South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership has announced the award of joint leisure contracts to Parkwood Leisure, covering the operation of their facilities in Boston, East Lindsey and South Holland.
The decision, following a competitive tender process, will see Parkwood Leisure continue their work at the Geoff Moulder Leisure Complex and Princess Royal Sports Arena in Boston and at the Castle Sports Centre site in Spalding,
In East Lindsey they will, from October 2027, take over the management of four leisure facilities currently operated by Magna Vitae, the Meridian Leisure Centre in Louth, Skegness Pool and Fitness Suite, Station Leisure and Learning Centre in Mablethorpe and Horncastle Pool and Fitness Suite.
The new contracts, which begin in Boston and South Holland from April 2026, will see Parkwood working closely with all three councils to enhance leisure provision, improve customer experience, and support health and wellbeing initiatives for local communities. Minimal change is expected to the existing staffing and operation across the facilities.
Founded in 1995, Parkwood Leisure is one of the most experienced providers of leisure management provision in the UK, running around 80 leisure facilities on behalf of local authorities throughout England and Wales with a mission to create and maintain sustainable, lasting partnerships which help build happier and healthier local communities.
The announcement comes at an exciting time for facilities across the sub-region, with a £28.3million redevelopment underway to merge and improve the Castle Sports site in Spalding, as well as the remodelling of the Geoff Moulder Leisure Complex as part of a £14.5million investment programme in the Rowley Road area of Boston, and the recent opening of the new £13.5million Station Leisure & Learning Centre in Mablethorpe.
In a joint statement Councillor Sarah Sharpe (BBC), Councillor Graham Marsh (ELDC) and Councillor Gary Taylor (SHDC), the Partnership’s respective portfolio holders for leisure, said: “This is an exciting step forward for leisure services across the Partnership, where Parkwood can bring their wealth of experience and proven track record to help ensure residents have access to modern, inclusive, and sustainable leisure opportunities.
“Building on our existing relationship in Boston and South Holland, we can work together to continue to buck the national trend and show investment and growth in our leisure offer and uptake, delivering quality services that meet the needs of all our communities.
“We would also like to thank Magna Vitae for their dedication and hard work in delivering and improving leisure services in East Lindsey over many years. Their contribution has been invaluable in supporting health and wellbeing locally, and we look forward to continuing to work with them on other projects in the future.”
Glen Hall, Managing Director at Parkwood Leisure, said: “We are delighted to deepen our partnership with BBC and SHDC, and to welcome ELDC into this collaboration, marking an exciting new era for community wellbeing and physical activity across the Partnership.
“We recognise the vital role these centres play as hubs in their local communities and are committed to building on the strong foundations already established, underpinned by significant capital investment of £3.3 million over the contract term. Our immediate focus is on ensuring a seamless transition for all staff and customers, and we look forward to inviting the community to a healthier, more active future starting in April 2026.”
