A much-loved Surrey leisure centre is set for a major upgrade. Guildford Borough Council is preparing to sign a new 10-year contract deal worth almost £10m.

Freedom Leisure, which currently runs venues like Guildford Spectrum, Guildford Lido, and Ash Manor Sports Centre, has been chosen to continue operating them from November 2025- but with some big improvements on the way.

Cllr Catherine Houston, lead for climate change and leisure, said: “Ultimately this contract is a win, win, win. A win for the council, a win for residents, and a win for the planet.”

After scrutinising the terms at meetings earlier in the month, councillors waved through the contract agreement at a full council meeting on July 29.

The new contract could mean better facilities, longer opening hours, greater community outreach, and almost £10m investment across the leisure centres.

The changes include a brand new soft play area, revamped gym at the Spectrum, year-round access to Guildford Lido, including winter opening from 7am to 9pm if new lighting is installed, padel tennis at the Lido, subject to planning permission, new food and catering offering, and a new mini golf attraction called ‘Puttify’

The council’s current contract runs out in October 2025 so it ran a competitive process to find the best operator to take over. After what the council described as a “robust” assessment, Freedom came out on top again. The new deal will last for 10 years with the option to extend for another five years after that.

Guildford council is putting nearly £10m into improving its leisure facilities. The company running the centres will also take on more responsibility such as paying for their own utility bills which had previously driven up council costs before.

In the new contract, the winning tenderer has committed to paying an average annual management fee of approximately £2.5m over a 10-year period.

Details of the new contract also include a commitment to lower the carbon footprint of the three leisure sites which will help the council achieve its net zero goal by 2030.

Although Guildford council is likely to be absorbed into a mega council by 2027 under local government reorganisation, it is anticipated the contract would move over to the local authority.