A scheme to get more people active in Bournemouth has completed with the transformation of Fitness First’s inaugural venue – from a private members club into a thriving community hub.
BH Live, a social enterprise, took over the operation of the venue in 2016 and rapidly branded it under the BH Live Active marque.
BH Live Active, Queen’s Park has since been transformed with multi-site membership and pay-as-you-go gym, swim and 90+ weekly group exercise classes.
Functional fitness activities including BH Live’s own brand of gym-based group exercise classes; Power, Primal, Play and Pulse, have broadened the programme and are attracting new customers.
More recently, the 385sqm gym has improved with brand new equipment, including Life Fitness resistance and cardio machines, free weights, a functional rig and lifting platform. Its spinning studio has been kitted out with 36 new bikes. The introduction of wearable technology MyZone enables customers to track and maximise their training.
Its Terrace café has been refurbished to a high specification. Energy saving initiatives, including new lighting installations, improve ambience and are set to reduce CO2 emissions by more than half over the next five years.
When we took over the venue, it was need of an overhaul to improve customer satisfaction, broaden its appeal and bring it up to our standards, says Mike Lyons, BH Live’s Director for Sport and Leisure.
“Now two years on, BH Live Active, Queen’s Park is in great shape and improving all the time. Attendances have increased to 18,500 visits a month. Exercise referral, cancer survivorship programmes and activities for younger people are attracting new customers. Finally the venue has greater community and social appeal with more people coming through the doors to use the café and our recreational areas.”
Further plans to boost the venue’s aquatic programme, spa and green credentials will be developed over the next year.
Peter Gunn, BH Live’s Chief Executive adds, “Our proposition across the south of England is going from strength to strength. Through continued investment and by broadening our activity programme, public facilities are being improved, we are appealing to the wider community, targeting underrepresented groups and people on low income. Consequently more people of all ages and abilities are getting active and experiencing its social, health and wellbeing benefits.”
Find out more about BH Live Active, Queen’s Park and other venues in the region at bhliveactive.org.uk.
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Notes to Editors:
Planned BH Live investment at the venue was circa £430K
The venue has more than 18,500 monthly attendances. Customers can access activities either on a pay-as-you-go basis or via membership.
Customers can try the venue for free by downloading a free guest pass from bhliveactive.org.uk
About BH Live Active, Queen’s Park
In January 2016 BH Live, acquired the lease to operate the former Fitness First club as part of its health and wellbeing expansion strategy across the south of England.
It was renamed BH Live Active, Queen’s Park.
Based in the Queen’s Park area of Bournemouth, the venue is popular with the local community and features a gym, aerobics studio, spin studio, swimming pool, sauna, steam room, Terrace Café and crèche.
There are more than 90 weekly exercise classes to cater for all fitness levels.
For more visit bhliveactive.org.uk
Get social with us on Facebook and Twitter @BHLIVE_UK @bhliveactive
For more information about BH Live please contact:
Elizabeth Symmons, PR & Corporate Communications Executive
E: press.office@bhlive.org.uk
T: (01202) 055562
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.
With 3.4 million visits a year and over £39 million turnover, the organisation is changing lives – placing it at the heart of the UK’s growing social economy.
In 2016/17 BH Live hosted more than 500 events, sold over half a million cultural, sporting and entertainment tickets. They had 2.9 million activity attendances in its leisure centres and welcomed 100,000 conference and exhibition delegates into its venues. This contributed an estimated £44 million to the local economy through business and cultural tourism. For more visit bhlive.org.uk
Get social with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter @BHLIVE_UK