New Castle Farm Leisure Centre officially opens

Operator Everyone Active is "thrilled" to have the new Castle Farm Leisure Centre now open.

Kenilworth's multi-million-pound new sports centre officially opened its doors for the first time on Thursday (December 21), days after contractor Kier handed over the keys to Warwick District Council.

The new leisure centre, which includes an 80-station gym, two fitness studios, dedicated group cycling studio, a six-court sports hall and new pétanque terrain, has taken around 20 months to build.

As well as both indoor and outdoor changing rooms the centre has a fully equipped 'changing place' facility, with a hoist and bed to meet the needs of the disabled which can be used by any visitor to the adjacent park or town.

Castle Farm will be managed and operated by Everyone Active on behalf of the council.

Alex Fuoco-Lang, contract manager at Everyone Active, said: “We are thrilled to announce that the new Castle Farm Leisure Centre is now open to the public.

"With state-of-the-art facilities, a bright, modern look and a host of brilliant activities, we hope the local community is excited to make the most of this fantastic centre.

“The facility was designed with inclusivity in mind, so everyone can enjoy all that Castle Farm Leisure Centre has to offer, regardless of their age, ability or interests. We look forward to welcoming everyone over the coming weeks.”

The building has also received an 'A-rating' for its energy performance, which will provide sustainable energy and support the centre's commitment to a greener future.

The six-court sport hall (image by James Smith)

Following the opening at 9am on Thursday morning, programme manager Padraig Herlihy gave tours of the building to local councillors including Mayor of Kenilworth Cllr Alix Dearing.

Mark Dady, managing director for Kier Construction Eastern & Midlands commented: “We are proud to have built this fantastic leisure centre that will benefit the local community for generations to come.

"We are pleased that we have had the opportunity to support Warwick District Council in bringing the centre to life and we look forward to seeing it bustling with customers in the new year.”

Key features of the development include the fact the large windows to the front of the building are all designed to give a clear view of the oak tree to the front.

Castle Farm Leisure Centre will also offer the following brand-new facilities:

80-station gym
Two fitness studios
Dedicated group cycling studio
Six-court sports hall
Stylish changing facilities and lockers
New outdoor changing rooms
A new pétanque terrain
A new light and bright reception area and foyer

The new reception area will initially just have vending machines installed, but has been designed so a café or kiosk could be opened depending on the demand.

The pétanque offering is also sufficient enough to host a national championship, should the area be selected.

Castle Farm will open on Thursday 21 December (image by James Smith)

One of the two fitness studios (image by James Smith)

White columns have also been installed at the entrance, like those at St Nicholas' and at Newbold Comyn, to make it clear Castle Farm is a 'district-wide facility'.

The centre also incorporates a new HQ for Kenilworth Scout and Guides, predicted to be recognised as amongst the best in the country.

The new base is effectively a second building within the leisure centre, and also includes enough space to store all the gang show equipment, sets and costumes.

The scouts are expected to receive their keys this week and move in over the Christmas period.

Castle Farm also includes a new HQ for local scouts and guides (image by James Smith)

The hallway inside the new scout HQ (image by James Smith)

Chairman of Warwick District Council, Cllr Sidney Syson commented: "It's wonderful to see the addition of this stunning new leisure centre to our district.

"This is the first of a two-stage plan which along with Abbey Fields Swimming Pools will provide the growing town of Kenilworth and surrounding area with facilities that are designed to create an inclusive fitness environment to encourage everyone in our community to benefit from physical activity."

Having opened on Thursday, the centre will be closed on December 23 and then reopen on December 27.

It will then close again on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, before reopening fully again on January 2 2024.