Frequently asked questions
Who is the new provider?
Freedom Leisure is an established leisure service provider and has been running leisure centres across the country for a number of years. They have a good track record of providing an excellent service.
When will the new provider take over?
The new provider will be starting from 1 September 2025.
Will the leisure centre staff lose their jobs?
The majority of staff will transfer to the new provider under TUPE Regulations where applicable.
What does this change mean for me?
You will see some changes over the coming weeks including new signage, new uniform for our colleagues, new website and booking system but essentially everything you love about your centre will remain the same, especially the staff team and programmes.
What will happen to my membership?
Your membership will still be with your leisure centre and there will be no change other than to the new operator. It is anticipated that you will be contacted by Fusion or Freedom Leisure in advance of the 1 September start date regarding your membership and direct debit arrangements.
Which facilities will the new provider take over?
The new provider will be taking over:
- Braintree Swimming and Fitness
- Braintree Sports and Health Club
- Halstead Leisure Centre
- Witham Leisure Centre and Sports Ground
Will the telephone number and/or email addresses for the leisure centres change?
We don’t anticipate a change to the current phone numbers however the email addresses for the centres will change to;
- Braintree Swimming and Fitness: braintreeSwimCentre@freedom-leisure.co.uk
- Braintree Sports and Health Club: braintreeSportClub@freedom-leisure.co.uk
- Halstead Leisure Centre - halsteadLC@freedom-leisure.co.uk
- Witham Leisure Centre and Sports Ground: withamLC@freedom-leisure.co.uk
These inboxes will not be monitored in the interim so please do not email us until 1 September. For any queries, the team at your leisure centre will be able to help you as they do now.
Will the centres have new websites?
Yes, from Monday 1 September you will be able to visit the new centre websites. In the meantime, we are preparing them and will publish them as soon as we can.
We are hopeful that from 1 September you will be able to make your regular bookings but there may be some downtime before online bookings are active on the website. Where there is some downtime, we will have staff on site and, on the phone, to deal with bookings manually until online bookings are active. Your patience is very much appreciated during this time.
What happens if I want to cancel my membership before the new provider takes over?
Please follow the usual procedure by contacting your leisure centre and they will be able to assist you.
I’ve cancelled my membership, can I re-join?
Absolutely. Please contact your preferred centre of use and we will do the rest.
Will the centres be closed at any point during the transfer?
No, we are not envisaging any closures. If we do have any parts of a facility that will close, we will do our best to communicate this in advance as soon as we can. Please bear with us as we will be working with Braintree District Council to do everything we can jointly to get all services fully operational as quickly as we can.
Will the opening hours and timetables for the centres change?
The centre opening hours will remain as they are currently and all timetables will be the same post transfer. We will however be looking to make improvements and expanding the programme over time and we’ll notify you of any changes well in advance.
I currently book online or through an App? Will this be affected by the transfer?
Yes, we will do all that we can to have the leisure centres on the Freedom Leisure App as soon as we can on or around the transfer date and it will be available on both Apple App Store and Google Play.
The delay is because we won’t have access to your data and the bookings prior to the transfer. One thing is for sure, you will need to create a new account on the Freedom Leisure App as your Fusion Lifestyle App and your login won’t work on ours.
We will update you on progress but as soon as it is live we will have a link on our website for you to download the Freedom Leisure App with instructions on how to login. We will also have posters in centres with QR codes so you can quickly and easily download the App onto your device.
I am a member; will I be able to visit as normal from 1 September?
Yes, we look forward to welcoming you from Monday 1 September. It will take a little time to get all our systems up and running but we will be open as normal and we will be doing everything we can to avoid any unnecessary disruption but please bear with our colleagues during this time.
What happens to my old membership card?
Your current membership card should still work but we will be transferring you to a new Freedom Leisure Card in September. App users will also be able to access their membership card on the App.
Will my classes still be running?
Classes will remain in place but if there are any changes, you will be contacted by the leisure centre.
How do I book swimming at the leisure centres?
Casual public swimming is no longer a bookable activity with Freedom sites and customers can simply turn up during designated public swim times, pay on arrival and enjoy their swim - no advance booking required.
Will I still need to book for a swim session?
No, from 1 September, all swim sessions will not need to be booked in advance so you can just turn up to enjoy a swim in line with our pool programme which will be the same from 1 September.
I have a regular booking at the leisure centre, will this be affected by the transfer?
No, your details will be passed across to us along with any advance bookings already in place. If you wish to contact us please email us from 1 September (our email addresses are in Q.2 above) and a member of the team will be able to assist you with your enquiry.
Will regular and affiliated club bookings be cancelled?
No, all regular bookings will continue to remain the same.
If you have any further queries, please contact leisure.braintreedc@braintree.gov.uk.
What changes will there be?
Both the current and new provider will be working very hard to keep any disruption to a minimum, although it is possible that some maintenance works will be undertaken both before and after the start of the new contract. If you do experience any problems, please feel free to contact a member of staff at the leisure centre.
When will the broken equipment be fixed?
Whilst we can’t get everything fixed on 1 September, we will be working closely with Braintree District Council to prioritise areas for improvement and will be addressing these as quickly as we can. Please bear with us whilst we get on top of things and get your centre in full working order.
Will the prices change as a result of the transfer?
All prices will remain the same on 1 September.
Who will be collecting my monthly direct debit?
In late August or early September, we will contact all our direct debit members by email informing you of the change of name from Fusion Lifestyle to Wealden Leisure Limited (t/a Freedom Leisure). You will not need to amend you direct debit, we will change your direct debit for you but please be assured, the price you pay now is the price you will pay on your next direct debit collection. Future collections will be processed as below;
- For those customers that make their payment on 1st of each month - For September only, this payment will be collected on 15 September. From October, your payment will revert to 1st of each month
- For those customers that make their payment on 15th of each month - These payments will continue as normal from October.
I have an annual membership that I have paid for in advance. Will this be affected by the transfer?
Your membership details will be provided to us by Fusion Lifestyle as part of the transfer process so you will be able to access the facilities for the duration of your membership as you do now.
I currently receive a concessionary membership rate. Will this continue?
Yes, if you currently qualify for a concessionary rate, this will continue. Your eligibility will be retained during the transfer.
What will happen to any cashless credits I have on my membership card with Fusion Lifestyle?
Fusion Lifestyle have issued information to customers regarding credits already so hopefully you will have received this. All credits will need to be used by 31 August as Fusion Lifestyle will not be issuing refunds and these can’t be accepted by Freedom Leisure going forward.
Can I use my membership at all the centres?
If your current membership allows you to use all these centres then this will be the case on and after 1 September.
Car parking is currently free for Fusion Lifestyle customers, will this continue with Freedom Leisure?
Yes, this will continue at the point of transfer.
Is my data secure?
Yes. Data security is a top priority and Freedom Leisure complies with all UK GDPR regulations to protect your personal information. You can view our Privacy Policy on our website.
I am keen to give you feedback on the centres, how do I go about this?
We would love to hear from you and there are several ways in which you can do this. When our websites go live, there is a ‘Leave Feedback’ link on our homepages which you can use to complete an online survey. Alternatively, once we have your contact details, we will be sending you a quick survey by email so you can directly feedback to us.
I’m interested in working for Freedom Leisure, what can I do?
Please visit our Freedom Leisure Jobs page to see all our current vacancies. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
