£850,000 upgrade to Barking and Dagenham leisure facilities to begin this week

Everyone Active, which manages local leisure services in partnership with Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council, is making a series of upgrades to the fitness facilities at Abbey Leisure Centre and Becontree Heath Leisure Centre.

The gym at Abbey Leisure Centre will close temporarily from December 5 to 20 to undergo a complete transformation, including a redesigned layout and an array of new equipment from industry leaders Life Fitness and Hammer Strength.

Members can look forward to a range of new cardio equipment like treadmills, exercise bikes and rowing machines.

There will be a broader range of strength training options with free weights, cable machines, plate-loaded resistance machines and specialised equipment like a hip thrust station and more power racks.

The improvements will also include new contemporary décor, modern lighting and upgraded flooring to create a more inspiring environment.

The cardio section will also be completely revamped, with cutting-edge machines such as recline and recumbent bikes, stair climbers, cross trainers, treadmills and rowers.

Alongside this, a new relaxation zone will be added, equipped with massage guns to aid in post-workout recovery. Abbey Leisure Centre is also further improving its customer experience with a new Grab and Go food service, contemporary seating area, and new retail space, all set to be operational by the end of the year.

Following a light refurbishment in 2022, Becontree Heath Leisure Centre will also see further upgrades, with a focus on expanding and improving the strength training equipment.

The gym at Becontree Heath closed on December 1, reopening at 8am on December 7, with new Olympic lifting platforms and additional training equipment.

Complementing these fitness upgrades, the centre will also install new toilets and shower facilities within its changing village.

Hasan Romel, Area Contract Manager at Everyone Active, said: "Abbey Leisure Centre and Becontree Heath Leisure Centre are integral parts of our community and we’re really excited for the transformations to get underway.

“The improvements mark a significant step forward for the borough’s leisure facilities, and we hope that the transformations will create even more opportunities for locals of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to commence or continue their fitness and wellness journey with us.

“We thank our members for their patience during the work and can't wait to unveil these state-of-the-art facilities that will not only enhance physical fitness but also support the mental wellbeing of our entire community."

Councillor Saima Ashraf, Deputy Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, said: “Our continued partnership with Everyone Active as leisure provider in our borough will bring even more brilliant facilities right to our doorsteps. I look forward to seeing these exciting renovations come to life for the benefit of local residents.”

Everyone Active’s renewed contract with the council began on Monday 16 September, building on its previous 7-year partnership. Recent years have seen the opening of a new 50-metre pool at Becontree Heath Leisure Centre and the launch of a women's only gym at Abbey Leisure Centre in November 2022.

During the gym renovations, both Abbey Leisure Centre and Becontree Heath Leisure Centre will be fully operational for all other facilities including swimming pools and group exercise classes.

The women only gym at Abbey Leisure Centre will also be unaffected.

To further support members during the refurbishment, Everyone Active will provide free access to additional fitness facilities across East London, including the London Aquatics Centre in Stratford, Rainham Leisure Centre, Harrow Lodge Leisure Centre in Hornchurch, and Sapphire Ice and Leisure in Romford.

More information about the upcoming gym refurbishment work is available at: https://www.everyoneactive.com/news/abbey-leisure-centre-gym-refurbishment