Gold company profile
Places Leisure
Places Leisure aims to enlighten our communities about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle in collaboration with local authorities, customers and partners both within our thriving community hub and out in the wider community.
Find out more about Places Leisure here...
Find out more about Places Leisure here...
Places Leisure: News and press releases
20 Mar 2026
Places Leisure has announced a new strategic partnership with COPA as the preferred
apprenticeship delivery partner for its leisure centres, following a six-month pilot.
11 Mar 2026
The first look at the new energy-efficient water and leisure complex to replace the
Aquadrome in Basingstoke has been revealed, marking a major milestone for the town’s leisure
park.
02 Feb 2026
Places Leisure is expanding access to a pioneering health and fitness programme designed to
support people living with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, rolling out the NHS-approved
Good Boost programme across 15 additional centres nationwide.
26 Jan 2026
Places Leisure launched Epping Leisure Centre on 12 January. Undertaken in partnership with
Epping Forest District Council and Pellikaan Construction, this is part of a wider regeneration of
the town.
PRESS RELEASE: Wheelchair user Richard Cartwright attempts world record marathon on SkiErg machine to mark National Fitness Day
19 Sep 2025
In an inspiring display of endurance and determination, wheelchair user Richard Cartwright,
is about to attempt to set a new world record for completing a marathon on a SkiErg machine.
PRESS RELEASE: Places Leisure and Women in Sport extend contract to continue delivering the Big Sister Project across the UK
12 Aug 2025
Places Leisure and Women in Sport continue their work to reach and support thousands more
girls across the UK to access sport and break down barriers to physical activity.
HCM NEWS: Big plans for Wandsworth, London, with £24 million investment in wellbeing, activity and health
14 Jul 2025
A £24 million modernisation programme will get underway in Wandsworth as Places Leisure
wins the operating contract.
13 May 2025
In a drive to target the hard-to-reach groups, Places Leisure has introduced a team of social
prescriber link workers as part of its Healthy Communities strategy.
PRESS RELEASE: Hannah Crabtree joins Places Leisure as director of customer experience and product strategy
15 Apr 2025
Places Leisure has introduced a newly created role to enable the organisation to be one of
the best-in-class providers of customer experience in the leisure industry.
08 Apr 2025
Places Leisure has announced the introduction of a new course across the country to support
people going through menopause.
PRESS RELEASE: Places Leisure introduces new Social Prescriber Link Worker to its Northumberland sites
19 Mar 2025
Places Leisure, which operates and manages more than 100 leisure centres across England, is
one of the first national public leisure providers to introduce in-house social prescriber
link workers to help drive their healthy communities offering.
11 Mar 2025
On Monday, Eclipse Leisure Centre, which is operated and managed by Places Leisure on behalf of
Spelthorne Borough Council, hosted an exclusive Les Mills event with Les Mills ambassador and
Head Coach, Khiran Huston.
Places Leisure: featured in our publications
Industry insight: The way I see it
HCM Handbook 2026 issue 1
Are cardio and mid-market clubs making a comeback? What impact are GLP-1s
having and what more can be done to tackle the enduring issue of gymtimidation?
Kath Hudson asks senior global leaders about top trends and issues
Fitness Foresight: HCM Fitness trends
HCM Handbook 2026 issue 1
Kath Hudson and Liz Terry take a look at the top trends impacting the industry in 2026-27
Talking point: Everyone's talking about ... Hospitality
Health Club Management 2025 issue 3
From training to service, what can the fitness industry learn from
hospitality? We ask leaders who benefit from a multi-sector viewpoint
Predictions: Forward looking
Health Club Management 2025 issue 1
Growth, consolidation, wellness and more, Kath Hudson asks the
experts to share insights into the opportunities they see in 2025
HCM People: Belinda Steward
Health Club Management 2024 issue 4
We need to make it automatic that when people go to their doctor, they’re offered exercise rather than medication where appropriate
About Places Leisure
About us
As part of Places for People, we are one of the UK’s leading social enterprises, welcoming more than 30 million visitors to over 100 health and wellbeing facilities across the nation annually.
We aim to enlighten our communities about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle in collaboration with local authorities, customers and partners both within our thriving community hub and out in the wider community.
