Places for People Leisure seals naming rights deal for £25m leisure centre

Social enterprise Places for People has secured the naming rights to a new £25m Leisure Centre in Hampshire.

Places for People Leisure will operate the new centre on behalf of owner Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) in a 20-year deal which will see the name 'Places Leisure Eastleigh' above the door.

The facility will replace the 43-year-old Fleming Park Leisure Centre and is set to open to the public before the end of the year.

A spokesperson for EBC said the partnership with Places for People Leisure will generate a guaranteed income stream for the council. “The naming rights funding will be ringfenced for the council’s pioneering HealthWorks team, who provide healthy lifestyle advice and assessments to target groups within the borough," he said.

“The team will be based at a new purpose-built health hub within the new leisure centre.

"The deal means that the venue’s construction comes at no cost to local council taxpayers and is an example of our nationally recognised asset management programme which generates £5.5m a year towards local services."

The centre will house an eight-lane, 25m swimming pool, a learner pool with an adjustable floor, a sports hall with 15 badminton courts, and a health club with a large gym floor and group exercise studios.

Sandra Dodd, CEO of Places for People Leisure, added: “Being awarded the contract to operate Places Leisure Eastleigh for the next 20 years has given us an opportunity to showcase our brand in one of the finest leisure facilities in the UK.

"Our team are incredibly excited about working in this superb new venue and look forward to welcoming existing and new customers when we open.”