Olympic and Paralympic stars officially open new £33.9m Leighton Leisure and Community Centre
The state-of-the-art facility, operated by Everyone Active on behalf of Central Bedfordshire Council, represents a £33.9 million investment in health, wellbeing and community facilities for Leighton Buzzard and the surrounding area.
The centre was officially declared open on Saturday, 27 June 2026, by British Olympic athletics legend Colin Jackson CBE and Paralympic swimming champions Maisie Summers-Newton MBE and Olivia Newman-Baronius who joined councillors, partners and residents for the special ribbon-cutting ceremony.
More than 3500 residents attended the Family Fun Day on Saturday, eager to be among the first to experience the new centre. Visitors enjoyed a packed programme of free activities, tours, demonstrations and family entertainment, as well as the opportunity to meet and interact with the sporting stars.
Adding to the vibrant atmosphere on Saturday morning was a high-octane live set for some of the first workouts in the brand-new facilities delivered by local rising star DJ Steady, the youngest DJ ever to perform in Ibiza.
The celebrations continued on Sunday, with further activities and opportunities for the community to explore the impressive new facilities and take part in taster sessions. A series of other celebration events are being held by Everyone Active across Central Bedfordshire leisure centres, for details go to everyoneactive.com
The new centre replaces Tiddenfoot Leisure Centre and offers a wide range of modern fitness, leisure and community facilities, including:
An eight-lane, 25-metre swimming pool
A learner pool with movable floor and a dedicated splash pool
A 150-station gym with Technogym equipment
Group exercise, cycling and Reformer studios
Two squash courts
Wellness facilities, including hydromassage beds
Three treatment rooms available for hire
Community rooms and meeting spaces
A public café
Two fully accessible Changing Places facilities
Councillor Steven Watkins, Executive Member for Assets, Business and Housing at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “We are proud to officially open our fifth new leisure centre, demonstrating our long-term commitment to improving opportunity and quality of life across our communities. The facilities here are outstanding, with something for everyone, whether you’re getting active, trying something new or simply coming along to enjoy the space. With its range of leisure and community facilities, we hope it will become a real hub for local people and be enjoyed for many years to come.”
Gary Foley, Everyone Active’s contract manager, said: “It was fantastic to see so many people come along over the weekend to celebrate the opening of this brilliant new centre. There was a real buzz on the day, from families trying out activities to meeting our Olympic and Paralympic guests, it really felt like a special moment for the community.”
“The launch was an amazing opportunity for people to experience activities for free and get a taste of what the centre has to offer. We were so privileged to have GB stars Colin Jackson, Maisie Summers-Newton and Olivia Newman-Baronius attending, and they really enjoyed meeting the public and getting involved.
“It was a really memorable day, and it was great to see so many people coming down to join in the celebrations.”
The centre has been designed to be inclusive, accessible, and welcoming for everyone in the community.
Central Bedfordshire Council have funded improvements to local bus services, delivering more journeys, better reliability and easier access to the Leisure Centre, including new evening and Sunday services to give people greater flexibility while making the network simpler to use
More information about the new centre and its facilities is available on the Everyone Active website. Leighton Leisure and Community Centre – Everyone Active https://www.everyoneactive.com/centre/leighton-leisure-and-community-centre/
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