Alliance Leisure scored an all round winner with Community Leisure Services (CLS) for its development project at Yarborough Leisure Centre.

In a client satisfaction survey independently carried out by Leisure-Net, the facility development company scored a perfect ten out of ten for communication, flexibility and the overall relationship – to name a few!

The £1million development, which was part-funded and delivered by Alliance Leisure, consisted of a brand new state-of-the-art 1,300 sq ft 65-station fitness suite- the centre piece to the site’s affordable membership programme, which was created by building a mezzanine floor over the existing learner pool.

New dry changing rooms were built to support the fitness suite and a family orientated ‘changing village’ created to offer a more user-friendly environment. The wet changing facilities now lead on to an all new sauna and steam suite with relaxation area.

An existing bar was converted into a dance studio, the reception and foyer area remodelled to include a new café/bar and public rest area, and an outdoor all weather pitch installed.

Clare Kennedy, CEO of CLS said:  “Our aim was to revolutionise the services on offer at Yarborough.  Generally we wanted to bring the centre up to standards fit for the 21st century and from a business point of view we saw this as a way to increase throughput and income.

“We approached Alliance to assist with funding the project, because we were attracted to the way the company’s funding works - we could pay for the development over a period of time, and also for their understanding of the development process in the public sector.  Their experience was invaluable during negotiations with the Council.”

Alliance Leisure’s building contractor and the quantity surveyor overseeing the project also scored an overall ten out of ten, taking the final client satisfaction score to an impressive 97%.

Mike Hill, Managing Director of Leisure Net said:  “CLS was without doubt the most satisfied Alliance Leisure client I have spoken to.  In fact, it would have been difficult to find examples how the experience could have been bettered!”
Clare Kennedy continued:  “Alliance Leisure take all the hassle away from the operator.  We have been involved in project managing in the past and it has detracted from our ability to run the day-to-day business.

“Rapport is critical, as is the understanding of our needs and Alliance offered a bespoke service and worked hard to keep the relationship personal and friendly, but in a professional way.  We are now looking at two further developments with Alliance Leisure, as we know we won’t have to worry about the important things taking place.”

Members at Hatfield Swim Centre are being treated to a 5 star facility at local leisure centre prices, thanks to Alliance Leisure.

The centre, managed by Finesse Leisure Partnership, boasts a brand new changing area complete with two Jacuzzis, a steam room, sauna, foot spa and relaxation area, as well as a new 35-station gym.

The £1/2 million development was project managed and delivered by Alliance Leisure, and includes a fully accessible toilet, disabled changing area and Inclusive Fitness Initiative accredited lockers.

Mike Barlow, MD of Finesse Leisure Partnership said:  “We chose Alliance Leisure to project management the work because of its expertise in this field, and we weren’t disappointed.

“A disused and non-revenue generating meeting room, kitchen and servery area on the 1st floor was stripped out to make way for our brand new gym.  The existing gym and limited changing area was then transformed into an amazing new changing and spa area.

“We are delighted with the development, which far exceeds the expectations of a public sector site.  We had a 5 star brief, but certainly not a 5 star budget.  Alliance has created a top quality facility.”

Brockwell Lido pool in South London has reopened following a major refurbishment in time to celebrate 70 years of open-air swimming.

The refurbished lido, complete with new reception area and changing facilities, is part of a £3million redevelopment undertaken by Alliance Leisure, which will also see the opening of health and fitness facilities this autumn, to make the site more commercially sustainable.

The Lido, situated in Brockwell Park, has survived virtually unaltered since its opening in 1937 and the building still retains many of its distinguishing features, including a square clock, art deco lettering on the café and the original streamlined pavilion buildings. 

The Grade II listed building, Alliance Leisure’s first heritage site, was part funded by Alliance Leisure and English Heritage and was covered by 106 planning conditions to ensure the integrity of the old building was kept.  This included the rerouting of major water mains, specially made bricks, finding an exact match for the windows and shaping the banks and keeping the same foliage around the site.

Jeremy Lake, Fusion’s manager at the Lido commented: ”It’s tremendous to be open again for the 70th celebration and feedback from visitors in our first week of opening has been brilliant.”

