BH Live

What BH Live does

BH Live is a UK-based registered charity and social enterprise structured as a Company Limited by Guarantee (Charity No: 1138311), established in 2010 to operate leisure and cultural venues on behalf of local authorities. Headquartered at the Bournemouth International Centre, the organisation runs 19 venues and attractions across Dorset, Hampshire, and London (Croydon) through long-tenure partnerships with BCP Council, Portsmouth City Council, Southampton City Council, and Croydon Council. Approximately 1,500 colleagues serve millions of visitors annually across the BH Live Active leisure centre network, the BIC/Bournemouth Pavilion/Fairfield Halls entertainment venues, and a trading subsidiary (BH Live Enterprises Ltd) that handles non-charitable commercial activities.

The portfolio spans multiple operating segments: leisure (16 sports and leisure centres under the BH Live Active brand offering gyms, swimming pools, group exercise, and specialist health programmes including the Swimming Academy, Rise and Shine menopause support, PD Challenge Parkinson's exercise, and PREHAB cancer prehabilitation); entertainment (1,500-seat Bournemouth Pavilion, 10,000-capacity BIC, and Croydon's Fairfield Halls complex with 809-seat and 1,802-seat auditoriums); conferences and exhibitions (corporate event hosting generating millions in local economic impact); and hospitality (Elevate Brasserie, Lookout at Littledown, Terrace Bistro, South Terrace, and event catering). No proprietary technology stack, public API, or developer platform is disclosed; the operating model relies on standard venue management, ticketing (bhlivetickets.co.uk), and partnership integrations.

Revenue is generated through a mix of subscription-recurring leisure memberships and pay-as-you-go access, transactional ticket sales for shows and cultural events, venue hire for conferences and exhibitions, and hospitality revenue that is gift-aided back to the parent charity for reinvestment. Customer segments span consumers (general public, families, schools via subsidised pupil premium programmes), corporate and association event organisers (NHS Providers, TUC, GMB), and health-condition-specific cohorts partnered with NHS Trusts and cancer alliances. The organisation contributes over £45M annually to the local economy and supports thousands of community jobs.

Name

BH Live

Legal name

BH Live

Website

https://bhlive.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

BH Live is a UK registered charity and social enterprise operating 19 leisure, entertainment, and conference venues across Dorset, Hampshire, and London through partnerships with four local authorities, serving millions of visitors annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bournemouth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Leisure Centre Operations: Operation of sports and leisure centres generating revenue through memberships, pay-as-you-go access, and fitness classes. Includes facilities across Dorset, Hampshire, and Croydon.
2. Event Tickets and Entertainment: Revenue from selling tickets to live shows, concerts, musicals, pantomimes, and cultural events at venues including Bournemouth Pavilion (1,500-seat theatre) and Fairfield Halls (809-seat Ashcroft Theatre, 1,802-seat Concert Hall).
3. Conferences and Exhibitions: Conference, exhibition, and business event venue hire generating significant delegate attendance and economic impact. BH Live hosts major conferences and exhibitions contributing millions to local economy.
4. Hospitality Services: Cafés, bars, restaurants, and event catering through BH Live (Enterprises) subsidiary. All profits gift aided back to parent charity for reinvestment into leisure centres and venues for public benefit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

BH Live is a registered charity and social enterprise operating 19 leisure, entertainment, and conference venues across Dorset, Hampshire, and London (Croydon). Its core offering centres on the BH Live Active network of sports and leisure centres delivering gym memberships, fitness classes, swimming lessons, and health and wellbeing programmes, alongside entertainment ticketing and venue hire at Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, and Fairfield Halls, plus on-site hospitality and catering through subsidiary BH Live (Enterprises) Ltd.

Product overview

BH Live is a social enterprise and registered charity operating as a multi-venue leisure and cultural operator. The organisation offers a unified portfolio of leisure facilities under the BH Live Active brand (gyms, swimming pools, group exercise classes, and health programmes), entertainment venues (Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, and Fairfield Halls), and hospitality services (catering, bars, and restaurants). BH Live Active includes multiple sub-brands for specific centres (Littledown, Mountbatten, Pyramids, The Quays, Bitterne, Chamberlayne) and health programmes (Swimming Academy, Rise and Shine, Beat the Pause, PD Challenge, PREHAB Cancer). Entertainment venues operate ticketing services and host major conferences and events. The hospitality division operates branded dining venues including South Terrace, Terrace Bistro, Elevate Brasserie, and Lookout at Littledown. The organisation was established in 2010 and operates across Dorset, Hampshire, and London in partnership with local authorities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Exploria: Portsmouth's largest indoor soft play and bounce attraction located at Pyramids in Southsea, opened in 2021.
• Fairfield Halls
• BH Live Active Swimming Academy

