Seven leisure centres being improved to help you Be Well

A man cycles in front of a Be Well billboard.

On 1 May 2024, the council is bringing the management of seven leisure centres in-house when the current contract with leisure provider GLL expires. 

Sport and physical activity play a significant role in improving the physical and mental health of our community, supporting the economy and reconnecting communities. 

Currently, Tower Hamlets has a number of issues surrounding health.  

There is a high prevalence of people living with a long term-condition and high rate of children living with excess weight; around a quarter of the adult population in Tower Hamlets have poor mental health; and levels of physical activity in adults have been falling disproportionately with women, people from certain ethnicities, and older adults being particularly affected. 

During summer 2023, more than 700 residents took part in a range of consultation events, including a survey and focus groups, to give their views to inform the new offer and brand.  

The new service, Be Well, will provide leisure services to support residents’ journeys to a healthier lifestyle by placing focus on: 

• a holistic view of health and wellbeing, to empower residents to improve their physical and mental health. 

• increasing participation of our residents with a focus on women and girls, older adults, and people at risk of, or living with, a long-term condition 

• cross-borough working with local groups and clubs to promote a more well-rounded view of health. 

• services that are more inclusive and easier to access, to reduce health inequalities. 

Insourcing the service will also create new jobs, providing career opportunities for local people and businesses.  

Be Well aims to raise the quality of life for the Tower Hamlets community through three pillars: Health, Wellness and Play. 

Health - Providing excellent services to enable healthy lifestyles. 

• A full and varied programme of activities to support physical and mental health for all.  

• Clean, inviting and well-equipped facilities. 

• Dedicated, passionate and qualified staff.  

Wellness - Removing barriers to create inclusive and accessible environments. 

• Targeted programmes and interventions to remove barriers and support groups who don’t currently access services.    

• Connecting the community with health and wellbeing services that support their lifestyles. 

• New opportunities and spaces for women and girls. 

• Regular review of centres and programmes to ensure our offer meets the diverse needs of our community and increase participation. 

 Play - Supporting local groups and clubs to bring communities together.  

• Partnership working with schools, community and voluntary groups, governing bodies, sports clubs, parks, youth services and more. 

• Encouraging and enabling group activities to improve health and wellbeing. 

• A Sports Strategy for all ages and abilities. 

 The new service will offer a range of benefits for residents, including: 

• Free swimming for women and girls over 16 and men over 55 

• Access to six leisure centres under one membership  

• New fitness equipment and class programmes 

• Health and wellbeing classes and programmes 

• Upgrades to centres including the spa at York Hall, a new spin studio at John Orwell and refurbished pitches at Mile End ​ 

To facilitate the handover period, leisure centres will be closed from 1 – 7 May. Centre members will be contacted with information about the closure period in advance.

For us to be able to complete required works some bookings unfortunately may have to be cancelled during this period. We aim to let you know as soon as possible if your booking will be affected and of course will refund/credit you for this.

Stay tuned for a healthier Tower Hamlets in May 2024. If you have any questions or would like more information, please email be-well@towerhamlets.gov.uk.