeguard and enhance the infrastructure that supports physical activity across the country,” the coalition said in a statement.
The call comes amid stark warnings about the state of the nation’s leisure infrastructure. Nearly a quarter (24%) of council areas face the risk of reducing or closing leisure services due to rising energy and operational costs. Since 2010, 500 swimming pools have closed, representing a loss of over 34,000 square metres of water space.
Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, added: “It’s vital that the Government doesn’t repeat the mistakes of the past by continuing to focus investment in facilities that have not delivered a happier, healthier nation.”
The government has partnered with fitness influencer, Joe Wicks MBE, to create a new animated series for kids, as part of efforts to get more children across the country moving more.
Called Activate and launched ahead of the school holidays, the programming has been created by Wicks and produced by Studio AKA. Activate aims to tackle inactivity among children through fun, 5-minute workouts – led by Wicks as an animated character.
The 5-minute episodes combine animation with upbeat music, courtesy of Universal Music UK, encouraging children to enjoy short bursts of movement that easily fit into their day.
The first episode is now available on The Body Coach TV by Joe Wicks YouTube channel, with further episodes set to be released weekly over the summer holidays.
The government will be backing the programme to fund a further 10 episodes. Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said
the partnership was part of the government’s new 10 Year Health Plan, revealed earlier this month.
“Childhood obesity robs our young people of their future, and inactivity is one of the biggest culprits,” Streeting said. “That’s why it’s crucial to start building
healthy habits from a young age.
“Our 10 Year Health Plan sets out how we would tackle obesity through prevention and today demonstrates how we’re taking action. In the spirit of mission-driven government, we’re building a coalition of the willing to tackle the obesity epidemic head-on.”
Each exercise referral delivers £20,000 worth of social value
Delivering physical activity as a health intervention via exercise referral programmes in leisure centres has been proven cost-effective. A study by GM
Active – a collaboration of 12 leisure and community organisations from across Greater Manchester – shows the value of physical activity in health programmes using two recognised measurements. According to the study, exercise referral programmes provide more than £20,000 of social value per person using the HM Treasuryendorsed WELLBY measure and £5,600 worth of health improvements using the NHS Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY).
GM Active commissioned State of Life to undertake the study, which is based on a survey dataset of more than 3,000 respondents across eight Greater Manchester localities.
The app provides free ondemand and live-streamed sessions from expert brands
A collaboration between the physical activity sector and public health will give NHS workers and their families free access to The Everything App, a new digital platform offering fitness, sport and wellbeing services.
The app provides free on-demand and live-streamed sessions from expert brands including Johnson Digital and Fun & Moving, plus discounted local, in-person sessions, bookable directly through the app. It offers fitness, nutrition, mental health, and wellbeing sessions tailored for health and social care professionals, with activities ranging from 10 minutes to one hour, including Pilates, yoga, strength training, meditation, and family workouts.
NHS wellbeing leads will also gain access to real-time workforce engagement data to support evidence-based health outcomes.
Powered by bookings and business management platform, Fibodo, the partnership-led initiative leverages the collective strength of the physical
activity sector. Early adopters include leisure operator Fusion and gym chain Snap Fitness, plus a number of national governing bodies of sport, such as Swim England, with Fibodo providing free access to its platform for all physical activity stakeholders.
The app builds on the success of DoingOurBit a first-generation fitness app launched during the pandemic to support frontline NHS teams.
As the UK’s largest employer, the NHS has more than 1.8 million staff.
Recent NHS England Digital data (26 June 2025) shows that 2.1 million Full Time Equivalent days were lost in a single month due to sickness, driven by stress, mental health challenges and musculoskeletal issues.
Already adopted by 158 NHS Trusts, representing 79 per cent of Trusts across the UK and a further 40 NHS organisations, including Integrated Care Boards, GP practices, care homes, and ambulance services, the app brings significant scale to the partnership.
Rivers Fitness (Wychavon Leisure) has announced a full refurbishment of the gym at Evesham Leisure Centre, with improvement works starting on 11 August. The upgrade will transform the gym into a modern, high quality training environment, including brand new flooring, full redecoration and the introduction of eGym Smart Strength – a digital, circuit-based system that provides fully personalised workouts. Members will also be able to track their progress via the eGym app, which links directly with the equipment and to wearables (such as apple watches).
Forest of Dean District Council has appointed Willmott Dixon as the design and build contractor to continue work on the Five Acres site in Berry Hill. Plans for the sports, leisure and fitness facility include a health club with a 53-station gym and power assisted exercise rooms. Outside facilities will include a new 3G pitch, while the former Speedwell Building on the site will be repurposed to create new office and community spaces. The redevelopment of the Five Acres site is being funded by the council’s successful Levelling Up Fund bid to the government.
Oldham Active has promoted Lauren Connis to the new role of Head of Health and Wellbeing, joining the Executive Management Team of the Greater Manchester-based community trust. Connis originally joined Oldham Active in July 2023 as Group Health and Fitness Brand Manager, and some of her achievements include the introduction of a Women’s only Gym, the expansion of its successful Young Persons Membership, the creation and launch
Alliance Leisure has appointed Natalie Gibson to the newly created role of Head of Insight. Gibson has 25 years of experience working at Leisure DB in the role of Key Accounts and Insights Manager.
According to Alliance, the hire is a strategic one which “enhances the company’s ability to deliver high quality analysis and intelligence, empowering Alliance Leisure and its clients to optimise performance and deliver measurable impact”.
In her new role, Gibson will lead the development of Alliance Leisure’s insight function and will report directly to Paul Woodford, Strategic Engagement Director at Alliance Leisure. Her remit includes, but is not limited to, the development of opportunity analysis, demand modelling, benchmarking and stakeholder engagement. She will also oversee improvements to Alliance Leisure’s internal measurement and benchmarking systems, streamlining project management and workflow efficiency.
Paul Woodford, Strategic Engagement Director at Alliance Leisure, said: “There are few people in our sector with Natalie’s depth of expertise in data capture, analysis and, crucially, application.”
Reflecting on her move, Gibson said: “Leisure DB has been my professional home for many years, so it wasn’t an easy decision to move on. It was always going to take an exceptional opportunity to tempt me away. Alliance Leisure, a company renowned for its progressive, results-driven culture, feels like the perfect next chapter for me.”
of BLAST its high intensity functional fitness class concept and Workplace Health Checks in the community.
In her new role, Connis will focus on key strategic priorities to position Oldham Active as a leader in community health. Her primary aims include strengthening partnerships with the Integrated Care Board and Primary Care Network as well as overseeing the expansion of Oldham Active’s exercise referral scheme.
Indoor cycling specialist, Wattbike, has appointed Chris Maule and Luke Veebel to its UK Commercial Sales team. Maule re-joins Wattbike as Northern Sales Manager, while Veebel steps in as Southern Sales Manager, forming a new regional sales structure to drive UK growth and support existing customers across the country.
Sam Theyers, Wattbike’s Commercial Sales Director, said: “Chris and Luke bring a wealth of industry expertise to the team.”
GLL will upgrade facilities
Two leisure centres in Richmond, South West London, are set to receive major upgrades.
Improvements to Pools on the Park and Teddington Pools and Fitness Centre will be delivered as part of a new 10-year leisure contract that Richmond upon Thames London Borough Council has signed with Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL). The contract will see GLL take over the operation of the sites – which are owned by the council – from 1 October 2025.