Local historian and regular swimmer, Peter Bradley cut the birthday cake at the grand opening in July and signed his book Out of the Blue – a Celebration of Brockwell Park Lido 1937-2007, which was published as part of the Lido’s 70th Anniversary Festival. The book covers the history of swimming in the Park, beginning with the Victorian swimming lake with a special chapter on the architecture of the Lido covering both its building in 1937 and its renovation in 2007.

Yvonne Levy, another Lido regular, undertook research into user attitudes revealing a remarkable depth of feeling about the pool. One respondent wrote: "The lido is more than just a place to swim. It brings all kinds of people together without any aggression: a natural community centre in all that it means. A place where one can be. I know of no other place that gives this service." Another confessed: "At nightmare times the lido has helped me get things together. It's not just a functional place to swim. It sorts your brain out and I'm hugely thankful for that."

Alliance Leisure is set to start redevelopment work at three of Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council’s Leisure Centres.

The £1.2million contract follows a highly successful development undertaken by Alliance Leisure to the fitness facilities at the council’s Halesowen site in 2005.  The leisure centre also partnered with Alliance Leisure to help reach its 500 membership target and just 12 months on members hit the 700 mark and outgrew the fitness suite.

Steve Gay, Area Sport and Recreation Manager for Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council said:  “We knew there was potential to grow the membership and originally undertook a £220,000 project funded by Alliance Leisure to replace our ageing fitness facility and win over both member and council officer confidence.  The redevelopment was a huge success.  We’re now running at full capacity and are about to enter a second phase to develop the scheme further.”

The original project at Halesowen included refurbishing an underused room to create a 40-station Technogym Wellness fitness suite and increase revenue - the new gym will house more than 60 stations.   During the first phase of redevelopment the original gym was kept open and, as a reward for existing members and an incentive to new members, membership prices were slashed to half price during the building works.  This meant that the site opened in July 2005 with 112 members.

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council has now received a £1.2m cash boost to further improve facilities in the region and increase visitor numbers.  This funding will be rolled out across Halesowen Leisure Centre, Crystal Leisure Centre and Dudley Leisure Centre, with work set to start on Dudley Leisure Centre this month.  The five-year partnership with Alliance Leisure will also be extended across the other centres to maximise membership opportunities.

Gosling Sports Park is embarking on a £4.7m redevelopment to include a destination day spa and gym.

Alliance Leisure will project manage the development, its biggest contract to date, which will begin in December 2007 when work starts on the Phoenix Project.

The Phoenix Project will be a redevelopment of existing facilities to include a conversion of the bowls hall to a destination day spa with professional spa therapy treatment rooms, 17m spa pool, and sauna and steam rooms, a 100-station health and fitness suite, two studio with modern changing rooms, as well as spa and sport retail a new reception area and refurbishment and extension of the café and bar area.  The redesign will be supported by a new build extension to house the new facilities and Gosling Sports Park will remain open during the building works.

Four more local authority spas could soon be up and running, offering 5* spa facilities at pocket money prices.

The news comes following the successful launch of Pendle Leisure Trust’s Inside Spa in Lancashire last month, which boasts everything you expect to find in a top end spa, but is priced to ensure accessibility for everyone, at only £10 for a full two-hour heat and ice spa experience.

Now Alliance Spa, Alliance Leisure’s spa partnership arm, which project managed and provided £2 million funding towards the unique Inside Spa venture, is working on plans for four other local authority and Trust spas in Merseyside, Hertfordshire, Somerset and London.  Building work is expected to start on the first site as early as September.

Sarah Watts, Managing Director of Alliance Leisure said:  “The reaction to Inside Spa has been exceptional and already other local authorities and Trusts as exploring opportunities for their sites.”

The redevelopment, which has been entirely funded and project managed by Alliance Leisure, will also substantially upgrade the member changing rooms and develop changing for team sports, including upgrades to lockers and showers and Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) approved access.

Alliance Leisure has been awarded CHAS (Contractors Health And Safety) assessment scheme accreditation, for the second year running, demonstrating its continuing commitment to health and safety.

The CHAS scheme acts as a tool in the selection process for contractors, suppliers and consultants and helps avoid duplication in health and safety pre-qualification for contractors and clients. Accreditation provides information to support the health and safety section of a company’s application and confirms the tendering firm meets and complies with the CHAS health and safety standards.

