£2.5m Leisure Centre Upgrades Take Shape Across Ealing

Residents across Ealing are beginning to see the results of a £2.5 million investment in the borough's leisure facilities, with a significantly expanded gym now open in Northolt and further improvements underway in Acton, Southall and other parts of the borough.

The programme follows the start of a new 10-year contract with Everyone Active in March 2026, continuing the operator's management of key leisure facilities across Ealing. The investment is intended to modernise centres, expand fitness facilities and improve the overall experience for residents. Slm Charitable Trust

And in Northolt, residents can already see the results.

At a Glance

• £2.5 million is being invested in Ealing leisure facilities
• Northolt Leisure Centre's expanded gym opened on 25 September
• Fitness stations have increased from 120 to 150
• Northolt now has a new recovery area and two hydromassage beds
• A new cycling studio accommodates 28 riders
• Two additional exercise studios have been created
• Acton Centre's main gym is being expanded by around 50%
• Further improvements are planned at Reynolds Sports Centre and Dormers Wells Leisure Centre
• Everyone Active's new management contract runs for 10 years. Ealing News

Bigger Gym Opens in Northolt

The most significant completed improvement so far is at Northolt Leisure Centre on Eastcote Lane North.

Its refurbished and expanded gym reopened on Friday 25 September.

The fitness area has grown from 120 to 150 stations, giving users more room and a broader range of equipment. 

But this isn't simply a case of adding more exercise machines.

A dedicated recovery area has also been introduced, including two hydromassage beds, reflecting the growing emphasis within modern gyms on recovery as well as exercise.

New Studios and Group Cycling

Group exercise has received an upgrade too.

Northolt now has a dedicated group cycling studio capable of accommodating 28 riders.

Meanwhile, the centre's former community hall has been converted into two exercise studios, allowing separate classes to operate simultaneously. 

For residents who prefer classes to working independently in a gym, that could substantially increase the range and availability of sessions.

And there is still more work to come.

Northolt's poolside changing facilities are being refurbished, with completion expected by the end of October. 

Major Changes at Acton Centre

Northolt isn't the only part of the borough benefiting.

At Acton Centre, a new 12-bed Reformer studio opened in March.

The centre's women-only gym subsequently reopened in a new location in July and is now recording around 2,500 visits each month. 

The biggest transformation at Acton, however, is still underway.

Its main gym is being expanded by approximately 50%, with completion expected during October. 

The original investment programme also promised a significantly larger free-weights area as part of the Acton improvements. Slm Charitable Trust

Southall Is Next

The investment programme stretches beyond Northolt and Acton.

Dormers Wells Leisure Centre in Southall is also scheduled for improvements.

Work on both its main gym and women-only gym is due to begin in November. 

That is particularly significant because it means the £2.5 million programme is being distributed across different parts of the borough rather than concentrated in one flagship facility.

Reynolds Sports Centre is also scheduled for improvements during the autumn. 

A Ten-Year Commitment

The upgrades follow Everyone Active securing a further 10-year contract to manage Ealing's leisure facilities.

The new partnership began on 1 March 2026, continuing a relationship that dates back to 2013. Slm Charitable Trust

When the agreement was announced in February, the £2.5 million investment was presented as a key part of the new contract, with money earmarked to modernise facilities and improve fitness provision across multiple sites.

That long-term arrangement is important.

Leisure centres are expensive buildings to operate and maintain, and improvements need to go beyond new equipment if they are to make a lasting difference.

More Than Just Gyms

Although much of the current investment is focused on gyms and exercise studios, Ealing's public leisure centres serve a much wider purpose.

They provide swimming, exercise classes, children's activities, sports facilities and accessible opportunities for people who might not use a private health club.

Ealing Council also operates a Leisure Pass scheme, offering eligible residents discounted access at centres across Acton, Ealing, Greenford, Hanwell, Northolt, Perivale and Southall. Ealing Council

That makes investment in these facilities particularly relevant to the borough's wider health and wellbeing.

Investing in Health Across Ealing

Everyone Active contract manager James Sexton said a significant amount of work had been taking place across the Ealing facilities over recent months and welcomed the improvements now coming together.

And that is perhaps the key point.

The £2.5 million figure was first announced earlier in the year.

Now residents are beginning to see what that money actually means on the ground:

30 additional fitness stations in Northolt.

New cycling and exercise studios.

New recovery facilities.

A 50% larger gym coming to Acton.

Further investment heading to Southall and other centres.

For people who regularly use Ealing's leisure facilities, those are changes they can actually experience — and potentially a significant investment in keeping the borough active for years to come.