Initial plans to significantly enhance Portsmouth’s flagship leisure centre have been unveiled.
BH Live is set to begin a new contract, in partnership with Portsmouth City Council, to operate Mountbatten Leisure Centre, Portsmouth Gymnastics Centre, Portsmouth Tennis Centre, Eastney Swimming Pool, Wimbledon Park Sports Centre and Charter Community Sports Centre, from February 2017.
Mountbatten Leisure Centre is set to be first to see a series of improvements as part of £3.4m investment across the six sites.
Fast ticket machines will be installed to assist customers and two new multi-purpose rooms created to accommodate additional activities and events. A Terrace Café with a new menu, improved seating and a soft play zone for pre-school aged children are also to be introduced within the first year. Additional children’s activities are currently being considered to boost the centre’s offer for young people and encourage greater participation in physical activity.
The investment at Mountbatten Leisure Centre forms part of the social enterprise’s commitment to work with Portsmouth City Council to develop its sporting, leisure and event venues, broaden public services and create a more active city. Further plans for the council’s other sporting, leisure and event venues are to be revealed in the New Year.
“This is a really exciting time for local residents as they will see our planned improvements taking shape during 2017, says Mike Lyons, BH Live’s Director of Sport and Leisure. “We are very much looking forward to working with the team at the venues, along with our partners and stakeholders, to make sure all of our proposed improvements enhance and improve what is already there. Combined with even more activities and events that we are looking to introduce in 2017 and beyond, our aim is to ultimately encourage more people to come and get more active with us.”
Cllr Linda Symes, the council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure & Sport, said: “Our new partnership with BH Live will transform Portsmouth’s leisure facilities and it is fantastic to see the first phases of this multi-million-pound vision. Residents across the city will benefit from the improvements to be made and this will make a real difference in helping to get more people active, improving health outcomes and taking pressure off of NHS and adult social care services.”
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors:
Photo-caption:
Images are artist’s impression of how the foyer at Mountbatten Leisure Centre, Portsmouth could look. Final designs to be confirmed.
Courtesy of footprintarchitects
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 more than three million visits a year and over £36.5 million turnover, the organisation is changing lives – placing it at the heart of the UK’s growing social economy.
In 2015/16 BH Live hosted more than 500 events, sold over half a million cultural, sporting and entertainment tickets. They welcomed 2.6 million visits into its leisure centres and 118,000 conference and exhibition delegates into its venues. This contributed an estimated £66.3 million to the local economy through business and cultural tourism.
Get social with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter @BHLIVE_UK