“Assessing contractors for health and safety can be a lengthy process,” said Suzie Walker, CHAS team administration manager. “What’s more, many companies apply to more than one of these organisations meaning a duplication of effort. Our scheme works on the principle that a company that has successfully achieved compliance with one organisation is acceptable for all, thus saving this repetitive work for the contractors and their clients.” Accreditation to CHAS, which is reassessed annually, could open the door to a number of opportunities with local authorities across the country, many of which will only work with CHAS accredited or registered companies. Julia Goddard, Project Manager at Alliance Leisure said: “Alliance Leisure takes the health and safety of its staff and clients extremely seriously and are proud to display the CHAS logo on our documentation, and delighted to have been awarded CHAS Accreditation for the second year running.”

Halesowen and Dudley Leisure Centres have unveiled their £650,000 new looks to the local community.

The redevelopment at Halesowen, which saw the original gym converted into a studio and a 60-station fitness suite created within a multi-purpose room and underused bar area, was the first of Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council’s three leisure centres to reopen following major work by Alliance Leisure. 

The new fitness suite at Dudley Leisure Centre has also just reopened following an extension into two redundant squash courts, doubling the size of the gym to 60-stations.  

Joel Chapman, Commercial Director at Tone Leisure said:  “We currently have around 600 more members than our capacity - all joining in the last eight months.  Alliance Leisure has designed the redevelopments to help us comfortably accommodate our existing members, which in turn will help to reduce attrition at the sites, as well as creating a better environment to help us attract new users.”

Jez Whitling, UK Sales Director for Precor, said:  “We are delighted to have won the contract to supply CV equipment to all of Tone Leisure’s sites over the next five years.  Precor is committed to enhancing the member experience, which we believe will also help to aid retention and member sign up at the new-look sites.”

A £800,000 redevelopment of Crystal Leisure Centre has completed Alliance Leisure’s overhaul of Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council’s three leisure centres.

The £1.4 million contract, managed by Alliance Leisure and design and build contractor Createability, began in May 2008 with the redevelopment of Halesowen and Dudley leisure centres.

Work at Crystal Leisure Centre, the biggest of the three projects has already seen the opening of the new fitness suite. This involved extending the old gym into the crèche; management offices and health suite to create a 44-station Technogym facility with the wellness key system as well as creating a family interactive area which has been kitted out with high performance ZigZag and Trixter equipment.  This includes a boxing ring with 2 punch bags and a speedball, along with ZigZag’s Makoto target arena, where players compete against the computer to knock out lights on the arena’s three six-foot steel towers.

In addition twelve trixter bikes; 2 dream bikes and six Roc It pieces, a unique Californian line of interval training equipment, have also been installed. The Plyometic area features medicine balls, a medicine ball reactor, a boso and also swiss balls. Work is currently underway to convert an ancillary room into a dance studio and completion of a new soft play area for toddlers to seven-year olds on the first floor, is due to complete in March. This area will also house a total of twelve ZigZag Xer-Dance second generation dance platforms, where players move their feet to the latest chart songs following step routines on a massive plasma screen, complete with mood lighting and a state of the art sound system.

Steve Gay, Area Manager, Sport and Physical Activity for Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council said:  “The £1.4million contract with Alliance Leisure followed a highly successful development the company undertook at Halesowen in 2005.  We also partnered with Alliance Leisure to help us reach our 500 membership target and the redevelopment was a huge success.  Just 12 months on members hit the 700 mark and we were running at full capacity, so entered into a second phase to further develop Halesowen and the council’s other two leisure centres, Dudley and Crystal.  Createability have consistently delivered a high level of workmanship across all three schemes and their ability to turn concept design in to reality has exceeded the Councils expectations.”

A five-year partnership with Alliance Leisure has been extended across all three centres to maximise membership opportunities. 

Julie Goddard Business Development Manager, at Alliance Leisure said: “ This has been a hugely successful development which has already far exceeded the targeted membership, with a staggering 112 memberships being sold in just two weeks. The extension of the five-year partnership across all three centres is a big commitment and will ensure that memberships across all three facilities can be maximised and maintained.”

Huntingdon Leisure Centre is undergoing a £1.5 million redevelopment to include a heat experience spa.

The Marketing Mission for Leisure

The Alliance Training Acadmey is holding its next regional training event on the 26th May 2010 at the Salford Sports Village in Manchester. 

This foundation training course will run from 10am-3pm and is aimed at leisure management teams and marketing personnel who are looking to review their current marketing provision and be inspired by the different marketing initiatives currently available.

