Freedom Leisure extends its hours
Soft play also re-opens in Wisbech
Leisure centres across Fenland will return to almost pre-lockdown opening hours next week as they continue to build on their safe and successful reopening.
Since reopening in July on a phased basis, the centres in Chatteris, March, Whittlesey and Wisbech have continued to welcome new and returning members through their doors.
Safety measures implemented by Freedom Leisure, which operate the centres on behalf of Fenland District Council and in partnership to promote health and wellbeing, have offered customers peace of mind as they get back to their favourite fitness activities.
Across the country, the leisure operator has had over 248,000 visits to its centres since July and this continues to grow.
In Fenland, opening hours and gym and fitness class capacities were safely increased in August to cope with demand, and now opening hours are being extended again.
From today (5 October), the new opening hours will be 7am to 9pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
The soft play areas at the Hudson Leisure Centre in Wisbech and Manor Leisure Centre in Whittlesey are also reopening for the first time.
Private hire of the swimming pools and soft play areas will also be available from 2pm to 4pm at weekends.
Cllr Sam Clark, Fenland District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Leisure, said:
"We could not have hoped for a more positive comeback for the leisure centres. Customers have been overwhelming positive and thoroughly accepting of the measures put in place to keep everyone safe, and staff have gone above and beyond to support people as they return.
"As winter approaches, I’m pleased the centres have been able to extend their opening hours to ensure residents continue to have safe spaces to exercise as the nights draw in."
Ivan Horsfall-Turner, Managing Director of Freedom Leisure, added:
"Freedom Leisure are delighted to have played a part in the safe reopening of leisure centres across the country and the response from customers has been fantastic. We have seen so many people coming back to their local community leisure centres in Fenland and the further extension of opening times shows that the demand is growing."
All leisure centres now display the NHS QR code posters, which users of the NHS COVID-19 app can scan to check-in. Customers not using the app must still provide their contact details when using the centres for Test and Trace purposes.