Industry News – Alliance Leisure

Category: Industry News

Alliance Welcomes Appointment of Tanni-Grey Thompson

Alliance Welcomes Appointment of Tanni Grey-Thompson to the LGA

The news that Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson will be officially elected as president of the Local Government Association (LGA) this summer is fantastic news for public sport and leisure facilities.

Chair of ukactive since 2015, Baroness Grey-Thompson has long campaigned for the need to turn the tide of inactivity and implicitly understands the vital role the

Chris McAndrew / UK Parliament, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

public sports and leisure facilities play in transforming the nation’s health. Throughout the pandemic, the life peer has urged MPs to keep gyms and leisure facilities open to support the public’s physical and mental wellbeing.

Following the Queen’s Speech this week, which set out the government’s ambition to “deliver a national recovery from the pandemic that makes the UK stronger, healthier and more prosperous than before”, she has written to Boris Johnson calling for greater support to prevent communities across the UK losing thousands of gyms and leisure centres.

With so many public leisure facilities in jeopardy after months of closure and recent figures from the LGA showing that almost two thirds of leisure centres require urgent investment to bring them up to modern standards, it’s imperative that we invest intelligently in our public leisure stock to ensure they are relevant for today’s users.

As we emerge from this crisis and seek to build better, stronger and healthier communities, we have a unique window of opportunity to assess the quality of public-owned leisure facilities and redevelop, redesign and repurpose our centres so they can play their part in supporting healthy and active communities. And with Baroness Grey-Thompson at the helm of the LGA, we have every chance of making this happen.

Response to Sport England’s New 10-Year Strategy, ‘Uniting the Movement’

The new Sport England 10-year strategy has filled me with hope and enthusiasm. With a vision to tackle inequality and create a nation of “more equal, inclusive and connected communities’, there is finally official recognition that, rather than being treated as a ‘siloed package’ physical activity should be integrated into all aspects of life through a whole-system approach to local delivery.

To quote Tim Hollingsworth, CEO, Sport England, “If you start to embed the benefit of sport and physical activity within the local authority and its wider ambition – so you really do connect it to health, to education, to transport and in many cases to tackling anti-social behaviour, or some of the other problems faced in those local environments – you can suddenly have a very different discussion with local authorities about the role that sport can play in their communities. Suddenly it becomes a much better basis for sustained investment and engagement.” Hear, hear, Mr Holllingsworth.

It is also encouraging that ‘active environments‘ has been recognised as one of the areas of focus. This is music to my ears.

If we are to change behaviours, especially amongst social groups who are traditionally less active, and encourage more people to move, we need to create and nurture environments that engage and inspire. Opportunities to be active need to be all around us, embedded in daily routines.

The population’s reaction to the COVID induced lockdowns has been an interesting lesson. During times of extended social restrictions, many people have reengaged with the environment, exploring the walks and cycles available to them from their front doors. This has demonstrated that, even when leisure centres and gyms are closed, the environment around us can support an active community, if it is designed to deliver safe, enjoyable and fulfilling experiences.

As one of the UK’s leading leisure developers, a large percentage of the work we deliver at Alliance involves the regeneration and repurposing of leisure centres. However, and this is where is gets exciting, more and more of our work with local authorities involves exploring opportunities to incorporate physical activity into wider planning and development.

I believe the new Sport England strategy will encourage local authorities to invite their in-house or contracted leisure teams into conversations around the achievement of broad community objectives. Dedicated leisure facilities need to be intrinsically linked to other community services, with parks and playgrounds strategically positioned and well maintained. I believe the provision of attractive, well maintained active environments will become a key driver in property purchasing decisions moving forwards, with people keen to live in a place that offers more than a good local school and shops.

This strategy document is a positive step in the right direction but to deliver its aims will require significant change in the way physical activity is perceived and delivered. The fact that leisure services are still not valued as a statutory requirement needs to change. There needs to be a widespread understanding and acceptance of the vital role sport and physical activity can place in the creation of a happy, healthy and prosperous society.

Well done, Sport England. Uniting The Movement is a 10 year strategy and it is certainly true that change of this magnitude will not take place overnight. However, recognition of the need to change and a vision for how change will be encouraged is a good place to start.

Alliance Leisure & TA6 Partner with Swim England

Alliance Leisure and TA6 have launched a strategic partnership with Swim England to encourage the development of more inspiring and sustainable pools and wet-side facilities for local communities. The partnership went live in December 2020.

“Swimming pools can be under-utilised and inefficient in terms of the return on investment but this does not need to be the case. When thoughtfully designed, well programmed and equipped, these spaces become valuable community assets that deliver a viable return for local authorities,” says Paul Woodford, Director of Marketing and Partnerships at TA6 powered by Alliance Leisure.

