Bristol to have three large ‘strategic’ leisure centres

Bristol will have three large leisure centres supported by a range of smaller facilities in future, according to plans being developed by the council.

Easton and Horfield leisure centres will be developed and, together with the Hengrove complex, will form the centrepiece of the city’s leisure facility offer.

The large leisure centres in deprived parts of east, north and south Bristol will be complemented by a variety of smaller facilities run by the council or owned and managed by the community.

Bristol City Council’s intentions for the city’s leisure facilities were revealed in a report that came before the ruling Labour group on March 9.

The report, setting out the local authority’s emerging strategy for leisure facilities, said it needed to focus investment on “strategic sites” serving the highest numbers of users and the areas of greatest deprivation, and with potential for expansion.

Hengrove, Horfield and Easton leisure centres are the council’s best used facilities, the report noted.

Easton Leisure Centre is one of the city’s best used facilities. Photo: Bristol24/7

Marvin Rees said the council needed to partner with private operators to ensure the survival of its leisure centres, especially in the face of growing competition from private gyms.

“Public investment needs to be driven by geographical need and particularly by social need as well, to help us tackle those inequalities of opportunity that also find their way into sport, sadly, and physical activity,” the mayor said.

“And that’s why this policy sets out a future intent to bring public investment to leisure centres in places of need and high deprivation.

“Our flagship leisure centres are Hengrove, Horfield and Easton, all three of which serve demographic bases of areas that are at higher levels of deprivation, they are well used, and have opportunities for expansion and investment.

“In addition, Bristol South (pool) and Henbury (leisure centre) have good levels of use and crucially also support areas of deprivation.

“We’re going to look to invest in these centres and look at the future of other sites too, including the possibility of community-led leisure centres where there is support. We will bring forward a future paper with a plan for investment and modernisation.”

The council intends to develop its leisure centre strategy further before releasing it for public consultation in 2021/22.

The report said: “The preferred approach at this stage is to develop two key strategic facilities in Easton and Horfield, serving areas of deprivation and offering mixed modality, accessible water and dry side activities.

“Investing predominantly in Horfield and Easton are the two sites with the greatest need and potential to enhance provision to support a more cost-effective business model of delivery.

“These two key strategic facilities together with a flagship facility at Hengrove, are supported by other council sites and by a range of community owned and managed facilities and activities. These include park facilities and older and smaller leisure facilities.”

A decision on the long-term future of Jubilee Pool in south Bristol will form part of the strategic approach, the report added.

Amanda Cameron is a local democracy reporter for Bristol.

Main photo: Everyone Active

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