The Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council in Greater Manchester will transfer management of its borough-wide leisure services to Bolton Middlebrook Leisure Trust, a local registered charity, from 1 April 2026. The move replaces the current private operator, Serco (operating under Bolton Community Leisure Trust), with a locally based managing agent.
The council has chosen Bolton Middlebrook Leisure Trust (registered charity no. 1087039) to operate the sites. The trust has run the Bolton Arena Community Sports Village for 22 years and will expand to manage the Jason Kenny Centre at Bolton One, Horwich Leisure Centre, Farnworth Leisure Centre, Westhoughton Leisure Centre, and Leverhulme Park Community Centre.
Residents who use those venues should expect the change to take effect from 1 April 2026. Bolton Middlebrook Leisure Trust says it will reinvest any surplus back into local services and facilities.
The contract award followed a competitive procurement process. Council and trust officials say they aim for a smooth transition; during early 2026 users should watch for communications about memberships and booking systems as operations are migrated to the new provider to avoid interruption to service.
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