FOUNDER FOREWORD
FOREWORD
REPOSITIONING OUR POOLS
EMBRACING OUR PURPOSE
Firstly, it gives me great pleasure to welcome our new partnership manager, Dan Harrison, whose foreword follows on page 7. Dan has a wealth of experience in aquatics, as you will discover. At Leisure DB, we have a vision of a strong aquatics industry that’s powered by the democratisation of data and a constantly expanded knowledge base. It’s why, hot on the heels of our State of the UK Fitness Industry Report 2024, we’ve also made this State of the UK Swimming Industry Report 2024 free to read. The quote that’s attributed to J F Kennedy – “a rising tide lifts all boats” – is particularly apt in regards to a swimming report where the idea is to share data that can help grow and put this vital sector back on a strong footing. Personnel shortages remain a key issue this year, not only in terms of swim teachers but also lifeguards, according to CIMSPA’s Workforce Insight Report . Initiatives such as the RLSS’s National Pool Lifeguarding Qualification, now approved for UCAS Tarif Points, are therefore welcomed. This will enhance the appeal to students, who are seen as a viable solution to the shortages – especially since 66 per cent of lifeguards surveyed were in either full- or part-time education. We must also challenge ourselves to review how we position our pools. Local authorities are focused on appropriate provision for their communities and swimming and water-based sports are both clear contributors to health and wellbeing. Going forward, we must find ways to (re)position what we offer so pools cease to be viewed as a drain on the budget, instead being prized for the value they bring to communities. A number of key players are already addressing this critical task. “We take seriously our wider responsibility of keeping local communities healthy, so this is our direction in terms of product and positioning,” says Places Leisure’s Mark Haslam on page 62, while on page 44, Andrew Clark says: “GLL is now positioning its pools around health and water safety. ‘Leisure’ feels like a choice. ‘Health’ feels essential.” “I’m really excited by the role swimming can play in the health of the nation and keen to accelerate this work,” adds Swim England’s Andy Salmon on page 26. “I’m focused on making a strong case to government to keep existing pools open and replace ageing stock.” Our thanks go to all the expert commentators who have contributed to this report – and of course to our partners who have made it possible to share it for free. Read all our latest reports, for free, at leisuredb.com/publications
With over two decades’ experience in this wonderful industry – starting as a lifeguard, then swim teacher, on to RLSS trainer assessor and operations/sales management roles – I have learnt to understand something very clearly. Continual evolution, adapting through experience and innovation, is key to success. That might seem hard to achieve within a simple body of water, but the alternative is stark. Over the last 10 years of reporting on the swimming pool sector, Leisure DB has recorded 500 facilities with pools close and only 239 open that are accessible to the public. There have been many factors at play, so I will not over-simplify, but all too often I see too little change in the way things are done. Meanwhile, in 2023, there were 236 water-related fatalities in the UK: 157 in England, 47 in Scotland, 28 in Wales and four in Northern Ireland. Males continue to over-represent, accounting for 83 per cent of accidental fatalities. The vast majority of these drownings happen in other bodies of water beyond our facilities – the result of a lack of education, lack of safety advice, lack of supervision and the individual’s inability to cope with the situation they are in. Yet the solution lies in our pools. Over and above the physical and mental health benefits of swimming, our pools have a purpose and a value. Our learn-to- swim programmes teach a life-saving skill. Our lifeguards make our pools a safe environment in which to further these skills. But we will only help save lives if our pools remain open, providing more opportunities for individuals to learn to swim. And so we must innovate to optimise our operations, revenues and relevance to the public. Technology is already a driving force in this respect, enabling centres to achieve ‘greener’ operations while saving money; improve learners’ understanding through visual and audio cues; create safer pool environments thanks to AI-powered drowning alert systems. The solutions are there – from our partners and beyond – to address the diverse needs and challenges of operating an aquatic facility. Of course, energy cost-saving remains a key focus, in tandem with reducing carbon emissions as we work towards net zero. Air source heat pumps, data centre heat exchangers, solar and wind power for our electric… continued innovation will not only reduce the carbon footprint of our clubs and centres, but also help insulate our industry from future energy cost rises. We must hope the new government also seizes this opportunity, allocating further resources and encouraging new partnerships to tackle this ongoing societal challenge. Through our data and our partnerships, Leisure DB will certainly continue its support for the sector, shining a spotlight on new opportunities and freely sharing our research to drive informed decisions.
We must find ways to (re)position what we offer, so pools are prized for the value they bring to communities.
Over and above their health benefits, our pools have a purpose and a value. Our learn-to-swim programmes teach a life-saving skill.
DAVID MINTON Founder, Leisure DB
DAN HARRISON Sales and partnership manager, Leisure DB
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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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