Split into 5 sections the day will cover; branding, customer service revolution, e-marketing, PR and external marketing tools.  The day will run as an interactive workshop so attendees will be encouraged to get involved and share their thoughts and experience.

Just £49+vat per delegate when booking before the 14th May.

For more details email training@allianceleisure.co.uk to register your interest.

The Alliance Leisure Support Division has launched the Alliance Training Academy to provide high quality, motivating and informative training to the leisure industry.

At Alliance we are passionate about delivering superb training courses that all staff will enjoy.  Our modular and fun approach to training will drive positive change in all that attend.We have a team of industry leading trainers who all enjoy the challenge of making a huge difference to you, your team and your bottom line.

All our courses can be delivered on an ‘off the shelf’ basis or within a defined sales or retention support package. Generally all our courses can be delivered at one of the following levels;

Foundation – Experienced - Advanced

We tailor all our training courses to your business needs and current experience levels.  One of our senior team will visit you prior to any training to clearly discuss your needs and the outcomes you require.  We will then match the right trainer from our team to you and tailor the sessions to these defined outcomes.

CPD Points are awarded for each course dependent on level of content and duration.This is a brief list of our courses;

For more information please email training@allianceleisure.co.uk 

Memberships at Corby Leisure Centres have quadrupled in just five months following a new direct debit fitness scheme that covers both the town’s sites.

The massive 300% rise across Lodge Park Sports Centre and Corby East Midlands International Pool has been driven by a five-year partnership deal with Alliance Leisure, which has seen the centres branded as a single identity with one membership package created across both sites.  Staff at both of the facilities have undertaken a range of Alliance Leisure’s REP’s accredited sales training courses, which aim to create a sales and commercial culture within the sites with the objective of increasing direct debit memberships.

Corby Borough Council’s Lead Member for Community, Cllr. John McGhee said: “The growth in membership has been over and above expectations and shows that the local community have welcomed the single membership across both centres.  The brand new 50m International Pool compliments the sports centre at Lodge Park and residents in and around Corby are taking the opportunity to use both facilities to continue to improve their health.”

John Leaver, head of partnership at Alliance Leisure said: “New branding on marketing materials was necessary to ensure a strong and consistent image.  The Alliance Training Academy workshops have ensured that staff are fully trained and ready to communicate to existing members and new members the benefits of the new membership scheme. The initial and continued increase in membership since the new direct debit scheme was introduced is testament of its success. ”

Slough Indoor Tennis Centre is being converted into an 18-lane ten-pin bowling centre in a £1.6m transformation by Alliance Leisure.

The project, which is also funded by Alliance Leisure, will see the three indoor courts redeveloped into a ten-pin bowling centre, supplied by AMF, along with a cafe/bar and entertainment, such as pool and gaming machines. Work, which starts that the beginning of April, is expected to finish by the end of the summer.

Greg Sinclair, Commercial Director for Slough Community Leisure which manages the centre said:  “The leisure trust has taken the decision not to bid for other contracts, but instead to look within our own estate at how we can expand our services outside of traditional health and fitness.

“As well as an express gym and health, fitness and leisure facilities, our estate already includes ice skating and go-karting, so adding ten-pin bowling to the mix is a natural progression, which is supported by Slough Borough Council as there are no other ten-pin bowling alleys in the area.”

Plans are now being finalised to refurbish the centre’s eight flood-lit outdoor tennis courts and install two indoor tennis courts at the trust’s Thames Valley Athletic Centre, to ensure its tennis programme can continue.

A VIP opening is planned for the newly refurbished Hartsdown Leisure Centre in Margate, with Olympian, Commonwealth and World Champion swimmer Mark Foster, opening the Centre on Friday April 9^th at midday.

The £1.65m overhaul of the centre, which is managed by Thanet Leisureforce, was fully funded by Alliance Leisure with work carried out by design and build contractor Createability.  The redevelopment progressed on schedule and saw the conversion of the eight-court sports hall into a four-court sports hall, two exercise studios, a soft play area and a large gym equipped with Life Fitness CV stations, the ride orientated Hoist Roc-It resistance circuit, interactive Expresso bikes and Octane cross trainers from Physique.

The centre was built in the early 1970’s and due to lack of investment became outdated, doing little to promote and encourage usage by the local community.  The fitness facilities were housed in a separate wooden hut and the sports hall was suffering declining usage due to the large influx of sports hall provision by local schools.

