BH Live, the registered charity and social enterprise that operates leisure centres and venues across the BCP region, is investing more than £350K at Littledown to revamp the gym’s changing facilities.
In response to customer feedback and to encourage more people to be more active in their local leisure centre, visitors can expect new lockers, showers, vanity mirrors, toilets, flooring, energy-efficient lighting, and much more.
The female, male and accessible gym changing rooms will temporarily close from Saturday 29 March 2025. Work is estimated to take up to 10 weeks to complete.
Customers can use the swimming changing rooms or arrive at the centre ready to train and shower at home. Alternative gym and changing facilities are also available at Stokewood, Pelhams, Sir David English Sports Centre, BH Live Active, Corfe Mullen and BH Live Active, Queen’s Park.
All activities, including swimming, swimming lessons, swimming pool changing rooms, the gym, and group exercises classes are operating as usual.
Littledown is managed by BH Live in partnership with BCP Council.
On behalf of BH Live, Rob Cunningham, Director of Leisure and Business Development, shared;
“Littledown is Bournemouth’s flagship leisure centre. It is a thriving community hub open seven days a week, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors every year and popular with local people, schools, clubs, and community groups.
“Following customer feedback, we are delighted to announce this much-needed investment which will modernise and totally transform the centre’s male, female and accessible gym changing rooms. We think this will be very welcome news indeed and we can’t wait to get started.”
The works are to be carried out by Seascape South, BCP Council’s wholly owned construction company.
Set in 47 acres of parkland Littledown is easily accessible by car, foot, and public transport. As the region’s largest leisure centre, it offers some of the best fitness classes, swimming, sport, and gym facilities in the local area. The centre’s sports hall and multiple outdoor pitches are popular with visitors and local clubs. Littledown is also home to BH Live’s local football league for children, Littledown Juniors.
Group exercise classes run seven days a week in the centre’s fitness studios and include group cycling, Les Mills™, yoga, and many more. The centre has a large well-equipped gym with dedicated fitness zones including cardio equipment, free weights, functional fitness spaces and more.
There is a 25-metre swimming pool with lane swimming, public swimming sessions and pool-based classes and lessons. There is also a smaller 17-metre teaching pool for little ones and lessons. A spa area is equipped with sauna and steam rooms.
Open to members and non-members is Littledown’s Terrace Café and Lookout at Littledown Bar (18+ only), each with free customer WiFi. Here you customers can buy all sorts of snacks, meals and drinks to enjoy indoors or outdoors for al fresco refueling, eating, drinking and socialising. A soft play facility for the under 5s is also available within the café.
For more information about Littledown, visit bhliveactive.org.uk/littledown.
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors:
For more information about BH Live please contact:
Daisy Saunders, PR & Communications Executive
E: press.office@bhlive.org.uk
About BH Live
Champions of community engagement, health and wellness across Dorset, Hampshire, and London
BH Live, a registered charity and social enterprise, is a leading operator of sports and leisure centres, theatres, and event venues. Our vision is to create sustainable and inspiring opportunities, deliver great experiences for our communities, and improve health and well-being.
With a strong commitment to accessibility and community engagement, BH Live continues to enhance the quality of people’s lives, health and wellbeing in the communities it serves.
BH Live was established in 2010. Local authority partners include BCP Council, Portsmouth City Council and Croydon Council.
We are at the heart of the UK’s growing social economy. Together with our partners we are helping to change lives and make a positive impact in the community.
For more visit bhlive.org.uk.
Get social with us: LinkedIn, X – @BHLIVE_UK | Facebook @SocialEnterpriseBHLive | Instagram @bhliveuk
BH Live is a leisure and cultural trust, established in 2010 as a ‘non profit distributing organisation’ (NPDO) for public benefit to promote participation in leisure and cultural events. BH Live is a Company Limited by Guarantee and Registered Charity. Charity No: 1138311. Company No: 07092112. VAT Reg No: 108 2248 37. BH Live (Enterprises) Ltd, is a Private Company Limited by Shares and a wholly owned subsidiary of BH Live. Company No: 07175626. VAT Reg No: 108 2248 37. Registered Office: Bournemouth International Centre, Exeter Road, Bournemouth, BH2 5BH. Registered in England and Wales.
About Littledown Centre
Littledown is operated by the registered charity BH Live in partnership with BCP Council.
Set in 47 acres of parkland, Littledown has some of the finest leisure, swimming, football and gym facilities in the country.
It is ranked among the top performing leisure centres in the UK, is accredited by quality scheme QUEST and is a National Fitness Award winner for the Local Authority/Leisure Trust Gym of the Year and finalist for the Best Group Exercise Gym of the Year.
It has more than 1.2 million attendances a year and is home to clubs including BH Live’s Swimming Academy, Swim Bournemouth, Littledown Juniors Football Club and Play Football. Indoor facilities include 25-metre and 17-metre swimming pools for lane swimming, public swimming sessions, pool-based classes and lessons. There is also a splash pool, steam room and sauna.
The venue has one of the largest gyms in the region complete with activity programmes for young people, and support for people recovering from an illness, injury or who are living with a long-term health condition. There are multiple training zones with ground level and lift access. There is something to suit every activity preference and level of fitness with cardio equipment, free weights and functional fitness training space. Hundreds of group exercise classes run seven days a week such as Group Cycle sessions, circuits, yoga, Pilates, HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) and Les Mills™ classes including BodyBalance, BodyPump, BodyCombat, BodyAttack, Sprint and more.
There is a large sports hall for events and multi-sport activities including trampolining, badminton, table tennis, football and gymnastics. Open to members and non members is Littledown’s Terrace Café (with soft play for under 5s) and Lookout at Littledown Bar (18+ only), each with free customer WiFi. Here you can buy all sorts of snacks, meals and drinks to enjoy indoors or outdoors for al fresco refueling, eating, drinking and socialising.
Outdoor features include six floodlit 3G rubber crumb training pitches, grass football pitches, parkland for recreation and events, a cricket pitch and pavilion, lake, children’s playground, a paddling pool (open summer months only), outdoor catering and free customer parking for up to three hours seven days a week. Littledown Park is also home to Littledown Miniature Railway.
ANPR is in operation at BH Live Active, Littledown. Customers get free customer parking for up to 3 hours seven days a week. Charges apply for longer stays.
For more visit bhliveactive.org.uk/littledown
Get social with us: Instagram @bhliveactive | Facebook @littledowncentre