As the official National Governing Body for swimming in England, Swim England has the insight and experience to optimise pool environments, coupled with a strategic plan to encourage more people to swim. Working together under this new strategic partnership, Alliance will be able to draw on this expertise to find the best solution for local authorities and leisure trusts when developing new facilities or upgrading their existing stock.

“Swimming is an inclusive activity that creates opportunities for engagement that few other facilities can match, but only with the right design, workforce programming and management. As the client services arm of Alliance Leisure, TA6 will work with Swim England to ensure the programming and technology implemented in pools and wet-side projects reflect the bespoke needs of the local population, delivering a financially sustainable service that delivers community value.”

Natalie McGuire, Senior Engagement Manager at Swim England who has been fundamental to developing this collaborative approach, said:

“Working with Alliance Leisure and TA6 to actively apply Swim England’s insight, knowledge and expertise provides leisure operators with a tested solution for commercial success.

This partnership is built, not only as a result of complementary products and services but through the alignment of shared values and cultures. We are delighted to be working alongside a sector leader who shares our passion for people first thinking. Together we look to reimagine aquatic provision both in terms of capital development and commercial delivery.”

Work Begins on Crystal & Halesowen Leisure Centres

Work has started this week on improvements to the changing rooms and swimming pools at Crystal Leisure Centre.

Building contractor Speller Metcalfe has moved in to demolish the existing changing facilities at the Stourbridge site while the centre is shut due to lockdown. Improvements are also planned for the leisure pool at the Bell Street centre.

Meanwhile work is set to start next month at Halesowen Leisure Centre, where a range of improvements have been earmarked including a new indoor children’s play area.

It comes as work is well under way on a new £18m leisure centre at Flood Street in Dudley.

A view of the new soft play from the cafe at Halesowen Leisure Centre

I'm pleased to see that work has started at Crystal Leisure Centre.
Regular users of the centre told us improvements were needed to the changing rooms. As a listening council we have got the ball rolling on that and contractors are in there this week ripping them out.
There's a lot happening with leisure centres at the moment. We are already seeing the new Dudley Leisure Centre taking shape but with the potential for improvements at Halesowen and Crystal, the future looks very bright for leisure centre users.

Ian Kettle

Cabinet Member, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council

The new Fitness Suite at Halesowen Leisure Centre

We are delighted to be working in partnership both Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council and Alliance Leisure to deliver both the Crystal and Halesowen leisure schemes.
During the build our focus will be creating significant employment opportunities for sub-contractors and suppliers from Dudley and the surrounding area, which as a local contractor we know will have an immediate positive impact for local businesses, alongside the transformation of the two centres.

Rob Lashford

Regional Director, Speller Metcalfe

The new Inclusive Fitness Suite at Halesowen Leisure Centre

Alliance Leisure is delighted to have been appointed as the Development Partner to refurbish both Crystal Leisure Centre and Halesowen Leisure Centre.
This extensive investment in the leisure portfolio will transform the leisure provision for residents throughout the borough, bringing new opportunities for everyone to enjoy a fantastic array of modern facilities.

Julia Goddard

Senior Business Development Manager, Alliance Leisure

The new Pool Hall at Halesowen Leisure Centre

Alliance Leisure will be managing the project in close liaison with Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council and all works will be delivered via the UK Leisure Framework, owned by Denbighshire Council and managed by Denbighshire Leisure.

Sarah Watts Appointed to ukactive Suppliers Council

Alliance Leisure are delighted to announce the appointment of our CEO, Sarah Watts, to the ukactive Suppliers Council.

The ukactive Suppliers Council serves as a voice for the wide variety of suppliers across ukactive’s membership base, with their duties ranging vastly in scope. They include:

Furthering the role of suppliers in cross-sector campaigns

Providing guidance on how legislation or existing guidance can be unified across ukactive

Sharing the opinions of suppliers with other ukactive councils and groups

Communicating information, whether research, data, or legislative, affecting the sector

Sarah herself shared her delight at the appointment:

It’s a great privilege to be included on the Suppliers Council, which serves a vital function in the success of ukactive. I look forward to contributing to the great work undertaken by the council to represent the many suppliers involved in our industry.

Sarah Watts

CEO, Alliance Leisure

Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Announced*

*But hurry, applications close January 10, 2021

(England Only)

Last month, the government introduced a new £1 billion grant funding scheme to encourage economic growth, cut carbon emissions and tackle climate change. Here, our CEO, Sarah Watts, looks at the huge opportunities this creates for leisure operators.

Why is the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme relevant for public sector leisure providers?