As part of the contract, GLL has committed to upgrade facilities and equipment, improving accessibility and inclusivity and expanding fitness and swim programmes.
Councillor Alan Juriansz, Vice Chair of the council’s Sports Committee, said: “This is a big moment for our local leisure services – and represents a significant investment in the health and wellbeing of our community.
“GLL will help us strengthen what’s already valued while raising the bar for quality and access. We’ll continue to oversee operations to ensure the service meets the needs of our diverse community.”
Peter Bundey, CEO of GLL, added: “Our investment plans and management experience will be an important factor in helping us to grow the reach and impact of the leisure facilities.”
The new centre will have environmentally sustainable features built-in
Wychavon District Council has been granted planning permission to push ahead with the £13 million pound regeneration of Droitwich Spa Leisure Centre. Works will be focused around increasing the facility’s swimming provision, with the addition of a learner pool to support the existing main pool, whilst also modernising throughout to improve engagement, user experience and energy efficiency.
Works will be delivered through the UK Leisure Framework, managed by Denbighshire Leisure Limited (DLL), with Alliance Leisure heading up a team of leisure development specialists that include; main contractor, Speller Metcalfe Ltd, architect and design specialist, Watson Batty and award-winning pool and construction company, Buckingham Pools. Works are expected to get underway in August and complete in the summer of 2026.
Droitwich Spa Leisure Centre has served the residents of Droitwich Spa for more than 25 years and it is the
council’s ambition that the centre remains a valued and integral part of the community for many years to come. In its current form, the centre is limited in its capacity to support the swimming needs of the community. The single, 25 metre, main pool creates programming challenges and makes it difficult to accommodate the diverse needs of the community.
Incorporating a dedicated learner pool will unlock potential to run a full programme of swimming lessons without disrupting the busy programme in the main pool that includes lane swimming, aqua classes and sessions that cater for those with sensory issues and other groups that use pool time for rehabilitation, recovery and treatment. The dedicated learner pool will also drive the expansion of engagement with local schools and families to improve community swim school provision, ensuring even more young people can develop swimming as a valuable life skill.
Fitness & Lifestyle Group (FLG) is celebrating a major milestone with the opening of its 50th Reform Pilates studio.
A signature boutique concept with dedicated studios in Goodlife Health Clubs and Fitness First Australia clubs, Reform Pilates is a highly curated, premium group reformer programme designed and produced entirely in-house at FLG.
Launched with two studios in 2020 to now reach 50 purpose-built spaces across the FLG Australia estate – 32 in Goodlife clubs and 18 in Fitness First – Reform Pilates is fast becoming a key growth engine for FLG.
“Our Reform Pilates concept, developed through rigorous NPD testing, has evolved from trial to strategic focus for FLG,” confirmed Andy Chamoun, Executive General Manager, FLG Australia.
To date, over 277,000 Reform Pilates classes have generated more than 3.6 million visits, all supported by 650+ expert instructors. More
than 1,400 exercises have been filmed and 258 unique Reform Pilates workouts produced; in-studio, screens feature digital content to support the live delivery of classes.
“As member demand continues to climb, FLG is proud to lead the way in making high-quality reformer Pilates more accessible than ever, at scale
and with a consistency that sets the standard. Our continued expansion of Reform Pilates allows us to deliver high-end fitness experiences while preserving our value proposition.”
Greg Oliver, CEO of FLG, added: “Reform Pilates is a standout example of how FLG continues to innovate and lead within the fitness industry.”
New research published in Musculoskeletal Care confirms that a digital therapeutic exercise and rehabilitation programme delivered through community leisure centres can match physiotherapy outcomes, while saving an estimated £168.72 per person.
The study, which evaluated over 4,400 people with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions engaging in Good Boost compared to over 2,700 people engaging in face-to-face Physiotherapy treatment, found that Good Boost led to improvements in physical function, pain, mental wellbeing, and overall health, equivalent to the in-person Physiotherapy treatments, at a lower cost.
Good Boost uses tablet-computer facilitated personalised exercise programmes delivered in pools, studios, and at home.
Matrix Fitness has introduced the Stretch Platform, a purposebuilt solution focused on the recovery experience through flexibility, mobility and wellness.
Developed by Matrix’s product development team, the new range has been created to deliver an accessible approach to stretching and recovery with intuitive design features, such as accessible foot pegs, numbered positions for progressive stretching and contoured hand grips for enhanced reach and stability.
The inclusive design – aimed at a wide range of users – also includes open-frame design, varied support bar heights and an inclined platform. Fixed support pads and stable handholds help users explore a greater range of motion with confidence, while simple entry and exit allow for ease of use in high-traffic environments.
“Recovery is no longer an afterthought — it’s an expectation,” said Matthew Pengelly, Managing Director, Matrix Fitness UK. “The Stretch
Platform meets that expectation by offering a superior stretching experience that supports strength gains, reduces injury risk and promotes overall wellness. It’s a powerful addition to any facility seeking to deliver a complete, end-to-end fitness journey.” To complement the inclusive
experience, a placard on the platform highlights targeted muscle groups and an integrated device holder offers users access to stretching tutorials and entertainment. With no moving parts and durable premium pads, the platform is also easy to maintain and move within a facility.
South Kesteven District Council is investing £4m in low-carbon heating system as part of a strategic move towards moving towards more sustainable leisure facilities. The Net Zero Pod at Grantham Meres Leisure Centre, which is operated by LeisureSK – The council’s wholly-owned leisure management company – utilises air source heat pump technology to dramatically reduce operational costs, boost efficiency and cut carbon emissions.
Delivered in partnership with leisure development specialists Alliance Leisure and renewable energy specialist Leisure Energy, Net Zero Pod (NZP) replaces the leisure centre’s gas boilers. The air-to-water NZP has been uniquely designed for use within a leisure and swimming pool environment and is installed as a complete unit.
All four leisure centres owned by South Ribble Borough Council will receive major upgrades as part of the council’s ongoing modernisation programme. Described as a “once in a generation, multimillion pound investment”, the improvements at the facilities will range from upgraded facilities to entirely new features.
The first stage, which is now almost complete, has been the decarbonisation and infrastructure phase, which has involved huge improvements to the infrastructure that keeps the centres operational and energy efficient. The next phase is modernisation and improvements across all four sites.
“We are dedicated to providing you with high-quality leisure centres at incredible value locally and this is the start of an incredibly exciting period of improvements for the leisure centres, allowing for modernisation and energy efficiency improvements which will enhance user experience,” the council said in a statement.
The four centres are Leyland Leisure Centre, Bamber Bridge Leisure Centre, Penwortham Leisure Centre and South Ribble Tennis and Fitness Centre. The most comprehensive modernisation will take place at Leyland, where new pool changing areas, toilets and showers will be created.
Plans have been submitted for a new £28m leisure centre in Bradford. Bradford Council wants to build the facility in the city’s Squire Lane, near Bradford Hospital.
Proposals for the Squire Lane Heath and Wellbeing centre include a six-lane, 25m swimming pool, an adjustable learner pool and a health club with a large gym floor, two group exercise studios and a separate indoor cycling area. The planning application is the latest milestone in the development, following public consultation in March, which saw plans for the facility unveiled to residents and other stakeholders.
