Leisure Connection

Infobox Company
company_name = Leisure Connection
company_
company_type = Limited
url=
genre = Fitness, Leisure
foundation = 1998
founder = Mark McCormack
location_city =
location_country =
location = Shepton Mallet, Somerset
origins =
key_people =
area_served =
industry =
products =
services =
revenue =
operating_income =
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parent = Danoptra Gaming Group
divisions =
subsid =
owner =
company_slogan = "Delivering Excellence in Sport, Health and Wellbeing"
homepage = [http://www.leisureconnection.co.uk/ www.leisureconnection.co.uk]
dissolved =
footnotes =

Leisure Connection Ltd is a fitness and leisure provider which its facilities are on behalf of Government, Local Government and National Sporting bodies all over the UK.

Background

Leisure Connection was formed from the merger of Relaxion and Circa leisure companies and is now part of the multinational Danoptra Group, which is linked to Electra Partners Europe, an investment company.

In recent years Leisure Connection has faced increasing competition for local authority contracts, not just from other companies but also from not-for-profit leisure trusts. It has sought to replace the dwindling margins of traditional contracts with private finance initiatives.

Leisure Connection's reputation has not been helped by frequent changes of Chief Executive, reports of poor standards, having contracts terminated by dissatisfied councils, and involvement in the Clissold Leisure Centre, a new built facility that opened in February 2002 and closed in November 2003. As of June 2006 Clissold was still closed but in the meanwhile Hackney Council and Leisure Connection had ended their contract.

Harper's Fitness

Leisure Connection launched the new fitness brand which offers a friendly and more approachable gym experience which is accessible to all members to the local community. The new gym brand does not have compulsory long-term fixed contracts but a pay as you go system. It also includes high quality Technogym fitness facilties, personal training and discounts on many sport activities.

Criticism

Started in 2004, Leisure Connection Watch [ [http://www.btinternet.com/~paul.burns Leisure Connection Watch Home ] ] is a consumer website featuring reports that question the performance of Leisure Connection Ltd. LCW relies mainly on items from local papers, the Audit Commission and council reports. It also uses the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to find out more about Leisure Connection's performance and how councils are monitoring and managing this. In February 2006 LCW produced a summary of referenced findings called "The Leisure Connection Dossier."

Key facts and figures

* Over 80 centres
* Managing 3 Sport England National Sports Centres at Bisham Abbey, Lilleshall and Holme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre
* Managing the centre of excellence for disability sport at Stoke Mandeville Stadium
* 28 centres with squash courts
* 32 with badminton courts
* 91 swimming pools ranging from 50 metre pools to teaching pools, baby splash pools and leisure pools
* 22 centres with indoor or outdoor tennis courts
* 5 centres with golf courses
* 11 centres with football pitches
* 50,000 Harpers gym members
* Over 40,000 children learning to swim each week
* 25 million visitors each year
* 4,500 employees

References

External links

* [http://www.leisureconnection.co.uk Leisure Connection corporate website]
* [http://www.btinternet.com/~paul.burns/ Leisure Connection Watch] - consumer site monitoring the performance of Leisure Connection and with further information on its history and activities
* [http://www.clissoldleisure.com/ Not the Clissold Leisure Centre] - protest site about the Centre