Somerset Council has approved expenditure of up to £50,000 to carry out essential fire alarm repairs at Frome Leisure Centre. The facility, situated on Princess Anne Road in the northern area of Frome, is one of five leisure venues recently taken over by Freedom Leisure following the administration of the previous operator, Fusion Lifestyle.
In late April, the council outlined that the new two-year contract with Freedom Leisure would primarily focus on short-term stabilisation rather than extensive upgrades or significant investment in the sites. However, safety concerns have necessitated immediate attention to the fire alarm system at Frome Leisure Centre.
The contract for the fire alarm repairs has been awarded to Taunton-based Coomber Security Systems Ltd. According to tender documents published on a central government portal, the work is scheduled to take place between 10 August and 28 September and is expected to cost up to £50,000 including VAT. The council has assured users that the repair programme will not lead to any closures or significant disruption at the facility.
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The other four leisure centres included in the council’s recent £215,000 rescue package, taken over by Freedom Leisure in early July, continue to operate under the new contract arrangement.
“The new operator already runs leisure services in Somerset, and the two year contract will ensure that we can keep the facilities open and protect the staff who have continued to work there through a very unsettling time,” said council deputy leader Liz Leyshon, who represents the Street division.
Leyshon also indicated in early June that further repairs may be identified as part of a broader county-wide review of leisure services. She added: “The experienced leisure operator will now undertake a comprehensive audit of all the facilities, and we will move towards awarding a new long-term contract from 2028.”
Notably, the Tor Sports and Leisure Centre recently underwent a £2.2 million upgrade funded through the government-backed Glastonbury town deal before Fusion Lifestyle’s administration. The council has confirmed that this grant funding was not paid directly to the operator but supported the facility’s improvements.