BH Live acquires East Dorset’s former Virgin Active site

BH Live, the South Coast’s leading operator of leisure and event venues, announces its latest acquisition in Corfe Mullen, East Dorset as part of its strategy to increase the quality of public health, wellbeing and activity centres across the region.

BH Live will now operate the site under the name BH Live Active, Corfe Mullen.

The site, formerly operated by Virgin Active, has been unoccupied for 24 months and now requires repairs and improvements ahead of its scheduled reopening later this year.

BH Live is set to invest a million pounds to update and improve the pool, gym, studios and community facilities. A Terrace Café and Bar is planned to complement this once vibrant community hub.

The latest Life Fitness equipment will be installed in the gym, and weekly group fitness classes will be programmed into the studios. A learn to swim programme for adults and children, together with the 813 Club and Kids’ Zone will help families to increase participation in physical activity together.

Further health and wellbeing activities will be introduced in partnership with local healthcare providers. These include an exercise referral activity programme aimed at encouraging and supporting people who are living with specific health conditions into physical activity.

Peter Gunn, BH Live’s Chief Executive says,

“This acquisition, together with the recent former Fitness First club in Bournemouth, is driven by our social objective to encourage more people, irrespective of fitness level or ability to take part in, and enjoy the benefits of physical activity.

“Expanding into Poole and across East Dorset is a significant development for us to grow our health and wellbeing programmes even further across the region.”

He adds,

“The support we have had from the local community has already been very encouraging and we are looking forward to launching a much improved facility with a greater range of activities in the coming months.”

Membership and ‘pay as you go’ options, will provide customers with choice and flexibility with details to be published soon.

In the meantime, customers are invited to register their interest in BH Live Active, Corfe Mullen at bhliveactive.org.uk/corfe-mullen.

-ENDS-

For more information, please contact:
Elizabeth Symmons, PR & Corporate Communications Executive
E: elizabeth.symmons@bhlive.org.uk

Notes to Editors

About BH Live
BH Live is the South Coast’s leading operator of leisure and event venues – a social enterprise that designs and builds engaging experiences to inspire people and enrich lives.

BH Live operates more than 40 sites across the UK including leisure centres, venues, cafés and bars.

With close to three million visits a year and nearly £35 million turnover, the organisation is changing lives – placing it at the heart of the UK’s growing social economy.

In 2014/15, BH Live hosted more than 400 events, sold over half a million cultural, sporting and entertainment tickets, clocked up close to 2.2 million leisure centre visits and welcomed 93,000 conference and exhibition delegates which contributed an estimated £37 million to the local economy through business tourism.