DDC’s Cabinet is set to consider a recommendation on Thursday (6 Feb) to appoint Your Leisure as the interim operator of the sports hall and tennis centre at Tides Leisure Centre while major plans for the £20m development of a new centre progress.
This follows extensive work to look at other options to keep these facilities open. This has led to renewed negotiations, and a revised and more competitive expression of interest from Your Leisure.
Since the publication of the Cabinet papers for the meeting held on 13 January, two separate operators have come forward with proposals to keep the facilities open during the interim, which have been explored.
The recommendation to be considered on Thursday (6 Feb) is to approve Your Leisure as the interim operator for the sports hall and tennis centre, and to approve a competitive tendering process for a future operator to begin long term operations from 1 April 2026 for dryside facilities, and summer 2027 for full opening.
The intention is to hold as much of the special meeting of Cabinet as possible in public, however it may be necessary for Members to move into private during the meeting to consider any restricted information.
This follows exciting news in January that Cabinet agreed major plans for a new leisure in Deal with a six-lane pool with toddler splash pad, and an extensive range of health and fitness facilities.
Leader of DDC, Cllr Kevin Mills said: “We have been working hard to find a workable solution to keep facilities open while this exciting development gets underway. Since the report in January, we are pleased to have been given new options to consider that mean there could be a new deal on the table.
“We have worked hard to get to this stage and have continued to work to secure an interim provider, and to make this key development deliverable and sustainable in what has been a tough financial climate. We now have a more competitive expression of interest which could benefit all parties and we look forward to considering these options on Thursday.”
To keep updated on the project, please see the Deal Leisure Centre page, or for more details on the Cabinet meeting on 6 February, please see the DDC meetings page.
Posted on 05 February 2025