HARLOW AND DISTRICT SPORTS TRUST

What HARLOW AND DISTRICT SPORTS TRUST does

Harlow and District Sports Trust is a registered charitable trust (founded 1960, governed by volunteer Trustees under Nolan principles and Charity Commission Hallmarks) that operates Harlow Leisurezone, a single combined wet and dry sporting and leisure facility on Second Avenue, Harlow, Essex (CM20 3DT). The current building opened in Summer 2010 as a fundamental element of the Harlow Gateway Project regeneration scheme, replacing the original Harlow Sportcentre site. The Trust is independent with no parent company or institutional investors, and the facility was used as a training venue for elite athletes in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics.

The core offering is a multi-activity destination built around a 25-metre 8-lane swimming pool, a 150+ station fitness gym across two air-conditioned floors with Technogym equipment, a Strength and Conditioning suite, a Health Spa (jacuzzis, sauna, saunarium, steam room), 60+ weekly fitness classes across three studios, a sports arena hosting 8 badminton courts plus basketball, netball and football, and four squash courts. Three proprietary adventure attractions — Urban Limitz adventure trampoline park, VertiGo Climb Challenge (19 climbing walls with automatic belay), and Kidzz Kingdom three-level space-themed soft play — extend the addressable family demographic. Ancillary commercial services include LZ Swim School (Swim England framework), RLSS-accredited lifeguard training (NPLQ, NRASTC, Rookie), sports coaching (karate, badminton, trampolining), birthday party packages, and event venue hire. An on-site tenant ecosystem (Churchill Catering, Kindred Daycare, Varney Green Physiotherapy, Helen Rollason Cancer Charity, Skratch18 indoor golf, two hair salons, Toddler Sense, and The 1:1 Diet) layers additional services and rental income onto the site.

Revenue is generated through four streams: tiered membership subscriptions (Gold unlimited access, Silver activity combinations, Bronze pay-as-you-go) on 12-month direct-debit contracts; per-session pay-as-you-go pricing for swimming, climbing, trampoline and soft play; one-off bookings for birthday parties and event hire; and managed-services revenue from third-party tenant facility-use agreements. Go-to-market is a sales-led model combining a single physical leisure centre, multiple self-serve online booking portals (Connect member portal, HomePortal swim-school portal, attraction-specific sites) and a centralised phone booking line, supported by email newsletter, organic social and seasonal promo-code campaigns (FEELGOOD26, SUMMER26). Primary customer segments are local general-public individuals, families with children, active retired residents, and small corporate accounts; the Trust does not disclose revenue and reports a small headcount inconsistent with facility scale.

Name

HARLOW AND DISTRICT SPORTS TRUST

Legal name

Harlow & District Sports Trust

Website

https://harlowleisurezone.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Harlow and District Sports Trust operates Harlow Leisurezone, a registered charitable trust running a combined wet and dry leisure facility in Harlow, England, serving local families, fitness users, and active retirees with a 25m pool, 150-station gym, fitness classes, sports courts, and family attractions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Leisure Facilities

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Sport Complexes & Community Sports Parks (MPAKAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sports & Recreation Lessons (Surfing, Skiing, Golf, Tennis) (THAJAKAN)

Keywords

• Leisure centre operations
• Fitness facility management
• Swimming pool services
• Sports and recreation
• Community leisure trust

Headquarters

HQ city

Harlow, England

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Tiered membership model with Gold (full access), Silver (activity combinations), and Bronze (pay as you go). 12-month contracts with direct debit billing.
2. Pay-as-you-go / Session Fees: Individual activity sessions charged per visit. Swimming pool, fitness classes, Urban Limitz, VertiGo, and Kidzz Kingdom available without membership at higher per-session rates.
3. Party Bookings: Birthday party packages for various attractions including VertiGo (£265), Kidzz Kingdom (from £175.25), and Urban Limitz (£22.10 per head).
4. Third-party Tenant Rentals: On-site operators including Churchill Catering, physiotherapy clinics, hair salons, and daycare generate income through facility use agreements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Harlow and District Sports Trust operates a combined wet and dry sporting and leisure facility under the Harlow Leisurezone brand, providing a gym, 25m swimming pool, sports arena, squash courts, climbing wall, trampolining, soft play area, spa, swim school, fitness classes, personal training, and children's party hosting to the local community. The Trust offers both tiered memberships (Gold, Silver, Bronze) and pay-as-you-go access, and promotes discounted promotional codes for memberships and classes.

