Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Products covered in this Report
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Decline in centre numbers sees market size drop
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- Figure 1: Forecast of leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, 2013-23
- Companies and brands
- In-house management continues to slip as Trusts increase share
- Greenwich Leisure Limited remains on top
- Second push for wellness hubs
- Technology is making access simpler
- #LoveSwimming campaign
- The consumer
- Visitation down
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- Figure 2: Participation in health and fitness activities, July 2017 and July 2018
- Potential future use dips
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- Figure 3: Previous usage of public leisure centres and future consideration in non-users, July 2017 and July 2018
- Swimming remains most common activity
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- Figure 4: Participation in leisure centre activities, July 2018
- Interest in activities on the rise
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- Figure 5: Interest in leisure centre activities, July 2017 and July 2018
- Users looking for ways to stay active but more likely to visit with a friend
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- Figure 6: Agreement with statements relating to staying active and leisure centre/swimming pools usage, July 2018
- A third struggle to find information on local sport and exercise
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- Figure 7: Agreement with statement ‘I find it difficult to find out where to take part in sport and exercise locally’, July 2018
- Dedicated swim sessions most in demand but facility improvements also required
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- Figure 8: Factors encouraging swimming participation, July 2018
- Positives of swimming known but confidence in ability is lacking
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- Figure 9: Agreement with statements relating to swimming and swimming pools, July 2018
- Pool cleanliness an issue but facilities seen to be improving
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- Figure 10: Agreement with statement ‘I think the standard of leisure centre/swimming pool facilities is improving’, July 2018
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- How can sites with no swimming pool compete against low-cost private gyms?
- The facts
- The implications
- How can more people be encouraged to swim?
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Market size drops with site numbers
- Decline in centre numbers driven by dry sites
- Centres dependent on swimming lessons and gyms
- Investment will take time to show
Market Size and Forecast
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- Decline in centre numbers sees market size drop
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- Figure 11: Leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, 2013-23
- Forecast
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- Figure 12: Forecast of leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, 2013-23
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
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- Dry sites are drying up
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- Figure 13: Leisure centres and swimming pool numbers, by type of facility, 2014-18
- Revenue drops to reflect fall in site numbers
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- Figure 14: Leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, by segment, 2014-18
Market Drivers
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- Redevelopments mean improved standards
- Push from government and governing bodies
- Operators meeting consumers’ appetite for physical activity
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- Figure 15: Agreement with statement ‘I am looking for more ways to stay active than in the past’, by age and gender, July 2018
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- In-house management continues to slip as Trusts increase share
- Greenwich Leisure Limited remains on top
- Second push for wellness hubs
- Technology is making access simpler
- #LoveSwimming campaign
Market Share
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- In-house management continues to slip as Trusts increase share
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- Figure 16: Leisure centre and swimming pool numbers, by operator type, 2014-18
- Greenwich Leisure Limited remains on top
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- Figure 17: Leading operators of leisure centres and swimming pools, by turnover and centre numbers, July 2018
Companies and Brands
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- Greenwich Leisure Limited
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- Figure 18: Greenwich Leisure Limited key financials, 2013-17
- Sports and Leisure Management Ltd
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- Figure 19: Sports and Leisure Management Ltd key financials, 2013-17
- Places for People Limited
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- Figure 20: Places for People Limited key financials, 2013/14-2016/17
- Fusion Lifestyle
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- Figure 21: Fusion Lifestyle key financials, 2013-16
- Parkwood Leisure Limited
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- Figure 22: Parkwood Leisure Limited key financials, 2014-17
- Freedom Leisure
- Serco Leisure
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- Figure 23: Serco Leisure Operating Limited key financials, 2014-17
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Second push for wellness hubs
- Technology is making access simpler
- #LoveSwimming campaign
- Addressing swimming teacher shortage
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Visitation down
- Potential future use dips
- Swimming remains most common activity
- Interest in activities on the rise
- Users looking for ways to stay active but more likely to visit with a friend
- A third struggle to find information on local sport and exercise
- Dedicated swim sessions most in demand
- Pool cleanliness an issue but facilities seen to be improving
Usage and Consideration
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- Visitation down
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- Figure 24: Participation in health and fitness activities, July 2017 and July 2018
- Potential future use dips
- Women more of a potential target than men
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- Figure 25: Previous usage of public leisure centres and future consideration in non-users, July 2017 and July 2018
- Non-visitors more engaged in physical activity
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- Figure 26: Participation in health and fitness activities, by visitation to public leisure centres and swimming pools, July 2018
Participation and Interest in Leisure Centre Activities
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- Swimming remains most common activity
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- Figure 27: Participation in leisure centre activities, July 2018
- Swimming just part of exercise habits
- Participation more common amongst men and younger visitors
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- Figure 28: Participation in leisure centre activities, by age and gender, July 2018
- Changes in participation levels
- Appetite for fitness classes remains strong
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- Figure 29: Participation and interest in leisure centre activities, July 2018
- Interest in activities on the rise
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- Figure 30: Interest in leisure centre activities, July 2017 and July 2018
Attitudes towards Exercise and Leisure Centre Usage
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- Users looking for more ways to stay active
- Most are more likely to visit with a friend
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- Figure 31: Agreement with statements relating to staying active and leisure centre/swimming pools usage, July 2018
- Young women who cohabit are likely to visit with friends
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- Figure 32: Leisure centres and swimming pools – CHAID – Tree output, July 2018
- A third struggle to find information on local sport and exercise
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- Figure 33: Agreement with statement ‘I find it difficult to find out where to take part in sport and exercise locally’, July 2018
Frequency of Swimming
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- A quarter swim weekly
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- Figure 34: Swimming frequency at leisure centres, July 2018
Encouraging Swimming Participation
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- Dedicated swim sessions most in demand
- Facility improvements would encourage a fifth
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- Figure 35: Factors encouraging swimming participation, July 2018
- Younger consumers more open to encouragement
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- Figure 36: Factors encouraging swimming participation, by age, July 2018
- Positives of swimming known…
- …but confidence in ability is lacking
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- Figure 37: Agreement with statements relating to swimming and swimming pools, July 2018
- Majority swim for fun
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- Figure 38: Agreement with statement ‘I am more likely to swim for fun than for serious exercise’, July 2018
Future Developments and Opportunities
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- Pool cleanliness an issue but facilities seen to be improving
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- Figure 39: Agreement with statement ‘I think the standard of leisure centre/swimming pool facilities is improving’, July 2018
- Half expect the latest technology
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- Figure 40: Agreement with statements relating to technology at leisure centre/swimming pools, July 2018
- Half of visitors would buy something in an emergency
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- Figure 41: Agreement with statement ‘I would buy something from a leisure centre in an emergency’, July 2018
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- Methodology
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- Figure 42: Factors encouraging swimming participation, July 2018
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- Figure 43: Leisure centre and swimming pool behaviours, July 2018
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Forecast methodology
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- Figure 44: Forecast of leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, 2013-23
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