Alongside the planning application, work is being done to optimise the design and develop final costings.
If planning is granted, a detailed procurement process will need to be undertaken along with further financial evaluation of the scheme’s viability prior to the council’s executive being asked to make a final determination on if the scheme should proceed.
The project will be paid for in part using £20m of Levelling Up funding from the government.
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “We’ve always wanted to provide a sport and leisure facility for this part of the district. The recent public consultation gave the community the opportunity to find out more about the plans and provide feedback on the proposals.
“It’s good to see the project staying on the critical path for delivery and moving on to the next phase of development.
“Obviously, there’s still some way to go before we get to a final decision. We’re pleased to have retained the £20 million grant funding for this pool.
Going through this next stage of development will start to more accurately assess the ongoing running costs of a new facility, which we need to have before any final decision can be made on construction.
Build a connected, member-centred training experience that engages and retains customers in the long-term – only with EGYM.
How Active Blackpool is harnessing EGYM’s digital ecosystem to redefine its position as a community health driver
Active Blackpool is redefining the role of public leisure in driving community health, placing improved health span and reduced health inequalities at the core of its mission. Under the leadership of Chris Rushton, the organisation is leveraging EGYM’s AI-powered open platform to transform its offer, building a digitally connected, user-centred ecosystem that engages and retains residents, particularly focused on those who don’t currently partake in physical activity.
Inactivity and ill health are widespread in Blackpool, requiring an approach that goes beyond catering to those already motivated to exercise. “Blackpool men and women have the lowest life expectancy in England, and this gap is increasing year on year,” says Rushton “If we are to deliver significant, populationlevel health outcomes, we need to turn the tide on inactivity by effectively engaging and retaining a much wider segment of the community.”
EGYM’s pioneering AI-driven open platform enables Active Blackpool to deliver personalised, progressive pathways at scale, dynamically adapting to user progress while tracking and evidencing outcomes. Installed across Blackpool Sports Centre, Palatine Leisure Centre and Moor Park Health & Leisure Centre, EGYM’s Smart Strength Series, Fitness Hub, Genius, and Apps seamlessly integrate with an array of other best-in-class providers, including Gladstone, Matrix Fitness and Tanita, to provide a fully connected experience that encourages long-term participation.
Blackpool men and women have the lowest life expectancy in England… we need to turn the tide on inactivity
Launched in November 2024 following extensive co-production with the Health Determinants Research Collaboration, Active Blackpool’s reimagined 16-
week Exercise Referral programme is underpinned by a suite of 7 structured pathways with two others under development. Designed to be accessible and affordable, a new pricing structure supports ‘graduation’ from the initial programme into longer-term continuation pathways, reducing drop-off and encouraging lifelong participation.
“Without the integration of EGYM’s open ecosystem, it’s difficult to see how we would deliver our ambition,” says Rushton. “We want to create physical activity pathways for everyone, wherever they are on their life journey. Referral volumes matter, but what’s more important is creating a ‘sticky’ environment that motivates people to participate in intentional, structured, and tailored movement in the long term. It’s this behaviour
EGYM’s open platform allows real-time monitoring of performance and health outcomes
shift that will drive improved health span and tackle health inequalities.”
This ambition aligns with the government’s 10-Year Health Plan, shifting focus from repair to prevention through community-based interventions. It also supports Blackpool’s Move Together wellbeing strategy, embracing a culture of “less checking and more doing” to tackle inactivity and poor health head-on.
The impact is already evident.
Without EGYM’s open ecosystem, it’s difficult to see how we would deliver our ambition
Active Blackpool is handling around 150 Exercise Referrals each month, with some 250 ‘graduates’ now embedded within mainstream membership. Across its referral and cardiac pathways, 279 people are actively engaged, supported by a team of 12 Level 4 qualified professionals (in different areas of speciality) who, empowered by EGYM’s data-driven insights, focus on coaching and motivating rather than administration.
In terms of the outcomes being achieved by participants on Exercise Referral programs, EGYM has driven and recorded a collective Strength Biological Age improvement of 10.6 years, a Cardio Biological Age improvement of 9 years, a Flexibility Biological Age improvement of 4years and an overall Biological Age improvement of 7.9 years.
Rushton adds: “These improvements are hugely significant. Just being able to evidence such progress is an amazing step forward, but the fact that we can actually report measurable improvements back to individuals and collective improvements back to our partners means we are able to present a compelling case for future investment and
referral, based on proven health outcomes. This creates a sustainable practice and cements Active Blackpool’s place at the heart of the council’s health improvement strategy. This is an absolute game changer.”
EGYM’s open platform allows realtime monitoring of performance and health outcomes, feeding back progress to participants, updating AI-powered training plans and giving instructors the information needed to tailor support. This personalised, progressive and fully supported approach not only boosts confidence but fosters independence, ensuring residents can safely and effectively progress towards their goals, regardless of their starting point.
Once in the system, members remain connected across services, with participants able to transition between programs and pathways without friction.
This approach is designed to be scalable, ensuring there is sufficient system capacity to avoid waiting lists and ensuring consistent progression opportunities for all residents.
With EGYM’s ecosystem at the heart of delivery, Active Blackpool is redefining public leisure’s role in supporting good health and preventing ill health, proving that with the right technology and ambition, meaningful, measurable change is possible.
To find out more about EGYM and how it is powering fully integrated lifelong fitness, health and wellbeing journeys for everyone, visit https://egym.com/uk
Ambitious plans to redevelop an area of Tonbridge town centre in Kent have been unveiled.
Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council has published a masterplan for the area, setting out a vision for providing new homes, a replacement leisure centre, a GP practice, improved walking routes and a hotel.
The proposals will see council-owned land, at present mainly used as car parks, being transformed in a way that would “energise the high street and rediscover the relationship between the town, the river and its open spaces”.
Key aspects of the multi-millionpound scheme include a replacement leisure centre at Sovereign Way Mid car park, a modern GP practice on the site of the Sovereign Way East car park and 122 new homes at Sovereign Way North car park featuring flood-resilient design.
Plans also include a hotel at Vale Road car park and a riverside park area to make more of the tributary, which forms part of the site.
The masterplan was presented to a meeting of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council’s cabinet. Members gave the go-ahead for a public engagement exercise this summer to be undertaken to obtain views from residents and businesses. Following feedback from the public, the plans
will be reviewed before a decision is made on whether to formally adopt the masterplan proposals.
Council leader, Matt Boughton, said: “These plans offer an opportunity to unlock huge potential for Tonbridge, making our town a more attractive place to live and work.”
West Berkshire Council has secured a £2.8m grant award from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to help deliver a major green upgrade at Northcroft Leisure Centre in Newbury.
The grant, alongside an additional £387,000 from the council, will fund a wide-ranging decarbonisation project designed to dramatically improve the building’s energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and support the council’s wider climate and environmental goals as it progresses on its pathway to net zero.
The works to improve the facility’s environmental sustainability include the installation of air source heat pumps, new energy-efficient air handling units, cavity wall insulation, rooftop solar photovoltaic panels and new Building Energy Management System (BEMS).
