Leisure Connection Ltd
Encyclopedia
Leisure Connection Ltd is a fitness
and leisure
provider and manager of facilities on behalf of local government, national sporting bodies and businesses in UK.
In recent years Leisure Connection has faced increasing competition for local authority contracts, not just from other companies but also from not-for-profit leisure trusts. It has sought to replace the dwindling margins of traditional contracts with private finance initiative
s and. more recently, running facilities owned by other companies including hotels.
Leisure Connection's reputation has not been helped by frequent changes of Chief Executive, reports of poor standards, contracts terminated by dissatisfied councils, and involvement in the Clissold Leisure Centre, a new built facility that opened in February 2002 and closed in November 2003. In 2006, while Clissold was still closed, Hackney Council and Leisure Connection agreed to end their contract.
Since 2008, the Leisure Connection brand has been replaced to a large extent by Harpers Fitness. Other brands that belong to Leisure Connection include Camp Energy, Aqua Action Swim School, Learning Hub, Venue Connect, Planet Action and Party Animals.
and council reports. It also uses the Freedom of Information Act 2000
to find out more about Leisure Connection's performance and how councils are monitoring and managing this. Since February 2006 LCW produced a summary of referenced findings called "The Leisure Connection Dossier."
Physical fitness
Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
and leisure
Leisure
Leisure, or free time, is time spent away from business, work, and domestic chores. It is also the periods of time before or after necessary activities such as eating, sleeping and, where it is compulsory, education....
provider and manager of facilities on behalf of local government, national sporting bodies and businesses in UK.
Background
Leisure Connection was formed from the merger of Relaxion and Circa leisure companies and is now part of the multinational Danoptra Group. In 2008, the Cognetas investment company, formerly Electra Partners Europe, sold their interest in Danoptra to Credit Suisse.In recent years Leisure Connection has faced increasing competition for local authority contracts, not just from other companies but also from not-for-profit leisure trusts. It has sought to replace the dwindling margins of traditional contracts with private finance initiative
Private Finance Initiative
The private finance initiative is a way of creating "public–private partnerships" by funding public infrastructure projects with private capital...
s and. more recently, running facilities owned by other companies including hotels.
Leisure Connection's reputation has not been helped by frequent changes of Chief Executive, reports of poor standards, contracts terminated by dissatisfied councils, and involvement in the Clissold Leisure Centre, a new built facility that opened in February 2002 and closed in November 2003. In 2006, while Clissold was still closed, Hackney Council and Leisure Connection agreed to end their contract.
Since 2008, the Leisure Connection brand has been replaced to a large extent by Harpers Fitness. Other brands that belong to Leisure Connection include Camp Energy, Aqua Action Swim School, Learning Hub, Venue Connect, Planet Action and Party Animals.
Criticism
Started in 2004, Leisure Connection Watch is a consumer website featuring reports that question the performance of Leisure Connection Ltd. LCW relies mainly on items from local papers, the Audit CommissionAudit Commission
The Audit Commission is a public corporation in the United Kingdom.The Commission’s primary objective is to improve economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local government, housing and the health service, directly through the audit and inspection process and also through value for money...
and council reports. It also uses the Freedom of Information Act 2000
Freedom of Information Act 2000
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that creates a public "right of access" to information held by public authorities. It is the implementation of freedom of information legislation in the United Kingdom on a national level...
to find out more about Leisure Connection's performance and how councils are monitoring and managing this. Since February 2006 LCW produced a summary of referenced findings called "The Leisure Connection Dossier."
Key facts and figures
- Over 80 centres
- Managing 3 Sport EnglandSport EnglandSport England is the brand name for the English Sports Council and is a non-departmental public body under the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
National Sports CentresNational Sports CentresThere are five National Sports Centres as part of Sport England's strategy to create an elite of English grown world class sporting talent:* Bisham Abbey* Crystal Palace* Holme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre* Lilleshall...
at Bisham AbbeyBisham AbbeyBisham Abbey is a Grade I listed manor house at Bisham in the English county of Berkshire. The name is taken from the now lost monastery which once stood alongside. Bisham Abbey was previously named Bisham Priory, and was the traditional resting place of many Earls of Salisbury...
, LilleshallLilleshall HallLilleshall Hall is a large former country house and estate located near Lilleshall in Shropshire, England. It was founded as an Augustinian Abbey in the 12th century, with its estate running to some...
and Holme Pierrepont National Watersports CentreHolme Pierrepont National Watersports CentreThe National Watersports Centre, Holme Pierrepont is located in the hamlet of Holme Pierrepont near Nottingham, England and on the River Trent.... - Managing the centre of excellence for disability sport at Stoke Mandeville StadiumStoke MandevilleStoke Mandeville is a village and also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district to the south-east of Aylesbury in the county of Buckinghamshire, England. Although a separate civil parish, the village falls within the Aylesbury Urban Area...
- 28 centres with squash courts
- 32 with badminton courts
- 91 swimming pools ranging from 50 metre pools to teaching pools, baby splash pools and leisure pools
- 22 centres with indoor or outdoor tennis courts
- 5 centres with golf courses
- 11 centres with football pitches
- 50,000 Harpers gym members
- Over 40,000 children learning to swim each week
- 25 million visitors each year
- 4,500 employees
External links
- Leisure Connection corporate website
- Leisure Connection Watch - consumer site monitoring the performance of Leisure Connection and with further information on its history and activities
- Not the Clissold Leisure Centre - protest site about the Centre