Leisure Centres and Swimming Pools - UK - September 2016

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Covered in this Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The market
Better facilities boost market value
Figure 1: Forecast of leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, 2011-21
Spas and lattés refresh the revenue mix
Figure 2: Leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, by segment, 2016
Companies and brands
10-year trends see in-house management halved
Figure 3: Leisure centre and swimming pool numbers, by operator type, April 2016
The consumer
Leisure centres stem the tide of falling penetration rates
Figure 4: Leisure centre and swimming pool visitors, June 2015 and July 2016
Child’s play pulls in parents
Figure 5: Period of leisure centre and swimming pool use, July 2016
Growth potential high on the dry side
Figure 6: Most popular leisure centre and swimming pool activities, July 2016
Wellness facilities good for leisure centres’ financial health
Figure 7: Use of non-sport facilities at public leisure centres and swimming pools, July 2016
Improvements made at a higher price
Figure 8: Changes to experience of public leisure centres and swimming pools, July 2016
Lapsed visitors most willing to get back in the pool
Figure 9: Non-visitors of public leisure centres and swimming pools, July 2016
Cash-strapped young feeling the burn
Figure 10: Reasons for not visiting public leisure centres and swimming pools, July 2016
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
How big a threat is the rise of the low-cost private gym?
The facts
The implications
Where will new leisure centre and swimming pool users come from?
The facts
The implications
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Better facilities boost value and appeal
Spas, swimming lessons and lattés to refresh the revenue mix
Activating the inactive is key to user number growth
Outsourcing offers escape route from funding crisis
Budget gyms muscle in on leisure centre crowd
MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
New facilities sustain centres’ appeal
Figure 11: Leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, 2011-21
Forecast
Figure 12: Forecast of leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, 2011-21
Forecast methodology
The impact of the EU referendum vote
Fitness fans keep jogging on
A different ball game to 2008/09
SEGMENT PERFORMANCE
Facility stock grows slightly but improves significantly
Figure 13: Leisure centre and swimming pool numbers, by type of facility, 2014-16
Swimming and spas refreshing the revenue mix
Figure 14: Leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, by segment, 2014-16
MARKET DRIVERS
Activating the inactive presents an opportunity for growth
Figure 15: Proportion of adults who would like to be more active, by current active status, 2011/12-2015/16
Spending squeeze sparks rush to outsourcing
Figure 16: Local government spending on arts, museums, libraries, leisure and parks, 2010/11-2019/20
Incomes rise, but value focus remains
Figure 17: Personal disposable income trends, 2010-20
Can new sport policy improve leisure centres’ health?
Figure 18: Actions considered important to staying healthy, August 2015
Budget gyms park their tanks on leisure centres’ lawns
Figure 19: Private health and fitness club user numbers, 2011-21
Bring your own tech
Figure 20: Most interesting applications of wearable technology, September 2015
KEY PLAYERS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Trust sector doubles facility share inside a decade
Greenwich Leisure clocks up another expansion milestone
New sports, new demographics, new opportunities
Pooled enthusiasm takes swimming back to its future
MARKET SHARE
10-year trends see in-house management halved
Figure 21: Leisure centre and swimming pool numbers, by operator type, 2014-16
100 club gains another member
Figure 22: Leading operators of leisure centres and swimming pools, by turnover and centre numbers, August 2016
COMPANIES AND BRANDS
Greenwich Leisure Limited
Figure 23: Greenwich Leisure Limited key financials, 2013-15
Sports and Leisure Management Ltd
Figure 24: Sports and Leisure Management Limited key financials, 2013-15
Places for People Leisure
Figure 25: Places for People Leisure key financials, 2013/14 and 2014/15
Fusion Lifestyle
Figure 26: Fusion Lifestyle key financials, 2013-15
Parkwood Leisure Limited
Figure 27: Parkwood Leisure Limited key financials, 2014 and 2015
Serco Leisure Operating Limited
Figure 28: Serco Leisure Operating Limited key financials, 2012-14
LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
Single-sex swimming aims to build women’s confidence
Alternative sports appealing to a younger crowd
Swimming strategy turns the page
A new concept of school sport
Heritage pools rebooted
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Leisure centres stem the tide of falling penetration rates
Child’s play pulls in parents
Growth potential high on the dry side
Wellness facilities to improve centres’ financial health
Improvements made at a higher price
Lapsed visitors most willing to get back in the pool
Cash-strapped young feeling the burn
LEISURE CENTRE AND SWIMMING POOL VISITING
Are plunging participation rates finally bottoming out?
Figure 29: Leisure centre and swimming pool visitors, June 2015 and July 2016
Public centres and pools prove more female-friendly
Figure 30: Visiting leisure centres/swimming pools and health/fitness clubs, by gender, July 2016
PERIOD OF LEISURE CENTRE AND SWIMMING POOL USE
Loyalty card is leisure centres’ strongest suit
Figure 31: Period of leisure centre and swimming pool use, July 2016
FREQUENCY OF VISITING
Children’s participation habits rub off on parents too
Figure 32: Frequency of visiting public leisure centres and swimming pools, July 2016
Drifting apart once the new user honeymoon comes to an end
Figure 33: Frequency of visiting public leisure centres and swimming pools, by period of use, July 2016
LEISURE CENTRE AND SWIMMING POOL ACTIVITIES
Growth potential high on the dry side
Figure 34: Most popular leisure centre and swimming pool activities, July 2016
Competition for customers
Figure 35: Leisure centre and swimming pool activities, by participation in competitive events, July 2016
USE OF NON-SPORT FACILITIES
Wellness facilities to improve centres’ financial health
Figure 36: Use of non-sport facilities at public leisure centres and swimming pools, July 2016
CHANGES IN LEISURE CENTRE AND SWIMMING POOL EXPERIENCE
Improvements noted – but come at a higher price
Figure 37: Changes to experience of public leisure centres and swimming pools, July 2016
Experienced users prove harder to please
Figure 38: Changes to experience of public leisure centres and swimming pools, by period of centre/pool use, July 2016
NON-VISITORS
Lapsed visitors willing to get back in the pool
Figure 39: Non-visitors of public leisure centres and swimming pools, July 2016
Personal service can turn potential into play
Figure 40: Reasons for not visiting public leisure centres and swimming pools, by type of potential future visitor, July 2016
BARRIERS TO VISITING LEISURE CENTRES AND SWIMMING POOLS
Cash-strapped young feeling the burn
Figure 41: Reasons for not visiting public leisure centres and swimming pools, July 2016
Transport and social capital also add to the bill
Figure 42: Not visiting public leisure centres and swimming pools on grounds of cost, by other reasons for not visiting, July 2016
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Data sources
Abbreviations
Consumer research methodology
APPENDIX – MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Figure 43: Forecast of leisure centre and swimming pool revenues, 2016-21