The grant will fund a wide-ranging decarbonisation project
Places Leisure has been re-appointed to operate eight of Wandsworth Borough Council’s leisure and sports centres for the next 10 years.
As part of the contract, £24 million will be invested to improve facilities and help more residents get active. The new contract will begin on 1 October 2025 for at least 10 years, with the option to extend for an additional five years. The facilities included in the contract are Tooting Leisure Centre, Tooting Bec Lido, Putney Leisure Centre, Roehampton Sport and Fitness Centre, Balham Leisure Centre, Latchmere Leisure Centre, Wandle Recreation Centre and Battersea Sports Centre.
As well as committing to improve and modernise facilities, Places Leisure has revealed plans to launch a new Active Communities programme to encourage inactive residents to move more.
It will also continue to support Access for All, a concession scheme which offers eligible residents 50% to 100% discounts on key leisure services such as gym and swim, including 260 free
tickets to Tooting Bec Lido every day. Paul White, the council’s cabinet member for Environment, said: “This new contract ensures residents benefit from modern facilities both in our centres and out in the community, especially with the new £24m investment in long overdue
improvements over the next four years. In addition to this investment, we continue to seek out opportunities to improve our centres, such as recently securing funding from Sport England and investment from the government to make Putney Leisure Centre more energy efficient.”
Work to upgrade Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre is almost complete, with the renovations expected to be finished by this autumn.
The centre is undergoing a major £7.8m refit, which will also see the library relocating from the existing site in Cowdenbeath High Street to the newly refurbished centre.
Upgrades to the centre, which is owned by Fife Council, include an enhanced gym space to increase capacity and provide a new, dedicated fitness/ aerobic studio space for group activity. The existing sauna and steam room will also be replaced, while the wet side changing area will be refurbished to include an accessible Changing Places unit.
Outdoors, the synthetic playing pitch is being replaced and there will also be improvements to the external façade.
Dr. Paul Bedford has announced the return of the Retention Convention, which will take place on Thursday, 25 September 2025, at The Slate Conference Centre, University of Warwick.
This year’s theme, Using Data to Change Behaviour, will bring together senior leaders from across the health, fitness and leisure sectors to explore how data-driven strategies can drive retention and commercial performance.
This year’s theme, Using Data to Change Behaviour, will explore how data can drive retention and performance
Hosted by Dr Bedford, the event will feature keynote sessions from Dr Melvyn Hillsdon, ReferAll founder Stuart Stokes, and a panel of leading industry experts.
“We’re proud to welcome Matrix as our lead partner for 2025, demonstrating their commitment to innovation in member retention,” Bedford said.
The invite-only event is expected to attract more than 150 senior professionals from public and private operators, higher education, and global brands.
Attendees will also enjoy a gym tour of Warwick’s cutting-edge facilities and have the opportunity to experience a new-to-market exerciser onboarding programme from Pocket Rocket Group and TIME.
A limited number of partnership opportunities remain for brands looking to engage directly with decision-makers in a high-value setting. To get involved, contact: Paul@ retentionguru.co.uk or cheriee@pocketrocket.marketing
Community leisure trust, Oldham Active, has trained up its fitness team to deliver advice and guidance on GLP-1 medications. Thirty members of the trust’s wellbeing and fitness team completed Future Fit’s new Navigating GLP-1 for Sport and Physical Activity Professionals training, covering the basics of GLP-1 medications, the science behind them and practical applications for fitness professionals.
The one-day course was delivered in-person by celebrity TV doctor Dr. Hussain Al-Zubaidi, a specialist in GLP-1 medications who collaborated with Future Fit in creating the training. The training comes as health professionals prepare to widen access to GLP-1 medications for weight management through the NHS, which would enable GPs to prescribe the medication for obesity as well as diabetes.
According to Simple Online Pharmacy, an estimated 500,000 people in the UK were taking GLP-1 medications in December 2024. Of these, 95% were buying the medications
privately, while the remaining 5% likely accessed them through the NHS for diabetes management.
Lauren Connis, Head of Health and Wellbeing at Oldham Active, said: “We wanted to upskill our team to help members understand the use and consequences of GLP-1
medications and how we can support them in their long-term wellbeing.
“Around 50% of our new health referral members are currently taking the medication, often without a GP prescription and with limited information, demonstrating the urgent need to educate our fitness team.”
Fitness tech giant, EGYM, has issued a joint statement with several of its key integration partners – including Matrix, Precor, and Pulse Fitness – in which the companies have reaffirmed their commitment to “open, secure and futureready interoperability and integration”. The public commitment to strategic cooperation outlines “a shared vision”, aimed at delivering “seamless, fully integrated member experiences through exclusive cloud connectivity and interoperable technology”.
John Ford, Chief Product Officer at EGYM, said: “We’re not just talking about integrations, we’re delivering real-world outcomes: better member results, lower operational complexity and future-proof operating models for gym owners. “Our ecosystem is built on trust and long-term collaboration.”
The Hogarth Club in Chiswick, London has launched a new reformer Pilates studio.
Created within the footprint of the existing club, the sevenreformer, Solstice Reformer Pilates Studio has been designed to encourage individuals to “connect with their natural rhythm”.
The studio was designed and created in partnership with pilates specialist, Balanced Body. The design was inspired by a visit to Balanced Body’s UK Authorised Training Centre, run by Pete Pallai, in Putney, London.
Tim Slater, Sales and Marketing Director, Hogarth Club, said: ”We knew we wanted the studio to marry functionality with beautiful aesthetics and when our consultant and instructor, Shanti, visited the Putney studio she knew immediately that she wanted to recreate the same ambience at The Hogarth.
“The lighting, the colour palette and the natural light that flooded the room through the huge windows
was exactly the look and feel she was imagining our members enjoying.”
The Hogarth Club has launched the new studio with 38 classes per week, all of which need to be prebooked to help manage demand.
Classes are delivered by a carefully curated team of top-tier instructors,
blending existing Reformer Pilates certified trainers with newly recruited instructors sourced through referrals and social media outreach.
The Hogarth Club is also planning to establish a Reformer Pilates Academy to train and accredit pilates instructors.
The Hilton Hotel in Reading has invested £75,000 in a stylish upgrade of its Livingwell Health Club changing rooms and poolside shower, delivering a brighter, more modern experience for guests and members.
Carried out by Black Book Leisure Consultancy in just three weeks, without disrupting access, the refurbishment included a full strip-out and redesign of the male, female and DDA changing areas. New showers and cubicles were installed with light grey acrylic wall panels and white waterproof ceiling panels to enhance brightness and space. Lighting improvements and updated fittings contribute to the fresh look and feel.
The revamped vanity areas feature larger basins, sleek new tops and fronts from Safe Space Lockers, and a 3.6m-wide mirror.
Performance Health Systems introduces a scalable, evidence-led solution for musculoskeletal decline
As demand grows for preventative, measurable, and scalable healthcare solutions, Performance Health Systems, LLC - manufacturers of Power Plate® and bioDensity™, in collaboration with Screen My Bones, is proud to support a groundbreaking bone health studio in Leeds. This innovative program pairs advanced diagnostic technology with advanced strengthbased interventions to tackle a major, underdiagnosed health epidemic: declining bone density and quality.
