18-19 LEISURE CENTRES:Layout 1 9/4/08 15:53 Page 2
LEISURE CENTRES & HEALTH CLUBS
Sports complex has a Harpers Gym opens
£150,000 makeover
at the National Water
The Sir Matt Busby Sports
Sports Centre
Complex has enjoyed a makeover Leisure Connection has opened
as part of North Lanarkshire its latest Harpers Gym at the
Leisure’s investment strategy. National Water Sport Centre at
Three rooms have been Holme Pierrepont Nottingham,
converted into one to create a one of the national sports centres
new 330sq m gym space, which it operates. The new gym features
has been equipped by Life £120,000 worth of the latest
Fitness. The area features 45 Technogym equipment giving local
stations, 26 integrated screen people the perfect opportunity to
cardiovascular and 16 Signature get fit away from the water.
and Cable Motion resistance Holme Pierrepont, operated by
machines as well as benches Leisure Connection, is one of the
Functional fitness in Harbour
and free weights. first Leisure Connection centres
North Lanarkshire Leisure, the across their nationwide estate to
club’s £400,000 revamp
trust which operates the install the new Technogym range. Escape Fitness has created ‘functional fitness space’ at Notting Hill’s
complex, has invested £150,000 The gym was opened by exclusive Harbour Club as part of a £400,000 revamp.
in the new facility to increase representatives from Sport The area features free weights, cables, medicine balls and
member numbers. “With a England and Nottinghamshire performance equipment including plyometric boxes and kettle balls.
bigger gym and better County Council. The new gym is Currently, around 10% of members regularly take personal training
equipment supplied by Life available for the local community and Fitness and Studio Manager, Sam Jones, says the new area will
Fitness, we can provide a higher as well as providing a training help the club boost this growing business. “This area used to house
quality of service, attract more home to some of the countries rowing machines and space for stretching, but was completely under
users and generate further top water sports athletes. The utilised. It’s now become the heart of the gym and is always in use,
income for investment,” says gym enjoys impressive views particularly by our personal trainers who can conduct complete
Blane Dodds, Chief Executive, across the 2km regatta lake workouts there.”
North Lanarkshire Leisure. creating the perfect environment A separate boxing fitness training area has also been created
This is the fourth club to have for people of all ages and abilities meaning members can now benefit from a completely new training
been redeveloped by Life to exercise and keep active. experience through the introduction of a full size boxing training ring
Fitness as part of the trust’s Simon Ricketts Leisure and a number of hanging boxing stations.
programme of investment in Connection’s Contract Manager The redevelopment also includes three personal training pods –
products and services. said: “The investment into our designed areas where members can work out in privacy either alone
The Sir Matt Busby Sports Harpers Gym is fantastic news for or with a personal trainer. Each pod is equipped with free weights
Complex is located in Bellshill the community as well as the ranging from 1kg to 20kg, medicine balls, stability balls and a set of
and also offers a group exercise current users of the centre. Leisure wobble boards as well as a Life Fitness Adjustable Pulley.
studio, a 25m swimming pool, a Connection, in partnership with
separate teaching pool, a multi- Sport England is committed to
purpose sports hall, a health supporting more people who want
Hatfield leisure centre
suite with sauna cabins, a steam to become more active more
enjoys membership boost
room and plunge pool, as well often. We hope that our new gym
as a range of beauty treatments. will encourage those who aren’t The link between top quality high profile training equipment and
North Lanarkshire Leisure exercising to come along and see membership figures has been proven at Hatfield Leisure Centre. When the
operates 15 sites as well as 80 what all the fuss is about and to Finesse Leisure Partnership installed three Power Plate® machines into a
outdoor facilities with a turnover make exercise and physical activity converted alcove at the Hatfield Swimming Centre, they saw a significant
of £13m a year. a part of their everyday lifestyle.” number of new and upgraded memberships as a result. The three
machines, were installed in a new studio space previously only used as an
Sport centres losses stemmed
alcove within the centre, making the most of the minimal space required
and essentially turning ‘dead space’ into a revenue generating area.
Private sector expertise has turned around the financial fortunes of Marketing Manager Dave Shaw said, “Installing the machines has
cash-strapped Coventry Sports Trust. been a fantastic investment for the centre. We offered free trial
Quality Leisure Management has stemmed three years of losses at sessions, and have had an excellent response rate, with new
the trust which runs Coventry’s main public leisure facilities. members signing up, and existing members upgrading their current
These include Coventry Sports Centre at Fairfax Street, Foleshill membership package to include use of the new machines. The word
baths and Brandon Wood golf course - all owned by the city council. of mouth recommendations have also been well above our
The trust also runs the fitness centre at the Ricoh Arena - which expectations. We have had people coming into the centre specifically
contributed to the £700,000 losses which the trust ran up in 2006/7. to try the machines because they have heard about how good they
This year, for the first time in three years, the trust won’t be asking are. To be able to get potential members into the centre on the
the city council for a top-up of its £1.84m grant. strength of one piece of equipment is quite remarkable.”
www.ukleisurenews.co.uk March / April 2008 UK LEISURE NEWS 19
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