Four leisure facilities across Westminster have achieved top ratings in independent Quest assessments, with Paddington Recreation Ground and Porchester Centre both rated ‘excellent’.
Moberly Sports Centre and Queen Mother Sports Centre were both rated ‘very good’, meaning all four Westminster City Council facilities assessed this year achieved one of Quest’s two highest ratings.
The facilities are managed by leisure operator Everyone Active on behalf of Westminster City Council, through its ActiveWestminster service.
Quest is a leading quality assurance scheme for the sport and leisure sector, with rigorous assessments covering areas including customer experience, operational performance, accessibility, community engagement and leadership.
Paddington Recreation Ground achieved an ‘excellent’ rating following its assessment, with assessors recognising the centre’s strong performance across operations, customer service, community engagement and leadership.
The assessment also highlighted a 58 per cent increase in visits in recent years, alongside its commitment to accessibility, inclusion and community engagement.
Porchester Centre was also awarded an ‘excellent’ rating following its assessment. Its activity programme was praised for providing opportunities for a wide range of customers, including women, people with disabilities, older people and those with mental health conditions. Its women-only gym area and concessionary prices for lower-income customers were also highlighted.
The strong Quest results come alongside a £2 million programme of investment by Westminster City Council across Westminster’s leisure centres, delivered by Everyone Active.
The investment programme has included refurbished gyms, modernised studio spaces, new fitness equipment and improvements to accessibility across six Westminster leisure centres, helping to enhance facilities for residents and support increased participation in physical activity.
The improvements form part of Westminster City Council’s wider commitment to investing in modern, accessible leisure facilities that support healthier and more active communities across the city.
At Moberly Sports Centre, the investment has also included a new Reformer Pilates studio featuring 18 beds, bringing a popular and increasingly accessible form of exercise to a community leisure setting.
Kyle Maundrell, Contract Manager for Everyone Active in Westminster, said: “We’re delighted to see such strong Quest results across Westminster, with two centres achieving an ‘excellent’ rating and a further two rated ‘very good’.
“These results are a fantastic recognition of the hard work of our teams and the quality of the services they provide every day. Quest looks at much more than the facilities themselves, considering customer experience, inclusion, community engagement, leadership and the impact we have on local communities.
“It’s particularly pleasing to see areas such as accessibility, participation and customer service recognised across the assessments. Alongside the significant investment taking place across Westminster, these results demonstrate our continued commitment to providing high-quality leisure services for residents.
“We’re proud of what our teams have achieved and look forward to building on this success as we continue to improve our facilities and create more opportunities for people across Westminster to be active.”
Mark Hall, Senior Contracts Manager, ActiveWestminster, Westminster City Council said; “These results are a fantastic achievement for Westminster and provide independent recognition of the quality of our leisure facilities and services.
“Having two centres rated ‘excellent’ and two rated ‘very good’ reflects the hard work of staff across the leisure estate, the strength of our partnership with Everyone Active and our shared commitment to delivering high-quality services for residents.
“It is particularly encouraging to see accessibility, inclusion and community engagement recognised through the assessments. These are key priorities for Westminster City Council and play an important role in ensuring residents of all ages and backgrounds can benefit from being active.
“Alongside the £2 million programme of investment delivered across our leisure centres, the results demonstrate our continued commitment to improving facilities, widening participation and supporting healthier communities across Westminster.”
The results reflect the continued partnership between Westminster City Council and Everyone Active to provide high-quality, accessible leisure facilities and support more residents to lead active and healthy lives.