In the UK, it is estimated there are more than 2,720 ageing leisure centres, with many dating back to the 1970s. These buildings are inefficient money pits. This funding is designed to help English councils invest in energy saving measures to improve efficiencies and also to encourage councils to meet their legally required carbon neutral targets. Investing in works also creates employment, helping to re-energise the economy at a time when it is really needed.

What is the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme?

Through The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Government has launched its Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), providing grant funding for energy efficiency measures across the public sector in England.

PSDS will offer £1 billon of grant funding which aligns with BEIS’ new mission and priorities: fighting coronavirus, backing business, unleashing innovation and tackling climate change. The scheme will also encourage green investment, supporting the Government’s net zero and clean growth goals. It will reduce non-traded carbon emissions from the public sector equivalent to taking nearly 45,000 cars off the road.

The funding is available for capital sustainability and heat decarbonisation projects within public sector non-domestic buildings, including central government departments and non-departmental public bodies across England.

Public sector bodies can apply for a grant to finance 100 per cent of the costs of capital energy saving projects which meet the schemes criteria – and there is no minimum or maximum grant value.

The scheme is managed by the BEIS delivery body Salix Finance

Which projects might qualify for a grant?

To access the funding, councils must apply for big ticket, Cat1 technical equipment such as air or ground source heat pumps — the kind of upgrade with the potential to deliver significant decarbonisation. Applying for Cat1 equipment then unlocks opportunities to access funding for Cat2 and Cat3 equipment. There is no minimum or maximum cap on the grant, but applicants must evidence a return on investment delivered over the lifetime of the installation.

Who can apply for Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme funding?

As the registered owner of the building, only the local authority can submit an application. Leisure trusts and operators can support local authorities with an application, providing data to evidence the validity of the application and the estimated return on investment — partnership working is absolutely key.

Is Alliance Leisure working with any clients to access PSDS funding?

Yes. We are currently working with eight local authorities on applications for this funding, with potentially more to follow.

What is the application window?

The application window is very tight. The fund was only officially made available in October and the current closing dates for applications is January 10, 2021. There is also a caveat that agreed works must be completed by September 2021.

Is this grant only applicable for existing stock?

All new build developments will be decarbonised by legislation anyway, so this Grant Funding Scheme is specifically aimed at ageing stock.

How do you apply?

The application process is complex. Acting as a conduit for our clients, we are employing the expertise of our trusted partner, Leisure Energy, to facilitate applications. Delivering projects exponentially through the UK Leisure Framework means we can also access significant application discounts, which we pass directly on to our clients.

Time really is of the essence. We have just a few months to apply for £1 billion of funding before the opportunity closes. If you think your leisure stock could benefit from a Cat1 decarbonisation project, give us a call today to discuss the next steps.

Talk to us about the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme

Get In Touch

TA6 Launch Masterclass Series

The team at TA6 have announced an upcoming Masterclass Webinar series running online on Zoom from the 8th to 11th December from 1.30-2.30pm.

Designed to prepare those working in the leisure sector for 2021, the series covers the following areas:

Sales
Customer Service
Communication
Marketing

Book your place on an invidual course for £25 per person per webinar, or purchase access to entire series for just £50 per person.

Learn More About the Series and Register Your Place

ta6 masterclass series

Alliance Leisure supports the #SaveLeisure campaign

Alliance Leisure and TA6 fully support the #SaveLeisure campaign, recognising the devastating impact that the Covid-19 pandemic could wreak upon the sports and leisure facilities across the country.

#SaveLeisure is a digital campaign urging the UK Government to commit circa £800 million relief funding to enable the full reopening and recovery of the public leisure sector accounting for the catastrophic impact of Covid-19.

We have spent over 20 years supporting leisure operators, including our provision of freely available support and guidance during and after the UK’s lockdown period. We therefore see it as our duty as a business to back this essential campaign, for the good of both our industry and the health of our nation as a whole.

Alliance Delivers £4.5 Million Redevelopment at Two Leisure Venues in Hertsmere

More people in Hertsmere are experiencing the benefits of health and fitness facilities thanks to the £4.5 million refurbishment of Bushey Grove and Furzefield Leisure Centres delivered by Alliance Leisure.

Working in partnership with charitable Trust, InspireAll (formerly Hertsmere Leisure), who manage the sites on behalf of Hertsmere Borough Council, Alliance kept the doors of both centres open, ensuring business as usual throughout the nine-month project. Alliance engaged with Createability to deliver the build works as part of the package.

“Our brief was to design and carry out works that would improve the sustainability of the centres through the provision of services and facilities which match the evolving needs of the whole community and the creation of new revenue generating opportunities,” explains Tom Fairey, Senior Business Development Manager at Alliance Leisure. “I am pleased to say that the finished works tick both boxes at both sites.”

