It's BETTER now
Mole Valley District Council owns both the Leatherhead Leisure Centre and Dorking Sports Centre.
In 2023 MVDC signed a new 15-year contract with Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) for the management and operation of leisure services of both centres.
GLL, is a charitable social enterprise operating under the brand ‘BETTER’ and has great experience in delivering activities in an affordable and accessible way - see www.better.org.uk. It operates over 250 leisure facilities including leisure centres, pools, courts and pitches. It is also the UK’s largest independent athlete support programme – the GLL Sport Foundation.
MVDC Councillor Nick Wright, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Tourism said, “This new partnership will see significant investment in the look and feel of the centres, create new opportunities and improve customers’ experience”.
There is much to look forward to with exciting plans for both centres. Leatherhead Leisure Centre is much larger than Dorking Sports Centre and is being regarded by GLL as a testbed for its health and fitness brand.
Energising times ahead!
GLL has ambitious plans to upgrade both leisure centres. It is committed to spending £1.55 million in the current year at Leatherhead Leisure Centre, and a similar amount in Dorking next year.
Leatherhead Leisure Centre is situated in the middle of an amazing sporting zone, including cricket, football and gymnastics, and a soon (hopefully) planned padel tennis centre. In the spring of 2024 MVDC granted Planning Permission for new padel tennis courts, the world’s fastest growing racquet sport, to be built under a big green dome next to Leatherhead Leisure Centre.
Leatherhead Leisure Centre adds indoor bowling, indoor 5-a-side football, tennis courts, not forgetting the usual gym, sports hall, squash courts, swimming pool and children’s soft play.
As Councillor Wright said, “It really is a magnificent collection of sports and leisure facilities of which we (and Leatherhead in particular) should be extremely proud”.
Peter Bundey, CEO of GLL said their company’s charitable, social enterprise model “Offers huge benefits to public services. We don’t have shareholders to pay and can invest back into grass roots programmes and facilities for the benefit of customers.”
Customers will have noticed the BETTER branding appearing at both Leatherhead and Dorking sports centres.
James Brackenborough, partnership manager at GLL, said, “Working with MVDC is an absolute pleasure. The positive impact being in partnership with the council and giving both leisure centres a new lease of life, will really benefit the community”.
Local authorities have a central role to play in the provision of community sport and recreation facilities. It will be exciting to see this new partnership between GLL and MVDC emerging.