New Management for Bridgwater Leisure Centres in 2025

From September 2025, Bridgwater’s two leisure centres could be managed by a new provider, marking the end of the current management contract with 1610. The Trinity Sports and Leisure Centre and the Robert Blake and Elmwood Leisure Centre, currently operated by 1610, may soon transition to a new management as Somerset Council plans to initiate a procurement process for a new operator. This move, if approved, could see a new company overseeing both sites until 2037, following the expiration of the existing contract.

The upcoming change in provider was disclosed ahead of a meeting of the council’s communities scrutiny committee in Taunton on October 30. As part of the council’s review, it aims to appoint a new management entity for the facilities in the Bridgwater area, aligning the end date with the conclusion of the existing private finance initiative (PFI) contract.

The transition is part of a broader restructuring effort by the council, which currently owns and oversees 16 leisure facilities, all managed by external operators. Inherited from the four district councils during the unitary authority transition in April 2023, the varied contracts with different expiration dates have led to a diverse range of management entities across the county.

In conjunction with the changes in Bridgwater, the council is also looking towards potential management adjustments in other areas. Facilities in former Mendip area are currently run by Fusion Lifestyle, while Freedom Leisure oversees operations in the former South Somerset area. Similarly, Everyone Active manages facilities in the former Somerset West and Taunton area, with various contract expiration dates.

While the exact details of the new management arrangements are yet to be finalized, the council’s efforts to engage the market for a procurement process indicate the potential for a significant shift in the management landscape for Bridgwater’s leisure centres.