Everyone Active will take over the operation of Sheffield’s sports and leisure venues from 1 January 2025, including three centres of excellence.

Last year, Sheffield City Council announced a £117 million investment in its leisure facilities and launched a competitive procurement process. The contract includes the English Institute of Sport (EISS), one of England’s seven high performance centres that provides facilities specifically designed for elite athletes.

Some of the country’s most successful athletes have trained at the venue, including former Olympic champion heptathlete, Jessica Ennis Hill; Anthony Joshua during his time on the GB Boxing programme; world champion para badminton player, Jack Shepherd and Will Bayley, the world’s number one paralympic table tennis player.

It is also home to several National Governing Bodies and sporting organisations, as well as community gym and indoor athletics facilities.

Ponds Forge International Sports Centre is also part of the contract. This is one of only a dozen Olympic swimming pools in the UK and has Europe’s deepest diving pool. Paris 2024 bronze medallist Yasmin Harper is one of the elite athletes to train there.

Everyone Active will also take over the operation of IceSheffield: a centre of excellence for figure skating, ice dance and hockey and one of only two facilities in the UK that has two Olympic-sized ice pads.

David Bibby, managing director at Everyone Active, says: “We feel privileged to have been chosen as the new operator for Sheffield’s sport and leisure venues. There's an incredible array of facilities within the city, renowned for hosting major sporting events and cultivating world-class athletes.

“Our experience of managing elite facilities across the country means we're well placed to continue the legacy of Sheffield’s iconic venues, and we look forward to keeping the spirit of sport and exercise alive across the city.”

Councillor Kurtis Crossland, chair of the communities, parks and leisure committee at Sheffield City Council, says the council is committed to ensuring that every person in Sheffield has access to facilities and services that support them in being more active, more often.

“Everyone Active share these ambitions and have shown their commitment to help us tackle health inequalities across Sheffield, which is why we're delighted to welcome them onboard,” he says.

The majority of the sites have been operated by Sheffield City Trust for more than 30 years and Places Leisure has run the three newer venues since 2016.

This contract sees Everyone Active's portfolio increase to more than 240 leisure and cultural facilities, including scooping the contract to run the London Aquatics Centre earlier this year, putting two of the most iconic swimming pools in the UK into its portfolio.

The full list of facilities in the Sheffield contract are: Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, English Institute of Sport Sheffield, Concord Sports Centre, Springs Leisure Centre, Hillsborough Leisure Centre, Heeley Pool and Gym, IceSheffield, Beauchief Golf Course, Birley Golf Course and Tinsley Golf Course.

The remaining three leisure centres – Graves Health and Sports Centre, Thorncliffe Health and Leisure Centre and Wisewood Sports Centre – will transfer to Everyone Active in 2026.