Average charges for an adult swim session have topped £5.00 (US$6.45, €5.83) for the first time, as expenditure on swimming and swimming lessons reaches record levels, according to the new State of the UK Swimming Industry Report 2023 from market intelligence outfit, Leisure DB.
The finding bears out industry feedback showing that some operators and consumers are accepting the need to charge more for swimming.
Speaking to HCM recently, Duncan Anderson, CEO of South Downs Leisure, which is managing the new Swim Lanes lido in Brighton UK, explained that swim prices have been adjusted to ‘reflect the true cost of operating a pool’.
“We needed to charge the correct price at Sea Lanes, to not only fit in with the value proposition of the brand, but also to make it sustainable for the future and to reflect the true cost of operating a pool,” said Anderson
In addition to analysing the price of a swim, State of the UK Swimming Industry Report 2023 ranks operators by size, identifying Nuffield Health as the UK’s number one private sector pool operator by number of sites with a pool and GLL in the top spot in the public sector.
In the public sector, an average of 51 per cent of all pools in the UK are managed by a trust, with the figure in Scotland the highest at 67 per cent.
In addition to the numbers, the report includes interviews with operators and experts from across the sector, providing the story behind the statistics, as well as advice on best practice.
“What clearly emerges is a huge opportunity to further optimise pool capacities and revenues, with many operators reconfiguring pools and timetables to accommodate more swimming lessons,” says Leisure DB’s David Minton, while Marc Jones from Fitronics says: “Demand for swimming lessons is surging, with a huge backlog of children who couldn’t learn during COVID.”
The report identifies opportunities for the sector to increase revenues by adopting growth tactics. Bethan Laker of The Leisure Experts says: “Currently, the sector lacks the know-how when it comes to turning pool operations into profitable ventures.”
RLSS and Swim England Qualifications board member, Helen Bull, echoes this, saying: “The industry now needs to do things differently. The current situation reflects a lack of investment and a lack of joined-up action.”
In spite of concerns about pool closures, the report shows little change in the number of pools operating in the UK, with the total number down only 1.8 per cent in the 12 months to the end of March 2023.
This compares to a fall of 5.1 per cent between 2019 and 2022, indicating that operators are finding ways to keep pools open, even with the pressure of energy prices.
“What’s surprising in our 2023 figures is that we haven’t seen a more significant decrease in pool numbers,” says Minton. “There’s been less of an overall reduction in pool stock over the past 12 months than in the year directly following COVID.
However, “High energy costs will undoubtedly cause more casualties,” warns Minton. “It’s important to note that our figures include pools temporarily closed but slated to re-open and the coming 12 months will be critical, as big decisions are made on the future of pools across the UK.”
Liz Terry, editor of HCM magazine said: “Swimming is the ultimate workout, combining cardio, strength and flexibility and pools are critical to the nation’s health and safety.
“We need to see rapid decarbonisation of the sector to keep energy prices under control so we can keep pools open and enable access for all. We applaud the kinds of actions being taken by operators such as Everyone Active, with its new Net Zero strategy and urge other operators to follow suit”. Terry also called on government to continue to support the survival of the sector.
Minton said government support would be essential to the continuing sustainability of the sector, pointing out that more needs to be done. “The application process for the funding announced in March is only just happening,” he said and “[Further] government support has not been forthcoming at the time of writing this report”.
State of the UK Swimming Industry Report 2023 includes a breakdown of pool numbers and regional coverage, openings and closures, public and private sector analysis and commentary on trends. It will be published on 31 July 2023 and is available to pre-order/order at www.leisuredb.com/publications.
The UK government’s National Child Mortality Database https://www.ncmd.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/NCMD-Trauma-Thematic-Report.pdf
The organisation has outlined a series of recommendations based on the data, which were discussed yesterday [25 July 2023] at an event in observance of World Drowning Prevention Day, at Number 10 Downing Street, London.
The World Drowning Prevention Day event brought together stakeholders and representatives from government bodies, aquatic bodies, lifesaving organisations, community leaders, and global experts to discuss water safety, access to swimming facilities, and strategies to empower all individuals across the UK, including those from diverse backgrounds, to participate in aquatic activities confidently.
“The Black Swimming Association is honoured to be have participated in the Number 10 event, a day of major significance for water safety and drowning prevention” said
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