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The district’s three main leisure centres have collectively reached more than one million visits over the year – with the new Kirkby Leisure Centre clocking up more than 100,000 in just its first five months open.

The centres, run by Everyone Active in partnership with Ashfield Council, are on course to beat the 1.2m visits recorded in 2018-19, the last full year before the Covid pandemic.

Sutton’s Lammas Leisure Centre leads the way with more than 500,000 attendances, while Hucknall Leisure Centre has racked up in excess of 400,000.

Sales manager Amy Vernon, right, congratulates the millionth customer, Angela Foster.

The combination of the old Festival Hall Leisure Centre and its replacement, the new Kirkby Leisure Centre, which opened in August, is closing in on 150,000.

Kirkby’s 100,000th attendee was Jean Patterson, while the millionth user across the centres was Angela Foster, with each receiving a £100 Everyone Active voucher.

Everyone Active began a new, 10-year contract with the council in April 2021 and in addition to the opening of Kirkby, there have also been substantial facility upgrades at Lammas, on Lammas Road, including a new cycling studio and café, as well as at Hucknall in recent times.

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Everyone Active contract manager Lorenzo Clark and sales manager Katie Quinn, right, congratulate Jean Patterson, the 100,000th customer at Kirkby Leisure Centre.

Lorenzo Clark, Everyone Active’s contract manager, said: “These numbers are hugely positive and show that centres are rebounding well following the pandemic, while Kirkby has made a brilliant start.

“Centres are providing facilities and activities which local communities are getting the most out of, while colleagues are working hard to meet customers’ needs.

“Our partnership with Ashfield Council continues to go from strength to strength and that is borne out in these figures, with more exciting developments to come in 2023.”

Cllr Rachel Madden, council executive lead member for leisure, health and wellbeing, said: “We are investing more than £22m to improve leisure facilities for residents across the district.

“These figures go a long way to show how the improvements are proving a big hit with our leisure centre users.

“Kirkby Leisure Centre has been open six months so to have reached these milestones already is a fantastic achievement and here’s to many more.”

Ashfield leisure centres reach 1m visitor landmark