Aneurin Leisure Trust set to reopen with a bang

Welsh leisure trust, Aneurin Leisure, in partnership with Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, is forging ahead with a full gym refurbishment in all three of its sites, despite the pandemic.

Plans are set for reopening after lockdown in April, with the centres each offering a hybrid in-person and digital gym solution for returning and new members.

Following the £600,000 refurbishment, Ebbw Vale Sports Centre, Abertillery Sports Centre and Tredegar Sports Centre will each feature a full complement of Precor strength, cardio and functional equipment, with Precor’s networked fitness solution and Advagym by Sony together ensuring a strong focus on digital connectivity throughout.

Tom Kivell, Aneurin Leisure’s Fitness Development Manager, who is project managing the refurbishment, says:

“We have been planning a multi-site gym refurbishment for the past 18 months, as our previous kit is eight years old and very dated. We started the process in September 2019, but the pandemic put everything on hold.

Considering the impact coronavirus has had on our sector, everyone’s mindset has been understandably cautious. We could easily have stalled our redevelopment plans, but thanks to the government furlough scheme, access to new grants and careful budgeting, we knew we could invest, grow and set ourselves up to thrive when we reopen.

We see this time as an opportunity to strike and to come out of lockdown with a new offer and a competitive edge in our area that, following consultation with our existing members, will create a superb resource for the whole community.”

The cutting-edge facilities will each offer Precor’s top-of-the-range 800-line cardio in the all-new Black Pearl All Tungsten colourway, with P82 touch-screen consoles and the Preva networked fitness solution.

In addition to delivering content via their cardio machines, Aneurin Leisure opted to complement Precor’s new Resolute Strength line with Advagym by Sony – the unique solution that guides exercisers in using the machine safely, by loading each sensor with how-to videos, as well as logging every rep and exercise completed.

To deliver a fully connected experience, Aneurin Leisure will display additional sensors within other zones of the gym floor, for example the functional space and Spinning studio, meaning exercisers can receive workout content and guidance, and log their activity, throughout the entire facility.

Each site features a custom made Queenax™ functional training unit. Precor’s design team undertook extensive consultation with the Aneurin Leisure team and has created an innovative layout for each site.

Designs use equipment placement and bespoke Queenax™ rigs to ensure social distancing occurs naturally throughout the gym and act as room dividers, encouraging new exercisers into different sections of the gym floor, to ensure more balanced usage.

Tom continues:

“We selected Precor as we wanted to digitise the gym experience, fully connecting cardio and strength so the team can set goals, create challenges and training plans, and track progress to offer results-based training. As an operator, having access to analytical data is no longer a nice to have; it’s essential for success.

“The data we can draw from Precor’s Preva and Advagym will give us invaluable insight into how we meet member needs and improve service. We can’t wait for the installation to be completed and to welcome our customers back to an industry-leading experience.”

Steve Carter, Managing Director of Precor UK, says: “In bucking the trend and choosing to future-proof its facilities now, Aneurin Leisure is testimony to the fact that our industry can come out of the pandemic fighting fit.

In choosing to partner with Precor they are putting technology at the forefront of their offer to ensure they can engage with and attract members from all demographics and provide a best-in-class offer in their area.”

– ends –

For further information and images, please contact:
Wendy Golledge at Big Fish Public Relations
Tel: 07921 319517
Email: wendy@bigfishpublicrelations.co.uk