Southwark Council will not renew its contract with Fusion-Lifestyle, which runs the borough’s leisure centres.
New leisure managers, Sport and Leisure Management Ltd, will take control this June on an initial seven-year contract. They were chosen over Fusion as a result of a ‘blind’ procurement process, in which the council chose a new provider based on what individual services could be provided.
Councillor Barrie Hargrove, Southwark Council Cabinet Member for Public Health, Parks and Leisure, said in his report at last week’s cabinet meeting that it was currently a “very exciting time for leisure in Southwark.”
He added: “Since 2010 annual visits to our leisure centres have jumped from 900,000 to 1.4 million visits, so it is only right to recognise the contribution our outgoing leisure providers Fusion have made to this, as well as our free swim and gym scheme. Providing the best facilities and service we can has always been important to us, which is why we asked residents who use the centres to help assess customer service during the new contract process. Our new providers Sports and Leisure Management LTD will no doubt work hard to bring in a new era for all our centres across the borough, making them the best they can be for our residents.”
Very annoying. I have just joined a Fusion club at the Barbican. Partly so I could use this club when it FINALLY opens.