Worthing Leisure Centre's bigger gym and new reception opened on 19 October, with a red light sauna and CryoLounge. Two studios and a play area come next.
The new gym at Worthing Leisure Centre in Goring-by-Sea opened on the morning of Monday 19 October, along with a rebuilt reception. They are the first two stages of a £2 million redevelopment by South Downs Leisure, the charitable trust that runs the Shaftesbury Avenue centre, and work on the third and final stage starts next.
The trust says the first session was full. The work began in May and is being done with Inspace Fitness, which supplied the equipment.
What has changed
According to the trust, the gym is much larger than before, with a new layout, new flooring and lighting, a bigger free weights area and more strength, cardio and functional training kit.
There is also a recovery area, which the trust lists as a Sunlighten red light sauna, HydroMassage and a CryoLounge.
The layout is step-free and some of the strength machines can be used from a wheelchair. The trust says accessibility was “an important focus” throughout.
What members said
The trust passed on comments from three customers on opening day. One said:
“It’s such a difference! There’s so much variety in the equipment, and the gym feels incredibly spacious and open, even when it’s busy.”
Another singled out the recovery area:
“They’ve done an amazing job! There’s so much more space, and the extra equipment means a better workout. The new recovery area and beds are a really welcome addition, and the gym and sauna look beautiful too!”
A FIT4 member focused on access:
“The adaptability and accessibility of the equipment are fantastic. It’s a brilliant addition and means I’ll definitely be making more use of my FIT4 membership.”
“The wait has been worth it”
Duncan Anderson, chief executive of South Downs Leisure, said:
“It’s fantastic to finally be opening the doors to our new gym, and seeing so many customers coming in to experience it for the first time has been brilliant.
“We’ve been looking forward to this moment for months, and the response from our members makes all the hard work worthwhile.
“As a charitable trust, our focus is always on making a positive impact in the communities we serve. This investment is about much more than new equipment or a new look. It’s about creating welcoming, inclusive spaces that encourage more people to get active, support their wellbeing and feel part of their local community.
“We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved so far, and I want to say a huge thank you to our customers and staff for their patience and support throughout the redevelopment. We know there has been disruption along the way, and we’re extremely grateful for everyone’s understanding. We hope people will agree that the wait has been worth it!”
Ben Steadman, managing director of Inspace Fitness, said the aim had been “a modern, welcoming and inspiring fitness environment, with high-quality equipment, improved accessibility and a layout that supports a wide range of training needs”, and that the firm was looking forward “to continuing the partnership as the next stage of the redevelopment gets underway.”
What comes next
The redevelopment is not finished. In the third stage, the old weights room and the Projectile Range will become two new fitness studios and an active play area. The trust has not given dates for that work yet and says further updates will follow.
The centre’s other facilities are its fitness studios, sports hall, squash courts, athletics facilities and 3G football pitches. Details are on the South Downs Leisure website.
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