Council to decide on future of leisure facilities in Lincoln
Council chiefs seeking to reopen to two Lincoln leisure centres as quickly as possible are expected to give officers the go-ahead to find interim operators.
Members of City of Lincoln Council’s Executive will next week be asked to approve the start of the procurement process to find an interim operator for the indoor and outdoor leisure facilities at Yarborough Leisure Centre and Birchwood Leisure Centre for the next two years.
Following the announcement that Active Nation had ceased trading nationally last Wednesday the council’s Executive has been asked to allow the appointing a new leisure provider using emergency provisions.
A council spokesperson said there had been concerns over Active Nation’s financial viability before last week’s closures and in January 2025 this resulted in the council offering a two-year support package worth £480k of additional income plus the suspension of debt repayments to the city council. However, following consideration of the offer it was formally declined.
The trading position of Active Nation remained challenging, but made assurances that these challenges were being managed, but on April 3 it made the decision to cease trading and seek to wind the charity up, closing the leisure centres up and down the country, including the Lincoln sites owned by the council.
Officers looked at four options before recommending urgent action to appoint interim leisure provider for up to two years and use this period appraise the future of leisure provision. Members of the Executive Committee will make their decision at a meeting on 15 April.
Report author, Simon Walters – Strategic Director of Communities and Environment at City of Lincoln Council, said: “These centres play a vital role in supporting the physical and mental health of residents of the city and beyond and it is vital that they re-open as soon as possible.
“The option being recommended by officers is that the council urgently procure an interim leisure provider for up to two years to replace Active Nation.
“This offers the fastest route to re-opening the two centres, which members have already indicated is the approach they want to take.
“The recommended option will enable a leisure provider who has the necessary experience, expertise, knowledge and resources to take control of the two centres and make them a success.
“This option also gives Members and officers the time and space to carefully consider the changing local government landscape and leisure industry itself before committing to a longer-term contract.”
The decision will be made at an Extraordinary Meeting of the council’s Executive at 5pm on 15 April in City Hall, Lincoln.
Picture caption
As well as offering Active Nation a loan of almost £500,000 City of Lincoln Council also installed solar panels on the roof of Yarborough Leisure Centre to offset running costs.