Steve Davis, Managing Director of Thanet Leisureforce comments: “In order to appeal to the local community and compete with local private facilities it was imperative that Hartsdown Leisure Centre was brought into the 21^st Century.  Alliance Leisure has been instrumental in both securing funding and assisting in producing the business case that persuaded the Council to support the project.  With the introduction of the soft play area and the transformation of the gym facilities the centre is now more family friendly and will encourage the local community to make good use of the new programmes and amenities on offer.”

Steve Davis continues: “Createability has been a very flexible contractor and has assisted us in making minor changes and tackled maintenance issues with very little fuss.  We are extremely pleased with the final finish that has been achieved.”

Ian Cotgrave, Managing Director of Createability said: “This was a major redevelopment of an ageing building and has resulted in excellent facilities with a high standard of finish across the refurbished areas.  The work went according to plan, with only minor disruption and, as is always our aim, we finished on time and on budget.  Thanet Leisureforce now has a facility that promotes and supports local participation, which should help to address issues of lack of physical exercise within the local community.”

Stephen Parker, Business Development Manager for Alliance Leisure adds: “Current statistics for local areas show poor health and low participation in sport and physical activity. The upgrade of these facilities will encourage the local community and in particular families and we hope will help to improve the health and wellbeing of the whole community.”

A £1.5million refurbishment project is underway to redevelop Folkestone Sports Centre, which is owned and operated by the Folkestone Sports Centre Trust.

The work, which is supported by Alliance Leisure, started at the beginning of March and is expected to finish around mid September.  The refurbishment, funded by loans from Charity Bank and Big Issue Invest, and carried out by building contractor Cosmur, will consist of a new gym, new café and bar area and upgrades to the roof, pool plant, internal reception and foyer areas.  A junior fitness gym will be created in one room and will be kitted out using the centre’s existing eight ZigZag Xer-Dance platforms and full ZigZag circuit of resistance and CV equipment.  The centre will also benefit from the creation of a viewing gallery overlooking the two swimming pools.

The centre, which was officially opened by HRH The Princess Anne in 1972, was used by more than ten million people in its first 20 years and is currently used by 26,000 people per month. The fitness centre opened in 1990, becoming one of the best facilities of its kind in the area, but 20 years on is undergoing a major facelift.

The gym will move from a side building to the main building and will double in size, transforming into a 300sq m 65-station fitness area, featuring a selection of cardio-vascular and resistance equipment.  A brand new 200sq m café/bar is being created in the centre’s former bar. In order to make the existing space work harder, the toning studio, currently housed in the main building, will move to the space where the original gym sat and will benefit from additional Powertone beds and Easytone chairs.

Tessa Stickler, General Manager at Folkestone Sports Centre Trust comments:  “As we are a charity it was extremely difficult to obtain funding.  Alliance Leisure worked with us over many years to get this project up and running and persistence has paid off.  The ethos of the Trust is that we provide affordable sports facilities for the community and the fact that we now have a modern new gym doesn’t change that in any way.  Alliance Leisure has supported us and by doing so has enabled us to make the modernisation of the facilities a reality.”

Stephen Parker, Business Development Manager for Alliance Leisure comments: “We are extremely pleased that this project is finally able to go ahead.  There is no other affordable sport facility in the area and it was imperative that the facilities were upgraded and the buildings maintained to ensure that these amenities were not lost.  Alliance will continue to support the Folkestone Sports Centre Trust by assisting with marketing, training and sales support in order that the new facilities can provide ongoing income that will enable further refurbishment work to be carried out in the future.”

Blackpool Sports Centre has re-launched its Health & Fitness facilities having undergone a £500,000 extension.  The need to upgrade was identified following a three-year partnership with Alliance Leisure that saw inductions increase by 60% year on year and patronage by 30%.

The extension created a brand new exercise class studio, a dedicated spinning studio and allowed the fitness studio to more than double in size from 136 sq m to 300 sq m. New branding for the centre was developed and ‘zones’ were created to target specific groups such as children, young adults and those with respiratory or cardiac issues.

