Freedom Leisure to get council support in Arun as energy bills climb
Freedom Leisure saw its annual energy bill more than double from £8 million to £20 million.
A leisure operator may have to rely on the council for help as it faces increased utility bills.
Freedom Leisure has a contract to run Arun’s leisure centres until 2026 and the district council may need to provide financial help amid rising energy bills.
In recent years pandemic closures, rising energy costs, and chemical shortages have all taken a toll on the non-profit which is responsible for over 100 UK leisure centres and more than 60 swimming pools.
These facilities use a lot of energy and, as of September, Freedom Leisure saw its annual energy bill more than double from £8 million to £20 million.
CEO Ivan Horsfall-Turner attended Arun District Council’s Housing and Wellbeing Committee meeting last Tuesday (6 December) to answer questions. But this part of the meeting was held in private as it was deemed to include sensitive business information.
A possible financial package for Freedom Leisure has since been made public.
If this is approved by the Policy and Finance Committee, up to £265,000 could be transferred from the inflation contingency reserve to help offset rising energy costs.
A further £580,000 could also be factored into the council’s budget next year to help keep leisure centres running.
Between April and September this year, 579,768 people visited Arun’s leisure centres, up from 299,413 between April and June.
But memberships during the 2021-2022 financial year did ‘not recover as quickly as hoped’, remaining at around 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
In summer, Mr Horsfall-Turner said prices for customers may have to increase to offset the massive energy bills which are the second biggest cost for his organisation.
Measures such as reducing pool temperatures by a few degrees, installing energy saving lighting, and reducing opening hours at quieter times are also being put in place to reduce costs.
Leisure centre users are also being asked to ‘do their bit’ by reducing the length of showers after exercise and switching off lights and air conditioning when leaving studios.