As we head into spring, the UK’s leisure and hospitality landscape is buzzing with major reinvestments and fresh openings.
This month’s highlights range from multi-million-pound holiday park transformations and high-street brand partnerships to award-winning sustainability initiatives and the repurposing of urban spaces into modern fitness hubs.
Whether it’s a "Bigger, Better, Bolder" staycation experience or a new tech-led approach to the driving range, the updates this month showcase a sector focused on modernisation and community engagement.
- Reopening just in time for Easter after a £10 million transformation, Parkdean Resorts’ Vauxhall Holiday Park and Highfield Grange now offer a "Bigger, Better, Bolder" experience featuring high-tech adventures like Bear Grylls Escape Rooms and new rope courses.
- Building on an exclusive agreement signed in 2024, Haven is welcoming four new Wetherspoons pubs this spring at its Cala Gran, Lakeland, Hopton, and Riviere Sands locations, bringing the total number of parks featuring the onsite brand to nine.
- GolfPod has launched its first compact, technology-led driving range at Cranham Golf Course in Upminster, marking the start of a national rollout designed to convert underutilised land into a premium attraction.
- Redbourn Golf Club has been named Sustainability Project of the Year at the 2026 England Golf Awards, recognising over a decade of verified environmental management and community-led climate action at the Hertfordshire-based facility.
- Point A Hotels has opened bookings for its new 206-room property at St Andrew Square in Edinburgh. This centrally located six-floor hotel is set to open this July and is within walking distance of Waverley Station and major shopping districts.
- Following a £3.5m redevelopment by Central Beach Leisure, the 38-bed Royal Carlton Hotel on Blackpool’s Central Promenade has rebranded as The Glass Tower and features the new XI restaurant bar as well as high-end rooms designed to rival top-tier city hotels.
- Following its takeover by new operator GLL this April, Birtley Leisure Centre in Gateshead is set to undergo a £250,000 refurbishment project dedicated to modernising the site's facilities and upgrading its gym equipment for the local community.
- Cumberland Council is inviting residents to vote on the name for Millom’s new leisure centre, with the community asked to choose between "The Salthouse Centre," "Millom Sports Village," and "Millom Leisure Centre" ahead of its opening later this year. The new centre is part of the government's multimillion-pound Town Deal investment fund.
- East Lothian Council has approved plans from Abercromby Investments Limited to transform the final vacant unit of Haddington’s former Aldi supermarket into a 24/7 gym, completing the site's redevelopment alongside current tenants Toolstation and Screwfix.
- Citing recent challenges within the fee-paying education sector, Edenhurst Preparatory School in Newcastle-under-Lyme has entered a formal consultation process regarding its proposed closure this summer after 65 years of providing education for children aged three months to 11 years.
Leisure Lists' Blog
This month reflects a sector balancing renewal and reinvention across the industry. Here’s what shaped February across the leisure landscape.
January opens the year with momentum, as operators invest and expand. Here’s what’s driving the sector at the start of the year.
This month brings a mix of resilience, expansion, and investment across the sector. Explore the key developments shaping December’s leisure landscape.
November has seen a wave of investment and innovation. Here’s a look at the key stories shaping the leisure landscape this month.
October has been a month of major investments and high-profile refurbishments. Take a look at the stories shaping the industry this month.
September has been a month of ambitious plans and major milestones for the industry. Here’s a look at the key stories making headlines this month.
Our August review captures a month of change and ambition. Take a closer look at the stories shaping the leisure landscape this month.
Our July review explores the evolving landscape of the UK leisure industry. Browse the key stories shaping the UK leisure scene this month.
Our June review highlights the latest developments in the UK leisure industry. Take a look at the key stories defining this month's leisure landscape.
In this blog we'll be delving into the reasons why Mailchimp should never be used for cold outreach.