Read for Free: 2025 State of the UK Swim Industry Report

REPORT METHODOLOGY

LEISURE DB

ANNUAL AUDIT

Leisure DB conducts an audit of all private health clubs and public fitness and swimming facilities each year. We also carry out an intelligent audit throughout the year; this picks up changes as they happen, including new openings, closures, facility changes and site / management takeovers. The result of these audits are used as the basis for this annual report, with the 12-month reporting period set as 1 April through to the following 31 March.

SWIMMING POOLS INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT

To be included in this report, a swimming pool facility must have an enclosed area of water specifically maintained for all forms of water-based sport and recreation that fits into one of the following five sub-types: indoor main pool, indoor teaching pool, indoor leisure pool, indoor diving pool, outdoor pool. It must be freely available to users on a pay-and-play or membership basis.

SWIMMING POOLS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT

This report does not include corporate pools, swim schools or privately-owned pools that do not have a fitness gym.

PRIVATE CLUBS WITH SWIMMING POOL

Refers to commercially-owned sites with a health and fitness gym and swimming pool facility that’s available to members of the general public on a pay-and-play or membership basis.

PUBLIC CENTRES WITH SWIMMING POOL

Refers to publicly-owned sites with a swimming pool facility that’s available to members of the general public on a pay-and-play or membership basis.

INCREASING AUDIT COVERAGE

Leisure DB receives market intelligence from a number of sources and continues to broaden its knowledge of the UK fitness and swimming markets each year, ensuring that our reports’ coverage and insights – already market-leading – become increasingly comprehensive over time.

NEW QUESTIONS

We added some new questions to our audit for this 2025 report, all of which were designed to acknowledge – and, going forward, to track – a number of core services as well as emerging trends in the industry. These include: the delivery of swim lessons; a retail offering including swimming merchandise; the delivery of NHS services on-site; and the provision of F&B and vending. These questions were not answered by all sites in our audit: in the public sector the response rate typically ranged from 43–46% of all respondents, while in the private sector these questions were answered by 60–63% of respondents. However, this response rate is sufficient for a valid analysis of the industry’s evolving offering.

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STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2023 STATE OF THE UK SWIMMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2025