The silent health crisis
Once viewed as a condition of old age, osteoporosis and poor bone quality now affect millions of individuals, often without warning until a fracture or mobility issue occurs. The consequences are severe, including increased fall risk, frailty, cognitive decline, and reduced life expectancy.
Traditional bone scans (like DEXA) are limited by cost, access, and radiation exposure, making early detection difficult. To address this, the Leeds facility uses REMS (Radiofrequency Echographic Multi Spectrometry)
- a non-ionising, ultrasound-based technology that provides accurate insights into bone density and quality. REMS is fast, comfortable, and safe enough to be used routinely across broader populations.
Turning insight into action
This solution goes far beyond diagnostics. When a scan identifies the need for intervention, clients are guided through a structured, evidence-based programme that includes:
● Activation - Neuromuscular stimulation and balance enhancement using Power Plate® whole body vibration.
● Strength Building - High-impact, bone-loading stimulation using bioDensity™, designed to promote osteogenesis and improve bone density.
● Recovery - Re-stabilisation and muscular recovery using targeted vibration therapy.
The entire protocol takes just minutes to complete and is suitable for a wide range of individuals, including older adults, high-risk groups, and those recovering from illness or weight-related health changes.
Clients are guided through a structured, evidence-based programme
This system belongs in every health and wellness environment… it’s cost effective, impactful, and bridges the gap between prevention & performance
Recent visitors to the Leeds facility, including Glen Thurgood (Leisure DB) and Tanya Hall (EGYM), experienced the program firsthand.
“The scan was painless and straightforward,” said Thurgood. “The team explained everything in real time, and it was easy to follow and understand.”
For Hall, the experience was especially meaningful after using GLP-1 medication.
“Although the weight loss was effective, I was concerned about potential muscle and bone loss. I was nervous about the scan results, but the support and clarity I received helped me take control of any possible issues.”
As populations age and public interest in longevity, strength, and musculoskeletal health grows, this model meets the rising demand for proactive care with measurable outcomes.
“This system belongs in every health and wellness environment, from fitness clubs to medical clinics,” says
Iain Murray, Managing Director, Performance Health Systems UK & Ireland. “It’s cost-effective, impactful, and bridges the gap between prevention and performance.”
Scalable for operators, clinics, and local authorities
Designed for flexible implementation, the program requires minimal space and no complex infrastructure. It delivers clear ROI through enhanced client retention, differentiated programming, and meaningful community health impact.
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Richard Shaw CEO SAPCA
This month saw the launch of ‘Fit for the Future: 10-year Health Plan for England’, the government’s keenly awaited health mission to build a health service fit for the future. Sadly, physical activity barely gets a mention.
The plan aims to reimagine the NHS with prevention at its heart and sets the challenge for the health service to ‘reform or die’. Lofty ambitions indeed! There is a whole section called ‘From Sickness to Prevention’ which, you would hope, would have physical activity as a key component in reducing the workload on an overstretched NHS.
What happened to the plan for people not needing the NHS?
I searched, hopefully, for detailed plans to utilise our sector among wider vaccination programmes, expanded free school meals, the restricting of foodstuffs and banning of tobacco. I was given hope by the images chosen for the plan, which showed Nordic Walking and people stretching. Surely there would be a grand plan to harness the power of activity?
Eventually, I found references to Parkrun and general mentions of public interest in health, as well as the place-based spending by Sport England. There was also an announcement of a partnership with The Great Run Company – which, apparently, will get “millions more people” moving and exercising regularly, without offering any details how.
As I read on, it became very apparent that a lot of time, space and thinking – and I’ve no doubt funding too – will be spent on weight loss medication over the next 10 years. I couldn’t help thinking that the plan, which I thought was all about easing the pressures on the NHS, seems to further medicalise an issue that, let’s face it, needs to be tackled by societal change? What happened to the plan for people not needing the NHS? Aren’t we simply storing up problems for future generations? Where’s the prevention?
The week before the plan was published, a study by Frontier Economics for the Nesta thinktank estimated the UK’s epidemic of overweight and obesity to cost £126bn a year. It highlighted how the solution was a combination of food, medicine and physical activity. Sadly one of those is barely seen in this report.
Upset? Just a little. I may have to go and see a doctor. Apparently it’s the answer to everything these days.
Huw Edwards CEO ukactive
For far too long, when Westminster engages in sport or physical activity announcements, all too often they feel like photo opportunities in desperate need of a strategy. Much of the work our sector and representative organisations undertake in Westminster, is trying to link up policy discussions, initiatives and projects that are scattered across various Whitehall departments which, while driven by good merit and intention, are developed in isolation.
The sector, of course, deserves much better and it is clear to see how the impressive Creative Industries Industrial Plan could be replicated for sport and physical activity, with such a strong emphasis on investment streams, workforce and skills development, planning and regulatory reform, and crucially, sector and Government governance and engagement.
That said, notable announcements in recent weeks could provide the platform for the Government to begin to articulate a compelling case for the growth and development of our sector across the rest of this parliament. Some details on investment priorities have been communicated following the Spending Review. Furthermore, the recently published NHS 10-Year Plan, alludes to the role of physical activity, without the detail or implementation plans that will no doubt need to follow. This is especially the case with the proposed Neighbourhood Health Centres, which seem to be an obvious partnership with our sector.
However, that’s no substitute for a clear plan and let’s be clear that our Government – indeed, any Government – will not be able to address the major problems caused by the twin forces of an ageing society and an ever-sicker nation, without a significantly stronger relationship and credible plan for working with the sport and physical activity sector.
No government will solve the challenges of an ageing, ever-sicker nation without a credible plan to work with our sector
The recent welfare reforms debate directly talked to this. As The Times analysed, “We have promised people a level of support our worsening national health has now rendered unaffordable. Britain is becoming sicker. This is partly simply because we are getting older as a population and partly also because we eat badly and do not exercise enough. A quarter of us now report having a life-limiting disability and far more are suffering from multiple illnesses at the same time; almost a million people now have five or more health conditions, up 40 per cent since COVID-19.”
In this context, the sector can, and should, play a much greater role in both maintaining good health and helping address poor health, and the Government must recognise and acknowledge its role in unlocking that greater role.
In particular, it is vital that, with its commitment to a new physical activity strategy in the 10-Year Plan, that the government breaks away from the policy orthodoxy of that past that has not delivered a happier, healthier nation, and invests in plans that match the moment and are fit for the future.
There remains sufficient time in this parliament for the Government to deploy the sector to have a positive impact on our collective economic and health goals. The new NHS 10-Year Plan could be a catalyst for this. However, the sector needs to see some clear indications that the ambition is there to do this – and soon.
Franchised ��tness operator, Snap Fitness, launched a new set of group exercise classes in January. Andy Carr, Fitness Experience Manager at Snap, spoke to WellNation about how S7 has helped Snap improve retention and member satisfaction rates
What is S7?
It’s our new range of four new total body workouts, designed to power our members through everyday life. They are dynamic group classes focused on the seven “primal movements” – Push, Pull, Squat, Lunge, Rotate, Hinge, and Gait. In short, they mirror the natural motions a human body makes daily.
There are four S7 classes – Strong, Sweat, Strike and Speed.
S7 Strong works on every muscle group and uses benches and moderate weights, combined with a high number of repetitions to build strength and endurance. It isn’t just about building muscle; it’s about building a stronger, more resilient body.