Product overview

Harlow Leisurezone, operated by Harlow & District Sports Trust, is a combined wet and dry leisure facility offering a comprehensive range of fitness, recreational, and wellness services. The center features a 25m swimming pool with learner pool, over 150-station fitness gym, Strength & Conditioning suite, Health Spa, Sports Arena (8 badminton courts), 4 squash courts, and three fitness studios hosting 60+ weekly classes. Entertainment attractions include Urban Limitz Adventure Trampoline Park, VertiGo Climb Challenge (19 climbing challenges), and Kidzz Kingdom Soft Play (space-themed, 3 levels). The facility provides swimming lessons via LZ Swim School, sports coaching (karate, badminton, trampolining), and lifeguard training (RLSS accredited). Additional services include Varney Green Physiotherapy, Helen Rollason Cancer Support Centre, Kindred Daycare Nursery, Churchill Catering, Skratch18 indoor golf, and hair salons. Membership tiers (Gold, Silver, Bronze/Pay As You Go) provide graduated access levels. Online services include Connect booking system and HomePortal swim lesson tracking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VertiGo Climb Challenge: Indoor climbing wall with 19 thrilling climbing challenges
• Kidzz Kingdom
• Urban Limitz
• LZ Health Spa
• LZ Swim School

Products and services

• Memberships (Gold, Silver, Bronze tiers)

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Churchill Catering LtdcoreOthersOperates the cafe and catering offerings at Harlow Leisurezone. Handles event catering and party food. Contact: 01279 412281 or [email protected].
• Dizzy Ducks Day Nurseries Ltd / KindredcoreOthersOn-site Day Care nursery and crèche facility offering full and term time as well as creche sessions from birth to 5 years. Open 52 weeks from 7am-7pm. Contact: 01279 454495.
• Varney Green PhysiotherapyminorOthersEstablished physiotherapy clinic operating at Leisurezone. Offers traditional physiotherapy, diagnostic ultrasound, injections, pelvic health, bike fitting, shockwave therapy. 10% discount for Gold and Silver members before 5pm weekdays. Contact: 01279 414959.
• Helen Rollason Cancer CharityminorOthersCancer support centre at Harlow Leisurezone dedicated to quality of life for those affected by cancer. Services delivered free of charge in non-clinical, peaceful environment. www.helenrollason.org.uk
• Skratch18minorOthersIndoor golf simulation centre on 1st floor offering over 25 world golf courses. Services for novice to experienced golfers with club data analysis. Instagram @skratch18. Contact: 01279417311.
• Toddler SenseminorOthersSensory play sessions for toddlers and children held in the WOW Centre at Leisurezone. Activities include sensory stimulation, play, adventures and learning.
• Harlow Penguins Swimming ClubminorOthersFriendly competitive swimming club using Harlow Leisurezone pools. Approximately 90 swimmers aged 4-16, from learning to swim through to County, District and National qualifying times.
• Cube Men's Hair SalonminorOthersOn-site men's hair salon at Harlow Leisurezone. Open Monday to Saturday. Contact: 01279 436662.
• L J HairminorOthersOn-site hair salon. Open Monday, Wednesday-Friday 9.30am-6pm, Saturday 9am-5pm. Contact: 07572 942332 or [email protected].
• The 1:1 Diet (Tinette Weinman)minorOthersCambridge 1:1 Diet Weight Plan practitioner offering weight management support and nutritionally complete products. Contact: 07984 579046 or [email protected].

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Everyone Active (Sports & Leisure Management): Operates a large portfolio of community leisure centres under contract with local authorities in the UK. Directly comparable on multi-activity wet-and-dry facilities, tiered memberships, learn-to-swim and community programming serving similar demographics to HDST.
• Places Leisure: Charitable leisure trust operating council-partnered leisure facilities across the UK, including pools, gyms, sports halls and children's attractions. Closely matches HDST's charitable community-leisure model and broad family-oriented offering.
• Better (Greenwich Leisure Limited): UK's largest charitable leisure social enterprise, operating community leisure centres, gyms and swimming pools on a non-profit basis. Closest comparable by structure (charitable/community operator) and by offering mix (wet + dry facilities, memberships, fitness classes, swim schools).
• Fusion Lifestyle: Operates leisure and cultural facilities across the UK on behalf of local authorities and trusts. Comparable on community-leisure centre operations, mixed wet-and-dry facilities, and membership-driven revenue model.
• Active Nation: UK charitable trust operating leisure and sports facilities with a focus on community health and family-friendly activities. Comparable by charitable structure, multi-activity centres, and programming aimed at increasing participation.

Broad incumbents

• PureGym: UK's largest low-cost gym chain. Comparable on the fitness/subscription element of HDST's offering, but PureGym operates a single-purpose budget model with no pools or community attractions — relevant as a price-pressuring competitor in the catchment.
• David Lloyd Leisure: UK/Europe premium family health club chain with extensive wet-and-dry facilities, swimming pools, kids' programming and family memberships. Comparable on multi-activity family positioning but at a higher price point and broader geographic footprint.
• Nuffield Health: UK-wide charitable health and fitness operator combining gyms, swimming, family services and clinical health. Comparable on charitable status and integrated wellness offering, though with broader geographic reach and healthcare services.
• The Gym Group: UK low-cost gym operator with national footprint. Comparable on the gym subscription model and catchment-area competition, though lacks HDST's pool, family attractions and community-trust differentiation.

Emerging players

• Total Fitness: UK mid-market health club chain with pools, gyms and family facilities. Comparable on multi-activity family positioning in regional markets, though operating as a commercial (non-charitable) chain.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/harlow-and-district-sports-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 HARLOW AND DISTRICT SPORTS TRUST