Council launches new leisure service across North Yorkshire

Selby and Tadcaster leisure centres have opened today (September 2) under the newly-formed Active North Yorkshire.

The rebranding is part of North Yorkshire Council’s plan to bring all its leisure services in-house.

The sites have new livery (Image: North Yorkshire Council)

The authority’s executive member for leisure, Councillor Simon Myers, said: “Today is an important point in our leisure journey as two of our centres re-open as Active North Yorkshire hubs.

Cllr Simon Myers (Image: Supplied)

“We want to ensure leisure is accessible for everyone as we work to improve the health and wellbeing of our county.”

Five sites in total are scheduled to fall into the Active North Yorkshire operation (Image: North Yorkshire Council)

A council spokesperson said its new leisure service will be focussed on supporting everyone in the community to be active, with an increased emphasis placed on improving the physical and mental health and wellbeing of communities.

The spokesperson said: “Customers will still be able access the facilities and classes as usual, but there will be additional targeted and locally-based activities and services as well as increased support for community-based sport.”

'Target specific groups and provide more localised activities across the county'

Selby and Tadcaster leisure centres are the first to become part of Active North Yorkshire, with customers seeing changes such as the new name on signs and staff uniforms, and a new customer app and web page.

A council spokesperson said its new leisure service will be focussed on supporting everyone in the community to be active (Image: North Yorkshire Council)

The moves are the first North Yorkshire sites which are switching to the new operation - they are currently managed by different operators in the former district council areas.

They will move to be part of Active North Yorkshire in phases, operated by the council as active wellbeing hubs.

The facilities in the former Hambleton and Craven council areas will adopt the new Active North Yorkshire identity this autumn.

Services currently provided by Brimhams Active in will move to Active North Yorkshire by spring 2025.

The last phase will see the transfer of facilities and services currently provided by Everyone Active in the former Ryedale and Scarborough council areas in 2027.

North Yorkshire Sport’s chief executive, David Watson, said: “Bringing all the leisure facilities into one body can only be a good thing for the county, with the ability to target specific groups and provide more localised activities across the county.”