By understanding the needs of the community we aim to create behavioural changes that improve the physical and mental wellbeing of individuals and social wellbeing of the collective.
Places Leisure (formally DC Leisure) was established in 1991 and steadily grew from four facilities in 1994 to more than 100 today.
The business was privately owned until 2012 before being acquired in a ground-breaking move by Places for People; becoming the first leisure provider to join forces with a housing provider.
Product range and services
Our vibrant and attractive spaces encourage communities to play sport, socialise and engage in physical activity. Across the country we have over 65 swimming facilities, 85 top-class gyms, over 150 workout spaces, more than 60 sports halls, as well as squash and padel courts.
From guiding a child through their first strokes in the water to offering a place where goals are established – we offer safe spaces and promote every form of health.
We are not just focused on providing great facilities we also deliver multiple community-focused programmes and generating social value work helping to improve wellbeing for the communities we serve, including the Big Sister Project and our Move through Menopause programme.
Using the Moving Communities Social Value Calculator, which assesses the local impact on health, education, subjective wellbeing and crime, Places Leisure generated an estimated £155m of social value in FY 2023-24.
We also welcome clubs, charities and societies to utilise the spaces available they can become the beating heart of the community. We have libraries, banks, GP surgeries and even pottery courses operating from our sites.
As part of Places for People, we are one of the UK’s leading social enterprises, welcoming more than 30 million visitors to over 100 health and wellbeing facilities across the nation annually.
We aim to enlighten our communities about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle in collaboration with local authorities, customers and partners both within our thriving community hub and out in the wider community.
By understanding the needs of the community we aim to create behavioural changes that improve the physical and mental wellbeing of individuals and social wellbeing of the collective.
Places Leisure (formally DC Leisure) was established in 1991 and steadily grew from four facilities in 1994 to more than 100 today.
The business was privately owned until 2012 before being acquired in a ground-breaking move by Places for People; becoming the first leisure provider to join forces with a housing provider.
Product range and services
Our vibrant and attractive spaces encourage communities to play sport, socialise and engage in physical activity. Across the country we have over 65 swimming facilities, 85 top-class gyms, over 150 workout spaces, more than 60 sports halls, as well as squash and padel courts.
From guiding a child through their first strokes in the water to offering a place where goals are established – we offer safe spaces and promote every form of health.
We are not just focused on providing great facilities we also deliver multiple community-focused programmes and generating social value work helping to improve wellbeing for the communities we serve, including the Big Sister Project and our Move through Menopause programme.
Using the Moving Communities Social Value Calculator, which assesses the local impact on health, education, subjective wellbeing and crime, Places Leisure generated an estimated £155m of social value in FY 2023-24.
We also welcome clubs, charities and societies to utilise the spaces available they can become the beating heart of the community. We have libraries, banks, GP surgeries and even pottery courses operating from our sites.
Places Leisure
Email: [email protected]
Address:
The Gurney Office,
Building Three,
Riverside Way,
Watchmoor Park,
Camberley,
Surrey,
GU15 3UL,
United Kingdom
Belinda Steward, managing director
HCM SUMMIT
Watch Belinda Steward, MD of leisure, health and wellbeing, Places Leisure, speak at HCM Summit 2024
Places Leisure video gallery:
Key personnel
Belinda Steward, managing director
Dan Walker, business development director
Tatiana Hagan, finance director
Tom Goodhand, operations director
Keiron Butcher, IT director
Keith Evans, director of safety and risk
Dan Walker, business development director
Tatiana Hagan, finance director
Tom Goodhand, operations director
Keiron Butcher, IT director
Keith Evans, director of safety and risk
Key customers
Our key customers are our members, our clients, our local authority partners, and our communities.
Our services have something for everyone no matter their life stage. We have swimming lessons for both adults and children, support sessions for wellbeing groups, gym classes for adults, and several tailored programmes which are helping to make physical activity more accessible to all.
Our services have something for everyone no matter their life stage. We have swimming lessons for both adults and children, support sessions for wellbeing groups, gym classes for adults, and several tailored programmes which are helping to make physical activity more accessible to all.
Plans for the next 12 months
Over the next 12 months, we will continue to collaborate with our partners to promote physical activity, address health inequalities in our communities, and work to enhance the quality of life for our customers in a meaningful way.
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