BCP Council is ending a long-standing contract with a leisure centre operator.

Everyone Active, which operates three leisure centres in Dorset and many more across the UK, will no longer be managing facilities for BCP Council from next month. 

An email from Everyone Active to customers said: “We would like to make you aware that Everyone Active will no longer be managing the leisure facilities on behalf of BCP Council from October 1 2024.

“Rest assured, your fitness membership will continue as normal at Rossmore Leisure Centre, Poole Dolphin Leisure Centre or Ashdown Leisure Centre."

A current member at Rossmore Leisure Centre said: “It frustrates me as a customer because the fact that you have to pay now for one gym, what you would have paid for three, is ridiculous.

“There should be a cut down in price.”

A BCP Spokesperson said: "Residents can continue to enjoy visits to the Dolphin Leisure Centre, Rossmore Leisure Centre, and Ashdown Leisure Centre, just as before, with no change in pricing".

Cllr Richard Herrett, BCP Council cabinet member for destination, leisure and commercial operations, said: "With our current contract set to expire in September 2024 and the council facing a difficult financial situation, we carefully considered our options for the future management of these Poole leisure centres.

"There has been extensive work to bring the management of these facilities back in-house, so we can be sure that residents are getting the very best access to high quality local sport and leisure activities. The team responsible for Two Riversmeet in Christchurch have proven an in-house model works and that we can deliver this.

"While this transition is underway, I want to stress to members of the centres in Poole that they won't experience any change in the great service they are currently receiving and can continue to enjoy visits to the Dolphin Leisure Centre, Rossmore Leisure Centre, and Ashdown Leisure Centre.

“The BCP Leisure management model includes a capital repayment investment plan across the three facilities, which will improve the quality of services on offer for our residents. "

Amanda Barrie, BCP Council's director of commercial operations said: "The contract arrangement the council has with Sports and Leisure Management (SLM) to run the three leisure centres in Poole is due to expire in September 2024.

"Once the facilities are managed in-house, the council plans to invest across the three leisure centres, to modernise the facilities and install state of the art brand new fitness equipment.

"The in-house management model has proven a success in recent years with the award winning Two Riversmeet Leisure Complex in Christchurch performing exceptionally well when measured against the performance of other leisure providers in the UK.

"The management of the three leisure centres in Poole, Kings Park Leisure and Learning Centre and Two Riversmeet Leisure Centre will form the brand new harmonised BCP Leisure in-house offer."

Everyone Active declined to comment.