Jo Ashton, Health & Fitness Manager at Blackpool Sports Centre comments: “Blackpool Council’s strategy to improve the health and wellbeing of the community played a large part in the decision to extend once Alliance Leisure helped us to realise our potential and promote a powerful presence within the town. The strong active usage base coupled with an increase in memberships enabled us to put forward a sound business case for the additional facilities.  The redevelopment will encourage local residents to become more active and provide a range of opportunities thanks largely to our partnerships with the local PCT and Mental Health sector.”  “We are now looking forward to the development of Moor Park Pool which will provide a comprehensive range of leisure facilities  enabling an exciting programme of activities to be developed and delivered to all interests, abilities, ages and backgrounds.”

John Leaver, Head of Partnership for Alliance Leisure said: “The new branding for Blackpool Sports Centre has been extremely successful and has resulted in a large usage growth.  The new fitness facilities will enable the site to continue to develop and Alliance Leisure will continue to support them in a partnership role.”

Phase 2 of The Swan Leisure Centre’s £850,000 redevelopment has now started and will focus on providing a new soft play area by SPI Play, with two party rooms alongside.

Phase 1 saw conversion of the original 500sq m soft play area into a modern 65-station gym, boasting new CV and resistance equipment from Technogym, a new 80sq m spinning studio and refurbishment of the coffee area and changing facilities.

Phase 3, a complete refurbishment of the reception area and offices, which was originally planned for Spring 2010, is expected to start early as all parties are aiming to finish ahead of schedule.

Work for this three-phase project is being carried out by leisure specialist Createability and managed by Tees Active.  Alliance Leisure is also involved in a high-level project management capacity.

Steven Chaytor, Managing Director of TeesActive comments: “The feedback from the local community has been fantastic.  We wanted to create a modern health and fitness environment that will help sustain and build upon the commercial aspects of the whole facility.  The gym was too small and the equipment was old and as both locals and summer tourists use the facility, it was essential that we realigned the offering to provide both a high standard of fitness facilities and children’s play area.  We are now well on our way to offering a first class fitness establishment.”

Ian Cotgave, Managing Director of Createability said:  “Given the recent bad weather conditions this project is going extremely well.  We are on schedule and hoping to finish the project ahead of time. The site was in great need of updating and the work will not only bring the centre into the 21^st Century but will also help to establish The Swan Leisure Centre as an indoor destination for holiday makers in the area.”

Alliance Leisure’s Training Academy has seen over 3,000 delegates pass through its courses since the Academy’s launch just over six months ago. 

More than 200 staff from Cardiff City Council have completed the Foundation Sales course and a recent partnership with Coventry Sports Trust has resulted in all their staff attending various Academy modules.  The training has also helped staff from Blackpool Council attract more than 2,000 members across its leisure centres.

Jo Ashton, Health and Fitness Manager, Blackpool Council comments: “The Alliance Academy has delivered excellent training to staff that has resulted in motivating the team and helping them exceed set targets.  Working with the Alliance team has been both enjoyable and productive.”

The launch of the Training Academy followed on from the success of Alliance Leisure’s REPs accredited training and was introduced to give employers flexibility regarding the variety of courses staff can attend in order to receive additional Alliance accreditation.  A cross section of workshops and courses are offered, spanning areas such as Sales, Marketing and Planning, and Communication and Customer Service. New modules have recently been added, including a Team Building workshop and Making Technology Work for You. The Alliance Leisure Customer Care course is also now REPS accredited. 

The Academy aims to create opportunities for leisure staff to gain points towards a Certificate of Recognition with each course.  A new points system, similar to ‘nectar points’, is set to be introduced shortly rewarding delegates for attendance.  Points earned can be put towards days off in lieu or gift vouchers and talks are currently underway to link with an online retailer of sporting goods.
 
John Leaver, Head of Partnership for Alliance leisure said: “The Training Academy was launched in order to increase and sustain the standards of staff in leisure centres. Alliance Leisure’s partnership arm has been assisting sites with operations for many years and we believe the new Academy will further aid leisure centres to become more profitable.”

Karla Hancocks, Group Fitness & Gym Manager, Cardiff City Council
Said: "The training Cardiff has received from Alliance Leisure has been fundamental in helping move our business forward and putting Cardiff at the forefront of selling health and fitness memberships. The selling processes Alliance helped us put in place were a culture shock for everyone, but staff have embraced the concept and can now see the fantastic results of their hard work and dedication. Alliance has offered continuous support to staff and management teams, which has led to Cardiff improving in both selling and retention of customers. This is only the beginning for Cardiff and we are excited to see what the future holds."