KA Leisure posts another strong performance
Posted on 21 Mar 2024
Leisure services in North Ayrshire are continuing to go from strength to strength.
Membership of KA Leisure bounced back last year following the challenging period during the Covid-19 restrictions.
And a report for North Ayrshire Council’s Cabinet show that it is continuing its strong recovery with membership numbers increasing to 8,800 and trading income is projected to have risen by over £500,000 from the previous year.
Councillor Alan Hill, Cabinet Member for Communities and Islands, said that while leisure services across the country continue to face challenges, particularly from the rise in operational costs, the positive report shows KA Leisure is on the right track.
He added: “We all know the vital importance of the services and activities offered by KA Leisure across North Ayrshire and the positive impact they have on people’s health and wellbeing.
“So, it’s heartening to hear of its continued resurgence after a very difficult time during the Covid-19 restrictions.
“Even now, the Cost-of-Living Crisis is impacting all of us and those rising costs present their own challenges to KA Leisure.
“But both the Council and North Ayrshire Leisure Ltd will continue to work closely to tackle the financial pressures and further develop the organisation and build on its most recent successes.”
The report for Cabinet shows that KA Leisure – which is the trading name of North Ayrshire Leisure Limited – offers a modern and diverse portfolio of venues across North Ayrshire and use these to seek new and innovative ways to engage with communities.
KA Leisure is also the lead partner in the Wellbeing Alliance, which aims to deliver major health and wellbeing benefits across North Ayrshire. The work aims to tackle health inequalities by co-locating services, delivering preventative activities and strengthening the relationship between health and leisure.
Malcolm McPhail, Chief Executive Officer at KA Leisure, said: “We recognise that the landscape is challenging for many leisure trusts in Scotland, but we are encouraged by the fact that we are defying this trend with our solid partnerships, commercial acumen and innovative approaches which have all contributed to our ongoing financial recovery.
“We extend our gratitude to North Ayrshire Council for their continued support and value greatly the faith they have placed in us. It is our privilege to provide a wide variety of quality programmes aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of our North Ayrshire communities and we are honoured to be leading North Ayrshire’s Health and Wellbeing Alliance.
“I also want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to our exceptional staff for their dedication and commitment to our organisation. Their hard work and passion have been integral to our success and the significant impact we've achieved over the past year. Our thanks also go to our loyal customers for their continued support.”