Meanwhile, S7 Sweat is the ultimate metabolic conditioning workout. It combines strength training with explosive cardio to ignite the metabolism and keep members burning calories long after the session ends. With a focus on full-body movements and dynamic exercises, S7 Sweat is perfect for those looking to tone up and enhance their overall fitness.
S7 Strike combine the intensity of boxing moves with high-energy cardio. It has been designed to build strength, improve agility and torch calories.
Last but not least, S7 Speed is a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout designed to
maximise calorie burn and boost endurance. It’s a fast-paced class which alternates between explosive exercises and brief recovery periods, keeping the heart rate high. The great thing is that it’s adaptable to fitness levels, so is suitable whether a member is a HIIT newbie or a seasoned athlete.
How successful have the classes been –do you measure that in some way?
Yes, we do – and they’ve been transformational.
The classes launched in January and are available at every Snap Fitness site. We now have data from the first six months of the year, which shows that 93% of clubs have increased their occupancy since S7 launched. There has also been a 33% rise in class attendance. What is also hugely encouraging is that member satisfaction is now consistently soaring above 90% across all classes.
For me, that shows that we’ve been successful in giving our members something new within this space, something they haven’t seen before, something exciting. The data clearly shows that members are keen to get involved – our studios now have more members in them, the spaces are getting used more and we’ve got more touch points with our members. S7 has really made a big impact.
S7 has really made a big impact – more members, more energy, more connection
The 33% increase in class attendance is a significant jump. That translates to an increase between 40,000-50,000 in the number of people that have come in and done a class since January, when compared with last year.
With S7, we’re looking to make group exercise a bedrock of our offer. We see group classes as an area where we can deliver meaningfully for our members. For one, the industry data suggests that 29% of people who attend classes were previously inactive, so it’s a great way for people to come in and start exercising and then stay exercising.
It’s no secret that group classes also help with member retention. Having structured programming means members are more likely to develop and then stick to a routine. We’ve got data that shows that a third (33%) of our members now exclusively attend group classes. Also, if you look at the behaviours and habits of Gen Z and Millennials, going to the gym and health club is their version of “going out” and socialising. It’s a very health-conscious population and they
are coming into our fitness clubs looking for a community – something that, 30 years ago, they might have looked for in a pub or night club.
As group classes have that community aspect to them, it’s another reason why we think they will increase in importance to us. With this initial success that we’ve seen, we will continue to do more.
Yes, in fact, there’ll be a refresh with new programming every quarter. New programming, new playlists, new versions of the workouts that our teams can then deliver.
Also, our vision for the future is to have signature, purpose-built spaces within Snap Fitness gyms so that we can start delivering additional modalities that we haven’t currently got at the moment. For example, we’re looking into introducing reformer training across our clubs.
But S7 will remain fundamental to what we’re doing and with the stats and the results that we’ve seen so far, we’ll continue to add additional programming, enhance those workouts and continue to support our teams and our members in that space.
UK’s pool stock continues to shrink, but less dramatically than last year; Leisure DB releases its State of the UK Swimming Industry Report 2025
The UK’s pool stock has shrunk again this year, with the decline more marked in the public than in the private sector.
In the 12 months to 31 March 2025, the total number of UK sites operating a pool fell to 2,882 – a fall of 0.5 per cent since 31 March 2024. This compares to a 2 per cent drop in the previous 12 months. In addition, the total number of pools also fell by 0.4 per cent this year, to 4,257 pools.
The figures come from the State of the UK Swimming Industry Report 2025, compiled by market intelligence expert Leisure DB, published in July. The full report is available to read, for free, at www.leisuredb.com/publications
Interviewing operators and experts for the report, it is clear this year’s slower rate of decline fails to alleviate concerns over the bigger trend.
Swim England CEO, Andy Salmon, notes that “76 per cent of the publicly accessible water space lost in the past 15 years has been lost since 2020”, while GLL’s Andrew Clark comments: “Pools are drowning. Without increased support, smaller operators will disappear and pool closures will continue to accelerate.”
There is some good news from within the sector, with many referencing a new era of
collaboration and pointing to early wins being achieved by The Swimming Alliance. The alliance is a collaborative group of more than 25 leading national organisations united to address the urgent and systemic challenges facing swimming and aquatic participation across the UK. It advocates for equity, sustainability, and strategic investment in swimming as a life-saving skill, public health priority, and national development asset.
Operators interviewed this year also report continued strong demand for swimming; although many acknowledge a plateau being reached following the post-COVID-19 boom, they also report this sitting at a higher level of participation than pre-pandemic. The average public sector pay-per-swim fee has also risen again, to £5.80,
Operators are facing tough trading conditions, shaped by rising costs and cautious consumer spending
while GLL reports a 10 per cent increase in swimming lesson income following price rises.
“In spite of these price rises, sales have rocketed this year. It just shows that in a lot of cases, public leisure is still underpricing what it does,” says GLL’s Clark.
Nevertheless, there is broad agreement with the findings of Sport England’s Moving Communities survey (October 2024), which found that although “swimming still represents the most quoted main activity”, people’s “activity mix has changed gradually over the last four years, with swimming decreasing and fitness and group exercise increasing”.
As a result, several operators interviewed this year reference a need for greater innovation and investment – including in programming and staff training – to drive further growth.
“Although there is some good news for the UK’s
swim sector – notably where new pools are a major component of regeneration – this year’s State of the UK Swimming Industry Report continues to highlight net losses of pool provision,” says Leisure DB founder David Minton in his foreword to the report.
“Those still operating have to work harder to satisfy the demand from the myriad of users; this report shows how constant innovation and programming continues to drive the carrying capacity of the reduced water volume.”
Alongside interviews, commentary and analysis, this flagship report for the UK’s swim sector also provides a full breakdown of pool numbers and locations, openings and closures, public and private sector leaders, fees, facilities and more.
“Our thanks go to all our expert commentators and, of course, to our partners who have enabled us to share this fantastic report for free,” says Minton.
The main findings from this year’s report highlight the challenges and opportunities faced by the aquatics sector
1,603 2,646 9 16
1,279 1,611 7 13
■ Across the UK, the total number of clubs/centres with a pool is down -0.5% since the 2024 report.
■ The number of pools is also down -0.4% compared to last year.
■ At the end of March 2025, there were 2,882 sites with pools across the UK, accounting for a total of 4,257 pools; some locations have multiple pools.
■ Of this total, the public sector operates 1,603 sites and the private sector 1,279.
■ GLL and Nuffield Health remain the UK’s leading public and private operators, respectively.
■ Nuffield Health is #1 in the private sector, operating 109 private clubs with a swimming pool.
■ Leisure trust GLL leads the way in the public sector, with 142 centres with a pool. Everyone Active (SLM) is a close second place.
■ Places Leisure and Serco Leisure are the only top-ranking operators to have added five or more sites with a swimming pool in the last 12 months, logging 10 and nine, respectively.
■ Trusts dominate in the public sector, managing 49% of all UK pools; in Scotland, the figure is 67%.
■ In the 12 months to 31 March 2025, the average public sector pay-per-swim fee increased by 3.8% to £5.80.
