Horizon Leisure wins Large Business of Year at Portsmouth Business Awards

Horizon Leisure, which operates Havant Leisure Centre and Waterlooville Leisure Centre, has been crowned Large Business of the Year at the Portsmouth Business Awards.

The annual event, held at the Portsmouth Guildhall, recognises the success of local businesses and entrepreneurs in the region.  The Large Business Award required companies to demonstrate a clear growth strategy alongside their operational success and a commitment to customer service.

Mike Lyons, CEO Horizon Leisure says: “It was a true privilege to receive this award. It’s fantastic to see our team’s efforts being recognised, and winning Large Business of the Year against some tough competition is a considerable achievement. Over the past year our facilities have seen remarkable success, with a total of 1,251,534 million visits and usage growing by 6.5% year on year.”

Last year, the charitable trust generated £8.1 million in social value, delivering a positive impact on everything from customers’ physical and mental health to overall life satisfaction. This impact equates to a social value of £285 per member at the Havant Leisure Centre and £325 per member at Waterlooville Leisure Centre.

Customer satisfaction also recorded an all-time high Net Promoter Score (NPS), which hit 60 in the 24/25 financial year against a public sector industry average of just 28. Accordingly, 96% of members choose to stay with Horizon each month, one of the highest retention rates in the industry.

Lyons concludes: “At Horizon Leisure we focus on the human side of wellbeing. Our team takes the time to understand what motivates each member and helps them set realistic goals so they can build lasting habits. It’s about much more than providing a place to exercise – it’s about supporting people to stay active, improve their health and feel part of their community. Our aim is simple: to help our local residents live healthier, happier and longer lives.”