The future of a popular city-centre swimming and sports facility has been guaranteed after an extension to the current management contract was agreed.
Norwich City Council and Places Leisure have put pen to paper on a new deal that will see the company continue to manage Riverside Leisure Centre until March 2029.
The venue, which has been run by Places Leisure on behalf of the council since 2013, has bounced back strongly after it was forced to close during the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the past year membership numbers have surpassed pre-pandemic levels and 350,000 visits were recorded.
This positive news stands in contrast to the national picture which has seen large numbers of public pools close in recent years, with research showing 75% of council areas are at risk of closing leisure centres or reducing services.
At Riverside Leisure Centre people will continue to be able to enjoy the swimming pool, use the gym, take part in exercise classes, and even have birthday parties. Last year, the installation of a state-of-the-art Pool Pod increased accessibility to ensure people of all ages and ability could enjoy the pool. All the available activities can be found on the Norwich page on the Places Leisure website.
Under the terms of the management contract, Places Leisure will continue to ensure all employees are paid the real Living Wage and that anyone with a Go4Less card receives a discount on the cost of using the facilities.
Use of Riverside Leisure Centre is helping to improve residents’ physical and mental health, as well as providing wider benefits to the local community, which reduces demand on the NHS and other local services – this is calculated to provide social value of £2.2m to the city.
Councillor Adam Giles, cabinet member for communities and social inclusion, said:
“The continued success of Riverside Leisure Centre is fantastic news and over the last year it’s been great to see record numbers of visitors, showing how much the local community values using the centre to stay healthy and active.
“I’m delighted we have secured the centre’s future by extending the council’s contract with Places Leisure, ensuring that people in Norwich will have access to these important facilities for years to come.”
Dan Walker, Places Leisure Business Development Director, said:
“We are delighted to extend our partnership with Norwich City Council, as a social enterprise, delivering local services for local communities is at the heart of what we do. We look forward to ensuring the facility is fully inclusive and accessible to the whole community, whilst protecting this vital service for years to come.”
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