New London Market Intelligence Report Compares 16 Sports and Leisure Facilities Across The Capital.
The latest London Market Intelligence report from The Leisure Database Company is now available. The 2007- 2008 Leisure Pricing Report compares prices for 16 sporting and leisure facilities across the 33 London Boroughs and reveals a 3.9% increase in charges, below the rate of inflation, 4.4% but above last year’s increase of 3.6%.
The new enhanced report features, for the first time, comparisons of monthly direct debit gym membership fees across the Capital for both private and public gyms. The report, now in its 18th year, compares 166 public gyms with monthly direct debits and 398 private gyms alongside the London borough prices for 16 core sporting and leisure activities, including fees for swimming, synthetic turf pitches and sports halls. The report highlighted that the London average monthly direct debit for public gyms is £37.46 whilst for private gyms it’s 46% higher at £54.62. London’s price diversity for gym memberships, for example, is vast. The report shows that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has the most expensive average direct debit private gym membership at £98.40 and the London Borough of Redbridge has the lowest public sector direct debit charge at £27.50.
Price competition is also fierce between private and public sectors in many boroughs. For example in the London Borough of Newham, the average gym direct debits are only 4% lower in the public sector than in the private gyms and are just 10% lower, on average, in the borough of Waltham Forest.
The new 2007/08 report also includes for the first time, price comparisons across the London Boroughs on group exercise classes. The pricing intelligence, contained in the report, highlights that the lowest average charges for group exercise are found in the borough of Sutton at £3.80 and the highest average charges are 132% higher, in Barnet at £8.80.
Sports Hall charges vary widely too. The highest average charge at £66 per hour is in Hackney whereas the lowest average charge is 53% lower at £30.90 in Hammersmith.
Howard Griffin, Marketing Development Manager at the London Borough of Hillingdon, commented, “We have been using the Leisure Database fees and charges report for a number of years and find it an invaluable tool for providing a comprehensive way to benchmark our activities. The report also saves significant staff time researching data ourselves.”
“The added information provided on trends for each borough and activity also aids our background evidence for informing and recommending charging policy based on comprehensive and accurate data provided by The Leisure Database Company.
The profiling service provides a welcome added benefit that has aided our level of intelligence of regular users compared to the local catchment population. This has influenced our direct marketing to residents and provided an opportunity to target specific groups that either have more of a propensity to exercise and can increase revenue and groups that are under-represented. We are hoping this work will contribute to achieving priorities in the Local Area Agreement.”
Richard Barker, Principal Sports and Leisure Service Manager, Westminster City Council, said, “The data provided by The Leisure Database Company has been extremely useful in ensuring Westminster continues to provide excellent value for money activities, facilities and programmes, particularly for residents and our target groups. The detailed information has helped us to examine fees and charges policies in detail and address particular areas of pricing where necessary to ensure our services remain as accessible and attractive as possible.”
To enquire about or purchase a copy of the report, please contact 020 7379 3197.
