Hastings Borough Council has renewed its leisure management contract with East Sussex-based Freedom Leisure. Current operator Freedom Leisure formally marked winning the new five year contract at an event held in the town’s Summerfields Leisure Centre last Thursday (8th March), where staff were formally notified and informed of exciting new plans.
Cllr Andy Batsford, the council’s lead member for leisure, was at the event, and said :- “Leisure is vitally important for our residents and visitors, and I am delighted that we can continue the fruitful partnership we have enjoyed with Freedom Leisure.
“The new contract builds on this, and includes free swimming for all over 75s and under 8s and for some under 16s, the recruitment of an active communities officer to improve the health and wellbeing of our residents, a new climbing wall, a new inflatable for our swimming pool, new gym and fitness equipment at Falaise and Summerfields, and improvements to the café at Summerfields.
“My family are regular users of Summerfields, and it was good to meet the staff there last Thursday. I am passionate about improving the health of our community, and I want everyone to share this passion!”
Ivan Horsfall-Turner, Freedom Leisure managing director, added :- “We are delighted to retain the leisure management contract here at Hastings. Our staff do a tremendous job, and retaining the contract is a tribute to the staff, and their hard work.
“We’ve been in Hastings for over 12 years, and have seen a 15% increase in users since then, with over 4.6 million visitors to our centres here in that time :- and we are teaching over 1000 children to swim each week.
“With Hastings Borough Council we have invested over £2m in our facilities here, and I am so pleased to be able to continue this partnership.
“And we also look forward to playing our part in the future of the Bohemia area, whose development is now being planned. In particular we are keen to help the council develop options for a brand new leisure centre in the area, which promises to be very exciting indeed.”