Southwell
Leisure Centre Trust
Public Consultation on Proposed Lease of Southwell Leisure Centre to Parkwood Leisure Limited
The Trustees of Southwell Leisure Centre are intending to enter into a 15-year operating lease with Parkwood Leisure Limited commencing as soon as possible after consultation with the residents of Southwell and district, the beneficiaries of the Charity.
This follows the early termination in May 2025 of the 25-year lease of the centre to Newark & Sherwood District Council and the expiry of an interim operating agreement with Active4Today Ltd (an NSDC subsidiary company) at the end of March 2026.
Provisional agreement on the terms for this lease was reached with Parkwood Leisure in January after a tender process advertised to likely potential commercial operators. This included A4T who declined to bid.
With advice and assistance from an experienced leisure & sports industry consultant, the Trustees preferred the bid from Parkwood which offered fresh investment and modernisation of facilities in conjunction with the reopening of the main pool once works now in progress are completed.
The Trustees have concluded that this lease arrangement is the only viable way of ensuring continuing and longer-term provision of the present site’s leisure facilities for local inhabitants.
The property being let is the entire footprint of the leisure centre buildings and 5 a side pitch together with the areas of the carpark and accesses vested with the Charity. The land concerned is covered by titles NT411962, NT244270 and NT526519. Further details of the titles are available below.
Comments are invited from Southwell & District residents
by post to Southwell Leisure Centre, Nottingham Road, Southwell, NG25 0LG
or email southwellleisurecentretrust@gmail.com
by 3rd May 2026 and views will then be considered by Trustees before approval of the lease is sought from the Charity Commission.
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From Wednesday 1 April 2026, Southwell Leisure Centre will be operated by Creating Active Futures, in partnership with Parkwood Leisure and Southwell Leisure Centre Trust. Find out more at www.leisurecentre.com/southwell-leisure-centre
Affordable and Accessible Leisure and Health Facilities for All
About Us
Southwell Leisure Centre has been at the heart of the community since the 1960s. Originally built following a pioneering local crowdfunding campaign that raised £40,000 — the equivalent of around £800,000 today — the Centre is a powerful example of what a community can achieve when it comes together.
That original campaign led to the creation of a charitable trust, now known as Southwell Leisure Centre Trust (SLCT). The Trust’s purpose has always been clear: to provide and maintain high-quality leisure and swimming facilities for the benefit of the people of Southwell and the surrounding district.
Over the years, the Centre has grown and evolved to meet changing community needs. Alongside the swimming pool, facilities expanded to include a sports hall, fitness activities, and spaces for classes and social use. Major improvements in the 1980s and again in 2004 — supported by fundraising, volunteers, and Newark and Sherwood District Council — helped ensure the Centre remained modern, welcoming, and fit for purpose.
Like many leisure facilities, the Centre faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Newark and Sherwood District Council stepped in to support the Centre’s operation, with day-to-day management provided by Active4Today (A4T), while ownership remained with the Trust.
In May 2025, Southwell Leisure Centre Trust regained full responsibility for the Centre. Active4Today continues to manage the facility on the Trust’s behalf until March 2026, ensuring stability for members, staff, and visitors.
From 1 April 2026, the Centre will be managed by Parkwood Leisure, a national leisure operator with extensive experience in running community-focused facilities. Parkwood will work in partnership with the Trust to deliver accessible, high-quality services while supporting the Centre’s long-term sustainability and community role.
Southwell Leisure Centre Trust remains firmly committed to its founding values — keeping the Centre community-led, welcoming, and accessible — so it can continue to support health, wellbeing, and active lifestyles for generations to come.
Current Trustees – January 2026
Jo Harbord – Chair of Trust
Andrew Wilson
Alison Berwick
Andrew Worrall
John Lightwood
Jonathan Mitchell
Verdun Webley