UK Leisure Centres and Swimming Pools Market Report 2025
2025-08-01T14:02:15+00:00
REPBB7CF6AC_DF5E_42ED_BC3A_C8C99C2E0636
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Report
en_GB
With consumer confidence still fragile in the face of continuing living cost pressures, public leisure centres' range of activities and price points leaves them well placed to help people trade…
UK
Leisure and Entertainment
simple
UK Leisure Centres and Swimming Pools Market Report 2025
"Public leisure centres and swimming pools can build on their female appeal to make themselves the activity market's first choice for women."
UK Leisure Centres and Swimming Pools – Trends and Insights
With consumer confidence fragile due to living cost pressures, public leisure centres are well-positioned to offer a range of activities and price points. They provide budget-friendly options for those trading down, as well as occasional affordable luxuries for consumers with limited budgets.
The market faces significant challenges, including funding difficulties for regenerating ageing facilities and declining visitor numbers among the 45-54 age group, which could impact the long-term health of the sector.
Diversifying into health and wellness services, such as nutrition, physiotherapy, and spas, presents a major growth opportunity. With 70% of Brits expressing interest in these services, leisure centres can align with shifting consumer priorities and access new funding sources for facility development.
Women represent a significant portion of the market, with rising interest among older demographics in staying active. This expanding audience highlights the potential for leisure centres to cater to diverse age groups and further grow their market share.
Key Issues Covered in the Report
The continuing impact of the cost of living crisis on leisure centres and swimming pools
Opportunities to diversify into health and wellness services
Attracting new players to leisure centre sport
Effective responses to some key demographics’ declining facility use
How leisure centres can raise their activities’ profile
Change to VAT rules improving profitability and cutting subsidies
Leisure centres can play a key role in new health plan’s delivery
An ageing population can be good for leisure centres and pools
Graph 21: projected population by age, 2034
Graph 22: over-55s’ participation in exercise, 2025
Many older people have money to spend…
Graph 23: household income, by generation, 2025
Graph 24: reporting of healthy finances*, by generation, 2025
…and are willing to invest in their own health
Graph 25: agreement with the statement ‘I sometimes feel exercise is something I should do rather than want to do’, 2024
Affordability begins to trump sustainability for cash-strapped consumers
Graph 26: ethical travel priorities, 2022 and 2025
Let green be seen to strengthen sustainability
Create communities to strengthen consumer commitment to health
Graph 27: effort put into being healthy, 2024
Younger people happy to shed pounds on prescription
Weight-loss drugs present opportunities and threats
Graph 28: future interest in weight management methods, 2024
WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
Leisure centre and swimming pool visiting
The UK’s most popular sport and exercise venues
Graph 29: participation in sport, exercise and fitness activities, 2023-25
Women warm to leisure centre visiting
Low-cost appeal earns early wins when economy improves
Graph 30: visiting public leisure centres and swimming pools, by household income, 2023-25
A mid-life activity crisis is brewing
Graph 31: visiting public leisure centres and swimming pools, by age, 2023-25
Capitalise on leisure centres’ female-friendly image
Graph 32: participation in sport, exercise and fitness activities, by gender, 2025
Important influences on women’s exercise venue preferences
Leisure centre activities
Pool is the heart of the leisure centre experience
Graph 33: participation in leisure centre and swimming pool activities, by type, 2024 and 2025
Appeal of swimming lies in accessibility to all
Graph 34: participation in leisure centre and swimming pool activities, by gender and age, 2025
Pull of the pool switches from fun to fitness
Graph 35: participation in social swimming*, by gender, age and parental status, 2024 and 2025
Centre users get back into fitness
Graph 36: participation in leisure centre and swimming pool activites, 2022-25
Atmosphere and AI can keep women coming to leisure centre gyms
Graph 37: participation in leisure centre gym exercise, by gender and generation, 2024 and 2025
Focus on fitness and coaching to draw more women into social sport
Graph 38: Leisure centre activity participation base, by type, 2025
Buying, watching and wellbeing on the rise
Graph 39: participation in leisure centre and swimming pool non-sport and fitness activities, 2022-25
Investment in spas is paying off
Graph 40: spa use and beauty treatments at public leisure centres, by gender and age, 2022-25
Vitality Lounge can revive the café concept
Health and wellbeing services
Significant potential for diversified offers
Graph 41: interest in accessing health and wellbeing services at public leisure centres and swimming pools, 2025
Health and wellbeing services can attract new visitors
Graph 42: interest in leisure centre health and wellness services, by visiting habits, 2025
Another point of appeal for female facility visitors…
Graph 43: interest in leisure centre health and wellbeing services, by gender, 2025
…but not a silver bullet for slowing middle-aged activity decline
Graph 44: interest in leisure centre health and wellbeing services, by age, 2025
Leisure centres can improve access to health care for hard-to-reach groups
Graph 45: interest in leisure centre health and wellbeing services, by household income, 2025
Sell to sports participants and exercisers ahead of swimmers
Graph 46: interest in leisure centre health and wellbeing services, by participation in leisure centre sport and exercise, 2025
High street health and beauty brands have strong promotional potential
Graph 47: leisure centre customers’ affinity with health and beauty retail brands, 2025
Sport participation incentives
Use the F words to pull people into play
Graph 48: incentives to play a new sport at a public leisure centre, 2025
Fitness fears are a barrier to women’s play
Perceptions of fitness are a bigger barrier than reality for most
Graph 49: interest in being fitter as an incentive to play a new sport at a public leisure centre, by gender and age, 2025
Change that mindset: playing is believing
Focus on community, enjoyment and alternatives to the gym
A focus on fitness and families can make sport more female friendly
Non-players need an easy way into participation
Graph 50: incentives to play a new sport among people who are currently inactive, 2025
Free trials can draw an older crowd
Graph 51: interest in free introductory sessions as an incentive to play a new sport at a public leisure centre, 2025
Social starters get older players back in the game
Prioritise coaching and quality to compete with private clubs
Graph 52: incentives to playing a new sport at a public leisure centre, by past-year activity, 2025
Leisure centre marketing
Centres and pools are local leisure lighthouses
Landmark recognition runs across the board…
Graph 53: awareness of local public leisure centres and swimming pools, by gender and age, 2025
…but far fewer people are familiar with what’s on offer inside
Graph 54: awareness of local public leisure centre facilities and activities, by level of physical activity, 2025
Awareness declines with middle-aged drop off in activity
Graph 55: awareness of public leisure centre facilities and activities, by age, 2025
Outreach starts at the pub
Graph 56: factors influencing leisure activity choice among 45-54-year-olds, 2025
Non-players are disconnected
Make new social connections to spark visiting interest
Graph 57: knowing someone who visits a public leisure centre or swimming pool, by participation in physical activity, 2025
Put diversification at the centre of leisure centre marketing
Graph 58: awareness of public leisure centre and swimming pool marketing, by level of physical activity, 2025
INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS
Launch activity and innovation
New facilities in planning and construction
Operators invest in venue upgrades
Historic spa points to future of wellness …
…with affordable and accessible luxury
Boutique gym aims for affordable luxury
Everyone Active launches holistic memberships
Rapid GP access is becoming a standard perk
More single-sex spaces aim to support women’s workouts
A growing role in health prevention and protection
APPENDIX
Supplementary data
Participation in sport, exercise and fitness activities
Market forecast data and methodology
Market size: underlying data
Market forecast: underlying data
Market forecast and prediction intervals
Forecast methodology
Report scope and definitions
Market definition
Abbreviations and terms
Consumer research methodology
Snoop SpendMapper methodology
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