OVERVIEW & TRENDS
OVERVIEW & TRENDS
TOTAL MARKET
TOTAL MARKET
NO DATA 2020 & 2021 DUE TO COVID-19
But of course, “to achieve this agenda, we need swimming pools across the country”. In his interview on page 56, GLL’s Andrew Clark comments: “Ours isn’t a sector that’s being vocal for no reason: pools are drowning. Without increased support, smaller operators will disappear and pool closures will continue to accelerate.” He adds: “We’ve known for years that this crisis was coming and we’re all doing our best to keep pools open. But we need more support… a longer-term perspective from central and local government… and the devil is in the detail.” In the meantime, we’re seeing a concerted, constructive, collaborative push from within the sector itself. The STA’s Dave Candler has long urged the sector to help itself rather than awaiting hand-outs. In his interview on page 47 of this year’s report,
he is therefore ”really happy to see some important changes happening in the sector now – the biggest and most significant I’ve ever witnessed”. He elaborates: “The desire to make a difference has always been evident, yet for too many years efforts were fragmented, with organisations often acting alone rather than aligning strategies. This made co-ordinated progress difficult. “Now, following a change in senior leadership across the sector, we are finally embracing partnership and collaboration as the key to addressing the many issues facing us. The Swimming Alliance is the clearest manifestation of this: a coming together of over 25 leading national swim organisations to move forward with one single voice.” Clark confirms: “We are making good progress through The Swimming Alliance. It’s fantastic what can be achieved when no-one feels the need to take credit.”
2019 2022 2023 2024 2025 % vs 2024
Total number of sites with pools
2,882 -0.5 %
3,170 3,008 2,955 2,896
Total number of pools
4,257 -0.4 %
4,559 4,386 4,351 4,272
Public centres with pools
-0.6 %
1,603
1,702 1,664 1,646 1,613
Private clubs with pools
1,279 -0.3 %
1,468 1,344 1,309 1,283
To broaden pools’ appeal, let’s embrace the fact that they can be wonderful spaces for relaxation and mental wellbeing
“Equally concerning is that of the 10 local authorities with the biggest declines in pool space, 70 per cent have higher than average indices of deprivation, risking an exacerbation of health inequalities.” On a more positive note, Salmon explains how Swim England’s strategic shift towards a goal of lifelong participation represents “a mutual success opportunity”. He adds: “If Swim England can position swimming as a lifelong activity that appeals to everyone, not just elite athletes, operators will see long-term engagement and growth.”
In the 12 months to the end of March 2025, the total number of UK sites operating a pool fell to 2,882 (-0.5% since 31 March 2024). This makes the fall less dramatic than in the previous year, when we saw a 2% overall fall in the number of sites operating pools. Breaking it down by sector, both public and private sectors experienced a drop in the number of sites with pools this year. However, the decline was more marked in the public (-0.6%) than in the private sector (-0.3%). This contrasts with the previous year’s data, when both sectors saw the same percentage fall (-2%). Yet although the decline in total pool numbers has slowed, the overall trend remains concerning, as reported by a number of this year’s interviewees. On page 38, Andy Salmon, CEO of Swim England, explains how: “Analysis we conducted with ukactive shows that 76 per cent of the publicly accessible water space lost in the past 15 years has been lost since 2020.
Yet Mosaic Group’s Dave Courteen advocates for a broader wellbeing message to make swimming relevant to even more people. In his interview on page 86, he explains: “From lane swimming to rehab, swimming is a brilliant form of exercise. I wouldn’t want to imply anything to the contrary. “However, if we make pools exclusively about sport and exercise, they will only ever appeal to a fairly small percentage of the population. “Our members and guests increasingly use our pools not to swim lengths but to relax, unwind and detox from the stresses of life. If we want to broaden the relevance and appeal of our pools, let’s embrace the fact that they can also be wonderful spaces for the relaxation and mental wellbeing that people are increasingly seeking.”
“We should all worry far less about who takes the credit for successes and far more about the outcomes we can achieve together,” agrees Salmon. In terms of consumer demand for swimming, operators interviewed for this report generally indicate a stabilisation above pre-pandemic levels, both for swim lessons and casual swim. Swim England’s Andy Salmon also points to data evidencing the diverse profile of the swim audience: “Among people with a long-term health condition or disability, participation in swimming is far higher than participation in other forms of physical activity. Even among individuals with up to three health conditions, swimming participation sits just below 20 per cent.”
I’m really happy to see some important changes in the sector – the biggest and most significant I’ve ever witnessed
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STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2023 STATE OF THE UK SWIMMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2025
STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2023
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STATE OF THE UK SWIMMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2025
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