At Bushey Grove Leisure Centre, a mezzanine floor above the reception has added an impressive 7,800 sq ft to the gym and enabled the incorporation of a large, functional training space. A dedicated group cycle studio, hosting the latest Stages Flight cycles and a giant virtual experience screen, has also been added to enable the facility to offer round-the-clock classes.

Bushey Grove’s tired health suite has been remodeled to create a day-spa with its own reception and four treatment rooms. Visitors can enjoy an ice fountain, heated benches and bucket showers or can simply chill out in the new relaxation area, herbal sauna or aroma steam rooms. Changing areas have been renovated to ensure a luxury experience from start to finish.

Elsewhere, dry side changing rooms and the old creche have been converted into a cafe, new bathrooms, a staff room and a new creche. The old staff room is now a large party room with a folding acoustic wall that can open up to provide further cafe seating when necessary.

To complete the works, Bushey Grove’s swimming pool changing village has been lightly refurbished and features InspireAll’s branding and colours in keeping with the rest of the upgraded centre.

Furzefield Leisure Centre has also undergone major refurbishment. The centre’s tiny 6,900 sq ft soft play area has been transformed into party rooms and two of the existing sevencourt sports hall have been converted into a massive Soft Play and ‘XHeight’ Adventure Climbing facility suitable for all ages, with dedicated lobby, cafe and toilets.

As with Bushey Grove, the existing spa area has been remodeled to create a day spa with its own reception and four treatment rooms, reconfigured from a current studio. The spa includes: a relaxation area, salt inhalation room, ice fountain, feature shower, herbal sauna and aroma steam, as well as a bespoke, dedicated spa-specific changing area.

Like sister site Bushy Grove, Furzefield’s gym now offers a fully equipped functional training area as well as new equipment, including the Technogym SKILL range, including SKILLROW™, the SKILLMILL™ and the new SKILLRUN™ plus the latest connected equipment from Matrix. New vibrant wall graphics have also been added to help motivate customers to achieve new goals.

It also features an impressive immersive cycle studio hosting a full complement of Stages Flight cycles and a giant virtual experience screen.

The reception, back office and sales department have all received a cosmetic upgrade to ensure all areas reflect the InspireAll brand, along with new Paddy & Scott’s branded café’s.

Fairey adds: “Furzefield is a busy site but it had grown tired and was struggling to cater keep up with the leisure needs of the community. The recent works will help to retain existing users and also attract new segments of the market, creating a destination for all the family to enjoy some leisure time.”

Speaking about the developments, David Brame, Chief Executive of InspireAll, says: “This was a challenging project with significant crossover with the public, which was handled well. The finished facilities have been well received by our customers and will certainly help to strengthen user experience.

“Both leisure centres are an essential part of the community, already more individuals and groups are enjoying the quality of service and leisure experience these two centres now have to offer.”

Pembrey Country Park Celebrates Summer Success

Following a £1.4 million investment in a new visitor centre, function room and café, Carmarthenshire County Council is celebrating a bumper summer at Pembrey Country Park.

“Pembrey Country Park has always been one of Wales’ top visitor attractions but this summer has been extraordinary in terms of the number of visitors and income generated,” explains Neil Thomas Senior Outdoor Recreation Manager. “Over the summer holidays we have experienced a 10 per cent increase in footfall and a 15 per cent uplift in revenue on last year. There is little doubt that our success is due to the improvements we have made to our facilities.

“The natural beauty of the park, with its 500 acres of woodland and eight miles of golden sands has always attracted visitors but we felt we were not supporting the natural beauty with fit for purpose amenities. For example, we offered limited on site catering provision, in particular for the large numbers of guests staying on our caravan site. We were missing a trick from a customer experience and revenue generation point of venue.”

In 2017, Carmarthenshire County Council tasked Alliance Leisure, via the UK Leisure Framework, to design and build a 400 square foot visitor centre, function room and café. Works got underway in February and were completed in 21 weeks, ready for the summer season.

Neil Thomas, adds: “We took the decision to manage the café in house rather than rent the space to a third party. This has been a great decision. During July and August we served more than 50,000 customers.

“The function room has also been popular. So far, we have hosted children’s parties, corporate events and even have our first wedding booked for 2020. The space occupies 60 square feet and is extremely versatile, offering direct access to outside, the café and the restrooms.

Gillian Dunster, Business Development Manager at Alliance Leisure, says: “Our brief was to design and build facilities which would enhance the member experience and provide opportunities to generate new incomes, creating a sustainable future for the Park.

“The first two months of operation suggest that working in close partnership with the council, we have delivered on both counts. Pembrey County Park is an area of natural beauty and now provides visitors with the infra structure they need to fully enjoy all the activities on offer from dry slope skiing and crazy golf to adventure play, horse riding, camping and nature trails.”