Local authorities with the biggest declines in pool space have higher than average indices of deprivation, risking an exacerbation of health inequalities
82% of children with high family affluence can swim, dropping to just 39% of children with low family affluence
Swimming contributes £2.4bn of social value to the UK economy every year, primarily through the prevention of 80,000 cases of ill health
Three female entrepreneurs have joined forces to form a wellness start-up that has a simple but powerful mission –to achieve sustainable lifestyle changes one shift at a time
We’re not here to tell people what to do; we’re here to help them believe they can
At My Healthy Shift, we aren’t just responding to the changes in the wellness landscape — we’re shaping them. With decades of experience across science, coaching, and business, we’ve created a platform that challenges outdated models and invites a new era of inclusive, sustainable wellbeing. This is more than a programme; it’s a purposeful movement.
Glenda Rivoallan – Resilience and Wellbeing Expert and Director of MHS
For too long, the wellbeing industry has overlooked the human behind the habit. As a resilience expert, I’ve seen first-hand how people crave more than instructions, they need insight, encouragement, and emotional scaffolding. We’re not here to tell people what to do; we’re here to help them believe they can. Our programmes are rooted in neuroscience, behaviour change, and coaching psychology. We’ve built systems that support the messy, beautiful process of real transformation, with or without medication. Every shift is underpinned by mindset, not willpower, and our 12-week lifestyle coaching programme builds the emotional muscle needed to sustain change long after the first win. From rethinking stress to redefining personal success, we help people reclaim their energy, rebuild confidence, and rediscover joy. Wellbeing doesn’t happen in isolation, it thrives in community. That’s why everything we do is coach-led, group-supported, and designed to meet people exactly where they are.
Fiona Cresswell – Business Growth Strategist, Director of MHS with focus on operator wellness delivery platforms for growth
I have spent 26 years in the health, wellness and fitness sectors in a variety of roles. As a result, I have a wealth of knowledge in supporting business growth in a multitude of manners. From small, new-start businesses to large scale franchise brands, I am able to consider everything from locations, buildings, demographics and design to driving usage to facilities. I also understand what operators are up against: high level of competition, high attrition, rising expectations, low cost operators and clients who are more complex and educated – and who want more than just a treadmill and a protein shake.
My Healthy Shift isn’t just a programme – it’s a proven pathway to better outcomes, stronger client relationships, and a thriving business
My deep-rooted passion for growth and the need to deliver better for a larger portion of society is where my excitement to create My Healthy Shift was born. MHS isn’t just a solution for centres and coaches, it’s a game-changing opportunity for the industry. We offer fully licensed programmes that integrate seamlessly into your current offering, whether digital, on-site, or hybrid. We help you deliver next-generation wellbeing with low-cost entry points, full marketing support to drive a new type of user, not normally affiliated to traditional fitness centres. With the option to upskill your own team or bring in certified MHS coaches to grow your offering with a proactive approach to wellness and supercharge your offering will not only drive acquisition but deliver a new vision for retention with life long personal commitments and habit change.
We don’t just build better outcomes, we build stronger client relationships and new revenue streams. As we like to say: “My Healthy Shift isn’t just a programme—it’s a proven pathway to better outcomes, stronger client relationships, and a thriving business.” Whether you’re running one centre or fifty, our model grows as you grow, with flexibility, purpose, and support at every turn.
Operators who embrace this shift won’t just stand out, they’ll lead the pack and My Healthy Shift does all the heavy lifting!
Sarah Le Brocq – Weight Health Advocate and Director of MHS
The conversation around weight, health, and medication is changing fast, and rightly so. As someone whose lived experience intersects with clinical knowledge, I know how important it is to meet people with understanding, not assumption.
GLP-1s and other weight-loss medications are changing lives, but they are not a magic fix. Without education, empowerment, accountability, and emotional support, we risk short-lived results and long-term disillusionment. As we’ve said often: “Clients need more than medication. If we do not engage with our members in this way, we are looking at a retention and attrition tsunami.”
Clients need more than medication… without engagement, we’re looking at a retention and attrition tsunami
That’s why our programmes are tailored, not templated. They include specialist support for those using medication, while remaining inclusive to those who aren’t. We believe in health at every size, every stage, and every starting point. This is about metabolic health, energy, confidence, and quality of life — not a number on a scale.
My Healthy Shift is helping change the narrative around weight and wellbeing, giving people the tools to manage their health long-term, in a compassionate, non-judgemental way. We work closely with fitness professionals, clinics, and allied health teams to ensure joined-up care that truly puts the person first.
The shift is here. People are no longer satisfied with surface-level wellness. They want purpose-driven support, personalised guidance, and a community that sees them. And we are proud to deliver just that. Whether you’re a coach ready to grow your impact, or an operator wanting to stand out, My Healthy Shift is built with you in mind. This is a future where people feel confident, capable, and connected in their pursuit of lifelong wellbeing.
Let’s lead it — together.
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Can we create new town centres where the high street, health, ��tness and social care coexist in the form of Health Hubs?
WellNation spoke to architect LK2’s Andy Newman about why a blended mindset is essential to relocate health to the highstreet
Lord Darzi’s report (September 2024) casts little doubt on the state of our NHS, a service needing reform, realignment, and re-engagement. That need for reform was addressed by the government this summer, when it published it’s 10-year plan for the health service – announcing that prevention would be at the heart of the plans.
Separately, Sport England has renewed its plans for a place-based ecosystem for physical activity, while ukactive has made its mission to see physical activity – and its members – embedded into health strategies. There is clear momentum building for a reimagined NHS with societal wellbeing and sustainability at its heart.
Having worked in sports, leisure and commercial retail for 30 years, architects LK2 has been perfectly placed to witness the mindset shift and the merger of sports leisure, health, and wellbeing. Now, it is doing its part to help lead the charge as retail and commercial areas begin to morph. Through an inclusive approach, which takes into account the mutual benefits for developers, retail owners/ operators and health providers, LK2 wants to join the dots and uncover opportunities and collaborations that will create an entirely new concept – Health on the High Street.
WellNation spoke to
LK2 Director, Andy Newman, about the concept and the benefits of the Health Hubs – comprehensive health and wellness centres that bring together a range of health services that are both codependant and independent in one location.
Can we create a sustainable world where the high street, health, and social care coexist?
In short, we absolutely can, and we should. The decline of high street units provides an excellent infrastructure for highly accessible health care provision in the heart of our community. An infrastructure with long leases and strong covenants provides a sustainable proposition, operationally and environmentally.
“In this new vision, planned and elective care will be undertaken away from hospital sites, reducing waiting list pressure. This will allow for earlier diagnostics, including X-rays, pharmacy, and out-of-hours GP surgeries. It will also, importantly, bring accessible health back to the community. Yet, at its urban heart, will be an infrastructure that can cope with a sectorwide increase in virtual and digital services.
“By repositioning the elective care services, we can relieve the pressure on hospital sites, enabling them to prioritise primary care and freeing up valuable space for secondary care. This can also break the stigma of hospital visits for younger visitors, providing a less clinical and local experience.
We delivered a feasibility study for health care and other community uses in the heart of the Stratford community
Where does the NHS sit in the plans?
For me, health benefits on the high street are twofold. The NHS can be the catalyst of regeneration for the High Street and the co-location of community services addresses the public health emergency and allows for a model where practitioners across the health and social care sphere can work at scale to deliver a prevention agenda.
