Local leisure centres reopening date announced

Date published: 24th July 2020

Local leisure centres in North Norfolk are set to reopen on Saturday in line with Government guidelines

Fakenham Sports and Fitness Centre, Splash Leisure and Fitness Centre, and Victory Swim and Fitness Centre, which are managed by sports and leisure operator Everyone Active in partnership with North Norfolk District Council, will reopen their doors on 25 July. The news comes after the facilities were forced to close for almost four months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The swimming pool facilities at these centres will be opening shortly after and all customers will be communicated to directly regarding the details for reopening.

The Government update on 9 July confirmed leisure centres are now safe to reopen facilities, with strict operational measures in place. Everyone Active procedures will ensure social distancing is managed throughout the centres and regular cleaning is maintained.

Whilst its 200 leisure centres across the country have been closed, Everyone Active launched a comprehensive package of online workouts for people to do whilst on lockdown, along with streaming live classes across its social media pages. It also pledged to donate half the cost of a membership to charity – The National Emergencies Trust – if customers continued to pay. Consequently, the operator raised over £400k for those most in need during the pandemic. 

Stuart Jardine, Everyone Active’s contract manager, said: “We’re very much looking forward to reopening the centres and welcoming back the local community. After being closed for nearly four months, this latest announcement from Government is the news the leisure industry has been eagerly awaiting. Giving people the opportunity to resume activity and exercise in their leisure centre will go a long way to maintaining the good health of local communities.

“We’ve been overwhelmed with the support we have received from customers during these unprecedented times, and we’re so grateful. Like many other industries, leisure has been greatly affected by the lockdown.

“Ensuring our colleagues and customers remain safe is our number one priority and we have carefully considered the strict measurements to ensure we adhere to the guidance. We will be contacting all customers directly over the coming days regarding the centres’ reopening. We look forward to welcoming everyone back and thanking them for their patience.”

Cllr Virginia Gay, Cabinet Member for North Norfolk District Council with responsibility for Culture & Wellbeing, said: “I am so pleased to see the Council’s fitness and leisure facilities re-opening. These have been anxious times for everyone and this is another significant step towards recovery from the impacts of the pandemic.

"It is important that our communities have safe access to high quality fitness facilities and I am so pleased that Everyone Active have been able to make all of the necessary arrangements to ensure they can be opened safely as soon as they have been allowed to do so. I know that a huge amount of work has been going on behind the scenes to ensure that is the case.

"This is a vital step in supporting the health and wellbeing of many of our residents but it is important also for the staff who are able to return at last to the roles that they take such pride in performing. I am sure this will be a huge relief to many, both customers and employees, and I am very grateful to Everyone Active who have worked in close partnership with the Council throughout the recent months of uncertainty.”  

For further information on Everyone Active and its leisure centres, visit www.everyoneactive.com.

What facilities will be available at what dates:

From Saturday 25-July:

•  Splash = gym and group exercise

•  Victory = gym only, group exercise will take place outside soon 

•  Fakenham = gym and group exercise and badminton

•  All members can use the leisure centres from Saturday

When membership DDs will be re-started; 

• They have to book as per new temporary rules.  They can book via the app from midnight tonight

• Their DD payments will be ‘re-lived’ from 01-Aug