Southwell Leisure Trust will not renew Active4Today contract for Southwell Leisure Centre as new operator sought

A new operator is being sought for Southwell Leisure Centre as the Trust responsible plans to change the way in which the facility is run.

The leisure centre, on Nottingham Road, in Southwell, is currently operated by Active4Today on behalf of Southwell Leisure Trust.

The Trust took over responsibility of the leisure centre from Newark and Sherwood District Council in spring of this year after disagreements over the potential repair or replacement of town’s swimming pool.

Now, the Trust is looking for a new operator for a 15- year period, as Active4Today’s operating model — which includes a fixed fee, multi-site, single badged membership offer — is not considered to be suited to the future operation of Southwell Leisure Centre and the trustees’ aspirations.

Active4Today will continue to run Southwell Leisure Centre until March 2026, and work with the Trust while long-term plans are formulated to ensure a smooth handover to the new operator.

Andy Freeman, Active4Today’s board chair, said: “We wish the Trust the best in achieving its ambitions and finding an operator that can support them.

“We have informed them and our staff that we will not be submitting a bid for the new contract.

“We will work closely with our experienced and loyal staff team, who work at Southwell Leisure Centre to ensure they are fully supported and understand all available options to them.

“Our customers are really important to us too; they are the reason we continue to run leisure services.”

Active4Today also operates leisure centres in Newark, Ollerton, and Blidworth, where members will continue to have access to all facilities.