Health on the High Street places the emphasis not on treatment, but on supporting the wider determinants of public health.
What we are working towards is a care collective for health care. However, the ‘Health hub’ concept is not new.
In our 30 years of operation, LK2 has worked with leading retail/commercial owners, sport and leisure operators, advisors, and developers to find the solutions others can’t. Developing a vast portfolio of sector experience and specialisms including sport and leisure, education, health and wellness, town centre regeneration and repurposing retail premises.
LK2 are experienced in delivering multi-functional environments, including co-location of commercially driven and complimentary ancillary facilities. Our creative yet commercially minded team has helped clients unlock hidden opportunities, optimise their investment, and deliver successful developments,
often integrating health and wellbeing within and adjacent to existing leisure offerings.
Are there any examples of “Health on the High Street” projects?
We have delivered feasibility studies for a multidisciplinary health care hub for a private health provider in a city centre location. This high street care collective will include primary and secondary care along with a residential care unit. We have also delivered feasibility studies for a care collective within a university campus, a model that follows Sport England’s eco-system of place and embeds health into the university’s physical activity strategy.
Other projects include achieving planning approval for an outpatient, surgical centre, including residential/ recovery in an Enterprise Park, and a further administrative office for the diagnosis and referrals of mental health and neurodevelopment disorders, for a private provider to the NHS- this is now in use.”
We have an impressive track record for being a catalyst for change. Our blended mindset and experience in sport, leisure, and town regeneration, coupled with our commercial and urban design expertise and political awareness enables us to provide a highly experienced and collaborative approach.
As consumers increasingly do their purchasing online and at out-oftown complexes, the traditional high street is changing. As it moves from product-focused retail to experience-based services, could ��tness find a new home?
In a retail landscape transformed by online shopping and shifting consumer behaviours, the traditional high street is seeing an evolution from product-focused retail to experiencebased services, increasingly featuring coffee shops and beauty salons, co-working spaces and community hubs. Forward-thinking wellbeing providers are strategically turning vacant retail spaces into accessible facilities that help revitalise the hight street and expand their market reach.
From shopping to experiences High street fitness is booming as empty shops get a second life. It’s a win-win situation for wellbeing providers who benefit from ready-made premises and councils who fill vacant units that plague town centres.
“The high street’s challenges have become our industry’s opportunity,” says Elliot Walker, Founder and CEO of The Massage Company. “Wellbeing opportunities in former retail spaces benefit from built-in footfall, excellent accessibility and the chance to integrate with the daily routines of potential customers.
“When we first launched The Massage Company in 2014, securing high street locations was extremely difficult - they simply weren’t available. Fast forward 10 years and the opportunities are there. As the largest massage provider in the UK, with 11 franchised locations, we want to position having a treatment as a regular wellbeing experience - not a one-off special treat but part of a wellbeing routine.
“To achieve this we must be convenient and accessible, and being on the high street is central to this. In Altrincham and High Wycombe we have town centre locations. Sutton Coldfield is located in a suburban retail area, and Putney is inside an urban shopping centre.”
Leisure opened
When tech CEO and industry newcomer, Lindsay Ratcliffe, opened HeartSpace Yoga studio in Twickenham in Janaury, it was crucial the location was on the high street. “In an oversaturated market we had to position ourselves conveniently,” she explains. “Our studio is on the main road, one minute from the train station and right next door to Waitrose. Our members can pop in on the way to or from the shops, as well as after or before their commute to work.
“Being hyper-local also aligns with our sustainability goals and our customers’ own green values as it encourages more people to walk to our classes.”
Meeting the community where they are Similarly, when Horizon Leisure opened the first standalone wellbeing hub in a shopping centre in 2023, they wanted their community to pop in for a chat, a blood pressure test or health intervention on their way to the shops or meeting a friend for coffee.
Mike Lyons, CEO, Horizon Leisure explains: “As a community leisure trust, we have to provide wellness opportunities where our community actually are, and that may not be at the leisure centre.
“Our ‘high street’ approach provides a relaxed, inviting environment with comfy sofas and private spaces for consultations, where individuals can access guidance and exercise, supported by our expert wellness team and healthcare partners. From the outside the Hub looks like any other shop front, but advertises its services from large, eye-catching screens. It simply wouldn’t be as effective anywhere else.”
Be bold. Stop waiting for the next big retailer to swoop in and save the high street. It’s not happening
In Bristol’s Broadmead shopping centre, a former Debenhams store represents a bold reimagining of what high street spaces can offer in 2025 - Shredenhams, a not-for-profit skateboarding and community space.
Co-Founder of the social enterprise, Andre Seidel, explains: “It was this big, empty shell of a building that people had just given up on. I grew up skating in city centres and we used to get kicked out of places like this. So to be in a position to reclaim the space was a full circle moment.”
The success of Shredenhams lies in its departure from traditional retail thinking. Rather than focusing on transactions, the space prioritises experience and community building. Seidel says: “Success isn’t measured in transactions or footfall alone, it’s about the atmosphere, the energy and how people feel when they’re in the space. Traditional retail is about getting people in and out with bags in their hands. Shredenhams is about getting people to stay, connect and feel like they’re part of something. If someone finds their crew here or a parent tells us it’s the only place their teenager opens up, that’s a win. Of course we need to be commercially viable, that’s where our cafe and events programme come in. But they support our core mission, which is experience-driven and community-led.”
“Shredenhams” is a notfor-profit skateboarding and community space
Shredenhams approach and central location attracts families, students and office workers who might never visit a traditional skatepark, making it more accessible to a broader demographic.
With plans to expand to other disused retail spaces Seidel says: “Not-for-profit organisations like ours bring huge social value. We animate dead spaces, reduce anti-social behaviour, bring people into the city centre,
and give them a reason to stick around. But we need flexibility on leases, business rates and planning.
“Be bold. Stop waiting for the next big retailer to swoop in and save the high street. It’s not happening. The future will be built by people doing creative, community-led work that doesn’t always fit into traditional business models. If you want innovation, you’ve got to make space for it literally and figuratively.”
In Greater Manchester, local business, MOST Bakery, has been chosen as the new food and beverage provider for Trafford Leisure’s move Altrincham, reopening following a £20 million redevelopment in August 2025. The partnership represents a fresh approach, bringing a beloved high street brand into the leisure centre environment.
Jo Cherrett, CEO of Trafford Leisure, explains: “It’s an important commercial decision, complementing our vision to inspire people to live longer, happier and healthier lives.
MOST Bakery is already a firm favourite in Altrincham, where the husband-and-wife team create delicious artisan breads and pastries. Our plan is to redefine what food at a leisure centre can be.”
MOST Bakery’s co-founder, Suze Townley, adds: “For us this represents a relatively risk-free expansion opportunity. The café is being fitted out by Trafford Leisure as part of the refurbishment, allowing us to extend our trusted brand and menu to a new
Our plan is to redefine what food at a leisure centre can be
audience without the typical setup costs and risks of opening a new location.”
From boutique studios occupying former fashion outlets to community initiatives transforming empty stores into wellbeing destinations, the sector is demonstrating remarkable adaptability. These conversions can offer more favourable economics than purpose-built facilities, while simultaneously helping local communities address the growing concern of high street vacancies.
