South Downs Leisure and Inspace Fitness celebrate opening of transformed Worthing Leisure Centre gym

Monday, 26 October 20261 min read8 views

South Downs Leisure (SDL) has officially opened its new state-of-the-art gym at Worthing Leisure Centre, marking a major milestone in the centre's £2 million redevelopment, being delivered in partnership with Inspace Fitness.

Following months of extensive redevelopment work, which began in May, the new gym welcomed customers for a full opening-morning session, with early feedback highlighting the scale of the transformation and the quality of the new facilities.

One customer, impressed by the transformation, commented:

“It's such a difference! There's so much variety in the equipment, and the gym feels incredibly spacious and open, even when it's busy.”

The investment has created a significantly larger and more modern fitness environment, featuring a completely redesigned layout, upgraded flooring and lighting, expanded strength and functional training provision, and a substantial increase in equipment.

Working in partnership across the wider redevelopment, Inspace Fitness has played a key role in delivering the transformation, with its equipment forming a major part of the new gym's enhanced training offer.

The new fitness space features an extensive range of Inspace Fitness equipment, including additional free weights, Olympic half racks, plate-loaded and selectorised strength machines, and expanded functional training facilities. The redesigned layout provides greater flexibility, improved training capacity and a more welcoming environment for customers of varying fitness levels and experience.

The redevelopment has also introduced new recovery facilities, including a bespoke built Sunlighten red light sauna, HydroMassage and CryoLounge+ beds, further enhancing the centre's health, fitness and wellbeing offering.

Another customer praised the improvements, saying:

“They've done an amazing job! There's so much more space, and the extra equipment means a better workout. The new recovery area and beds are a really welcome addition, and the gym and sauna look beautiful too!”

Accessibility has been a key consideration throughout the design, with a spacious, step-free layout and wheelchair-accessible strength equipment helping to create a more inclusive training environment.

One FIT4 member was particularly positive about the accessibility improvements:

“The adaptability and accessibility of the equipment are fantastic. It's a brilliant addition and means I'll definitely be making more use of my FIT4 membership.”

The opening of the new gym also coincides with the completion of the redeveloped reception area, providing customers with a refreshed entrance and improved welcome to the centre.

Duncan Anderson, Chief Executive Officer at South Downs Leisure, said:

“This is a fantastic milestone for Worthing Leisure Centre and a hugely exciting moment for our local community. After months of redevelopment work, it's incredibly rewarding to see customers enjoying the new facilities and responding so positively to the transformation.

“As a charitable trust, our focus is always on the impact we can make in the communities we serve. This £2 million investment is about much more than modernising a building. It's about creating welcoming, accessible and high-quality facilities that encourage more people to be active, support their wellbeing and feel part of their local community.

“Our partnership with Inspace Fitness has been an important part of bringing this project to life. Working together, we're delivering modern, innovative facilities that reflect the changing needs of our customers and support the long-term future of Worthing Leisure Centre.

“We're extremely grateful to our customers and colleagues for their patience, support and trust throughout the redevelopment. Seeing the new gym come to life makes all that hard work worthwhile, and we're excited about the further improvements still to come.”

Ben Steadman, Managing Director at Inspace Fitness, said:

“It's fantastic to see the new gym at Worthing Leisure Centre officially open and customers enjoying the space for the first time.

“We've really enjoyed working in partnership with South Downs Leisure on this exciting redevelopment. Our aim has been to create a modern, welcoming and inspiring fitness environment, with high-quality equipment, improved accessibility and a layout that supports a wide range of training needs.

“The transformation is something we're incredibly proud to be part of, and we're looking forward to continuing the partnership as the next stage of the redevelopment gets underway.”

The opening of the gym and reception marks the completion of the first two stages of the wider redevelopment, with the partnership between South Downs Leisure and Inspace Fitness continuing into the final phase.