Letter: Points to Consider for Freedom Leisure’s New Contract

Published on: 14 Oct, 2024
Updated on: 14 Oct, 2024

From John Redpath

former R4GV borough councillor

In response to: We Need a Can-do Attitude to Transform the Lido

Guildford Borough Council may already be in the process of negotiating a new contract for its leisure facilities at Spectrum Leisure Centre, Ash Manor Sports Centre and Guildford Lido as the current contract runs out in November next year.

I hope that a condition of any new contract will be to allow flexible use of the lido for more than just swimming which will make it more of a community facility. Also it would be an improvement to extend the season over which it is open from, what I believe is, the current contractual, and all too short, 20 weeks.

Looking at the numbers for Ash Manor from the Freedom Leisure annual report (2021/22) I note that Ash Manor had and attendance of 34,959 yet lost £148,377. Whilst the lido had an attendance of 116,334 and lost £163,865. With so few attending Ash Manor for a far bigger loss surely that must be threatened by the cutbacks also?

The other striking figure from the report is the membership figures with Spectrum having 1,901 members, Ash Manor 520, but the Lido only has 52! Guildford Lido really needs to work on those membership figures if its going to convince anyone that it’s well loved.

Finally, is it GBC which is losing £160,000 or Freedom Leisure the current operators? Is it their bottom line that’s been hit or the council’s?