Somerset Council has committed £370,000 to maintain operations at five leisure centres in the former Mendip area following the administration of their operator, Fusion Leisure. This move ensures the continued availability of vital recreational facilities for residents during a transitional period.
Fusion Leisure, which managed these five centres, entered administration on April 1st, with joint administrators Nadeem Sweiss and Adam Stephens of S&W Partners LLP taking charge. The council owns 16 leisure centres across Somerset, managed under various contracts inherited after local authority reorganizations in April 2023.
In response to Fusion Leisure’s financial challenges, exacerbated by rising costs, reduced government funding, and pandemic recovery difficulties, the council effectively preempted service disruption by allocating emergency funding from its corporate contingency reserve. This funding will keep the gym and swimming centres in Frome, Glastonbury, Street, and Wells operational for at least the next three months, allowing time to secure a new contractor. The Shepton Mallet lido is also expected to open as usual in May.
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Notably, the Tor Leisure Centre underwent a significant £2.2 million refurbishment, supported largely by Glastonbury’s £23.6 million town deal, and reopened in February 2025. This underscores the council’s broader commitment to enhancing community leisure infrastructure.
Local leaders emphasize the importance of these facilities to community health, wellbeing, and education. Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts highlighted the priority to find a new operator swiftly to ensure seamless service continuity. Meanwhile, Frome and East Somerset MP Anna Sabine has voiced concerns over the centre’s past unacceptable conditions and has launched a petition to protect its future, especially for students relying on the site for physical education and sports science.
The administrators have assured staff and members that operations will continue as normal, urging users to maintain their memberships to facilitate continuity through the operator transition.
Councillor Adam Boyden stressed the leisure centre’s vital role in promoting health and social cohesion within the community and supports joint efforts to secure its long-term future.
This proactive council intervention safeguards the accessibility of leisure services to Somerset residents during a period of uncertainty, aiming to restore stability and improve service quality with new management.