Leisure Centres and Swimming Pools - UK - September 2019

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Covered in this Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The market
Facility expansion feeds revenue growth
Figure 1: Forecast of public leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, 2014-24
Growth rates higher on the dry side
Figure 2: Leisure centre and swimming pool numbers, by type of facility, 2017-19
Fitness facilities pay their way
Figure 3: Leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, by segment, 2016-18
Policy focus can improve leisure centres’ health
Companies and brands
In-house operations coming back into fashion
Figure 4: Leisure centre and swimming pool numbers, by operator type, April 2019
The consumer
Women choosing to exercise elsewhere
Figure 5: Participation in health and fitness activities, July 2017-June 2019
Private sector defectors are warm targets for a comeback
Figure 6: Future interest in visiting public leisure centres and swimming pools, July 2017-June 2019
Swimming still the main motive for visiting
Figure 7: Participation in public leisure centre and swimming pool activities, June 2019
Value propositions can change perceptions of cost
Figure 8: Barriers to visiting public leisure centres and swimming pools, June 2019
Families are happiest
Figure 9: Overall satisfaction with public leisure centres and swimming pools, June 2019
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Leisure centres to gain from healthy new relationships
The facts
The implications
Facilities crisis is about quality as much as quantity
The facts
The implications
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
More facilities bring in more money
Expansion focuses on the dry side
Fitness facilities pay their way
Policy focus can improve leisure centres’ health
Budget pressures threaten future investment
MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Facility expansion feeds revenue growth
Figure 10: Public leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, 2014-24
Forecast
Figure 11: Forecast of public leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, 2014-24
Forecast methodology
MARKET SEGMENTATION
Facility growth rates higher on the dry side
Figure 12: Leisure centre and swimming pool numbers, by type of facility, 2015-19
Sporting image overshadows potential of secondary spend
Figure 13: Leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, by segment, 2015-19
MARKET DRIVERS
New policy positions expand opportunities for providers
Figure 14: Impact of regular physical activity on selected health risks, 2016
All pain and no gain for local authority budgets
Figure 15: Local authorities’ operating costs and central government funding, 2019/20 and 2020/25
Health-aware need nudging into action
Figure 16: Behaviours relating to healthy lifestyles, August 2018
Gym competition continues to strengthen
Figure 17: Private health and fitness club membership, May 2015-March 2019
COMPANIES AND BRANDS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
In-house operations coming back into fashion
GLL stays out in front
New facilities continue to open
Environmental sustainability supports financial viability
Providers push for exercise as medicine
MARKET SHARE
In-house operations show first signs of revival
Figure 18: Leisure centre and swimming pool numbers, by operator type, 2015-19
Market leader way out in front
Figure 19: Leading leisure centre and swimming pool operators, by revenue, 2018
LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
£150 million of new facilities open their doors...
...with another £200 million in the pipeline
New venues raising bar on sustainability
Monmouth goes hall in on swimming pool plan
Promotional partnerships targeting swim and gym
Providers push for exercise as medicine
Facilities aim to be more dementia friendly
COMPANY PROFILES
Greenwich Leisure Limited
Figure 20: Greenwich Leisure Limited key financials, 2014-18
Sport and Leisure Management Ltd
Figure 21: Sport and Leisure Management Ltd key financials, 2014-18
Places for People Limited
Figure 22: PfPL (Holdings) Limited key financials, 2014-18
Others
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Women choosing to exercise elsewhere
Private sector defectors are warm targets for a comeback
Swimming still the main motive for visiting
Value propositions can change perceptions of cost
Families are happiest
Quality and variety top the bill
USAGE AND CONSIDERATION
Fitness fashions see younger women make studio switch
Figure 23: Participation in health and fitness activities, July 2017-June 2019
Private sector defectors are warm targets for a comeback
Figure 24: Future interest in visiting public leisure centres and swimming pools, July 2017-June 2019
PARTICIPATION AND INTEREST
Swimming still the centre of the leisure experience
Figure 25: Participation in public leisure centre and swimming pool activities, June 2019
Fitness segment regains strength
Figure 26: Participation in public leisure centre fitness activities, July 2017-June 2019
A major focus on events
Figure 27: Participation in free and competitive public leisure centre and swimming pool sports events among 35-44 year olds, July 2018-June 2019
Centre users get beyond the pool and gym
Figure 28: Leisure centre and swimming pool activity repertoires, June 2019
BARRIERS TO VISITING
Value propositions can change perceptions of cost
Figure 29: Barriers to visiting public leisure centres and swimming pools, June 2019
A partnership approach to raising facility standards
Figure 30: Perception of public leisure centre and swimming pool facilities as being of poor quality, by participation in health and fitness activities outside these venues, June 2019
SATISFACTION
Families are happiest
Figure 31: Overall satisfaction with public leisure centres and swimming pools, June 2019
Facility users feel the quality...
Figure 32: Satisfaction with elements of public leisure centre and swimming pool experience, June 2019
...but are swimming pools starting to show their age?
Figure 33: Satisfaction with quality of leisure centre and swimming pool facilities, by activity, June 2019
KEY DRIVER ANALYSIS
Quality and variety top the bill
Figure 34: Key drivers of overall satisfaction with leisure centres and swimming pools, July 2019
Operators need to focus on technology
Figure 35: Overall satisfaction with leisure centres and swimming pools – key driver output, July 2019
Methodology
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATION AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Data sources
Abbreviations
Consumer research methodology
Key driver analysis
Interpretation of results
Figure 36: Overall satisfaction with leisure centres and swimming pools – key driver output, July 2019
Figure 37: Satisfaction with leisure centres and swimming pools – key driver output, July 2019
APPENDIX – MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Fan chart forecast
Figure 38: Forecast of public leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, 2019-24