Products and services

• BH Live Active Leisure Centres Network of 16 sports, leisure centres and attractions across Dorset, Hampshire, and London offering gym memberships, pay-as-you-go access, swimming pools, group exercise classes, and health and wellbeing programmes. Targets local communities and individual consumers across all ages and abilities.
• Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) South coast's largest conference, exhibition, and entertainment venue with capacity for up to 10,000 visitors, hosting major conferences, exhibitions, corporate events, and live entertainment. Operated in partnership with BCP Council.
• Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre Grade II listed 1,500-seat theatre and full-sized ballroom hosting musicals, opera, ballet, pantomime, comedy, and conferences. Operated by BH Live in partnership with BCP Council.
• Fairfield Halls Croydon's flagship entertainment and events venue featuring the 809-seat Ashcroft Theatre, 1,802-seat Concert Hall, and 750-capacity The Recreational live music venue. Operated in partnership with Croydon Council.
• Swimming Academy Swimming lesson programme following the Swim England Learn to Swim Framework, offering lessons for all ages and abilities across multiple BH Live Active centres, taught by Level 2 qualified swimming teachers at £18 per hour.
• Conferencing and Exhibitions Business event services including conferences, exhibitions, meetings, and corporate events across BH Live venues in Bournemouth, Portsmouth, and Croydon, handled through subsidiary BH Live (Enterprises) Ltd.
• Hospitality and Catering Services On-site cafes, bars, restaurants, and event catering across BH Live venues including Elevate Brasserie at BIC, Lookout at Littledown, Terrace Bistro at Bournemouth Pavilion, and South Terrace at Pyramids. All profits gift-aided back to parent charity for community reinvestment.
• Health and Wellbeing Programmes Specialised health and wellbeing programmes including Rise and Shine menopause support (six-week courses at £20 per person), PD Challenge Parkinson's exercise classes, PREHAB Cancer prehabilitation, and Beat the Pause menopause programme. Delivered at BH Live Active centres, often in partnership with NHS trusts and supported by Sport England and community funding.
• Exploria at Pyramids Portsmouth's largest indoor soft play and bounce attraction featuring bounce zones, diving tower, interactive games, themed slides, and SEN-friendly facilities for children aged 6 months and upwards.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £45 million contributed to local economy annually through events, conferences and leisure operations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, supporting, core and major.

• Laguna Travel LtdminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Providing free coach transport for schools attending Aladdin pantomime at Bournemouth Pavilion, supporting access for schools who may have financial barriers to theatre trips.
• Portsmouth WatersupportingOthers · 1 January 2026Supported Mountbatten Leisure Centre to make major water efficiency improvements with potential to save up to 4 million litres of water per year (equivalent to 1.5 Olympic swimming pools).
• Pulse FitnesssupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026Partnered with Pulse Fitness for major gym refurbishments across Southampton's leisure centres, completely revamping gym facilities at BH Live Active centres.
• PrecorsupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026World-leading fitness facility provider partnered with BH Live for £750K gym refurbishment at Mountbatten Leisure Centre, delivering state-of-the-art equipment and redesigned gym layout.
• Croydon CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019BH Live manages Fairfield Halls (flagship entertainment venue) in partnership with Croydon Council following major refurbishment in 2019. Venue includes Ashcroft Theatre, Concert Hall, and The Recreational.
• GLL (Greenwich Leisure Ltd)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2014Ten-year partnership from October 2014 for BH Live to operate cafés, banqueting and event catering at the London Aquatics Centre and Copper Box Arena, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, together with Streatham Ice Arena. GLL described as UK's largest leisure charitable social enterprise.
• BCP Council (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Local authority partnership established in 2010 when BH Live was formed to secure the future of Bournemouth's venues and leisure centres. BH Live operates venues and leisure facilities on behalf of BCP Council including Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth Pavilion, and Littledown Centre.
• Portsmouth City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Partnership extension confirmed for another 10 years. BH Live operates Mountbatten Leisure Centre (flagship venue), Pyramids Centre, and confirmed as official leisure operator for new Bransbury Park sport and healthcare centre. Partnership includes £750K investment into Mountbatten Leisure Centre.
• Southampton City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Partnership for operation of leisure centres including The Quays, Bitterne, and Chamberlayne. Multi-million pound redevelopment of Outdoor Sports Centre began June 2025, expected completion 2027.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Places Leisure: Operates leisure centres, swimming pools, and health and fitness facilities on behalf of local authorities across the UK. Directly comparable to BH Live Active in operating model, council contract structure, and membership-based gym operations.
• Fusion Lifestyle: Not-for-profit leisure trust operating sports, leisure, and cultural facilities in partnership with UK local authorities. Highly comparable to BH Live in delivering community-focused leisure services under council contracts with similar social-enterprise ethos.
• Lex Leisure: Leisure trust running leisure centres and sports facilities primarily across the Midlands and South of England. Direct comparable to BH Live in trust-based leisure operations under council partnerships.
• Parkwood Leisure: Leisure trust operating public leisure facilities in partnership with UK local councils. Comparable to BH Live in its council-contracted leisure centre management and community-focused service delivery.
• Everyone Active (Sports and Leisure Management): Operates more than 200 leisure and cultural facilities on behalf of local authorities across the UK. Direct peer to BH Live Active in delivering membership-based fitness, swimming, and community health programmes under council contracts.
• GLL (Better): UK's largest charitable leisure social enterprise, operating gyms, swimming pools, and leisure facilities on behalf of local authorities under the 'Better' brand. BH Live has an explicit mutual partnership with GLL (since 2014) for hospitality operations at London Aquatics Centre and Copper Box Arena, making it the closest comparable by mission, structure, and operating model.
• Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG): Largest theatre operator in the West End and a major international live entertainment group. Directly comparable to BH Live's Bournemouth Pavilion and Fairfield Halls entertainment venue operations, including ticketed live performances and group/school bookings.
• Active Nation: Registered charity operating leisure and sports facilities with a mission to engage inactive communities. Closely comparable to BH Live's social-enterprise mission, charity status, and focus on inclusive participation.

Broad incumbents

• Live Nation UK: Global live entertainment and ticketing giant operating major venues and promoting concerts/tours. Comparable to BH Live's entertainment venue operations (BIC, Pavilion, Fairfield Halls) but at vastly larger scale and as part of a much wider portfolio.
• Serco: Global outsourcing major that operates leisure facilities as part of a much broader portfolio including transport, healthcare, and defence. Comparable in running council-contracted leisure services but at significantly larger scale and with broader capabilities than BH Live.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/BHLiveExperience
• Facebookfacebook.com/SocialEnterpriseBHLive
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bhlive
• Instagraminstagram.com/bhliveuk
• Xx.com/bhlive_uk

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BH Live