OPERATOR PERSPECTIVE
OPERATOR PERSPECTIVE
Building for the future Clark continues: “Yet in spite of all this positivity, challenges remain. Utility costs, while lower than last year, remain high. Staffing costs are also a big consideration for GLL, a social enterprise which is also proudly a Living Wage employer. And then there’s the ageing pool stock, which is falling quickly into decline as refurb and maintenance budgets were reallocated to simply survive the last few years. “After significant sector lobbying, Sport England’s swimming pool support fund was of course welcome, but it only really helped around a third of the pools that needed it. “Meanwhile, rather than having a simple blueprint that can be built comparatively cheaply and run and maintained efficiently, new pools are being individually designed by architects with big visions. We’re seeing some new facility projects costing £30–40m and as a result, two
pools are closing for every new pool opened, leading to a net loss of water space. “By developing a standardised model for a community pool, we should be able to get two or three for that price. Certainly at GLL, we spend a lot of time challenging architects to meet practical requirements before making something look beautiful.” He concludes: “Thankfully the new Swimming Alliance, of which GLL is a founding member, is beginning to gather momentum, creating a single, clear voice for the swimming sector. This will be hugely important with a new government in place. “Top of the agenda has to be putting a plan in place to replace ageing pool stock effectively and getting school swimming sorted. If we can do those two things, broader issues such as social cohesion and public health will also benefit.”
TEACHING SWIMMING, SAVING LIVES As a national governing body for swimming and an educational charity, STA is dedicated to the teaching of swimming and water safety through the delivery of accredited swimming teaching and lifesaving qualifications for the leisure industry.
We’re seeing new facility projects costing £30–40m. We should be able to get two or three for that price.
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GLL’s swim school has seen a 4% year-on- year, like-for-like growth. It now serves over 220,000 swim students every week.
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STA (Swimming Teachers Association)
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STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2023 STATE OF THE UK SWIMMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2024
STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2023
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STATE OF THE UK SWIMMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2024
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