Golden Lane Sport and Fitness
Golden Lane Leisure Centre now temporarily closed
The City of London Corporation is investing £10.4 million to refurbish Golden Lane Leisure Centre and deliver a modern, high‑quality facility for the diverse needs of our community for years to come.
The centre was already due to close later this year for refurbishment. However, following the operator, Fusion Lifestyle, entering administration, the temporary closure was brought forward and the centre closed on 30 April 2026.
Our priority now is to ensure access to a high-quality local offer that meets the diverse needs of our community ahead of the refurbishment of the centre, which is due to begin in December 2026 and take around a year.
Our commitment to providing local affordable fitness
We have ensured that:
- All existing members can use nearby leisure centres within a 10‑minute walk aligned to their membership type at Finsbury Leisure Centre and Ironmonger Row Baths, both at Norman St, London EC1V 3PU
- Inclusive activities will continue, including for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Young at Heart groups
- The tennis courts will remain open and details on how to access them after the closure of the centre will be provided soon
We've emailed all Golden Lane Leisure Centre members with details on starting a new membership and accessing Finsbury Leisure Centre and Ironmonger Row Baths.
If you are an existing member and have not received, or cannot find, this email please contact us by emailing GLLC@cityoflondon.gov.uk
Further information and updates will be provided on this webpage. If you have any questions about the closure of the Golden Lane Leisure Centre, please email GLLC@cityoflondon.gov.uk, and a member of the City of London Corporation team will be in touch.
Join our public engagement events about the leisure centre
We're inviting residents, neighbours and leisure centre users to attend public engagement events on proposals for the future refurbishment and renewal of Golden Lane Leisure Centre.
The engagement events will provide an opportunity to:
- View the emerging design proposals and refurbishment options
- Learn more about the proposed improvements and future vision for the centre
- Speak directly with members of the project team
- Ask questions and share your feedback before decisions are made on the preferred option
Information will be presented and team members will be available to answer questions.
Questions you would like answered at the event can be shared in advance by emailing info@goldenlaneprojects.co.uk
Event dates
In-person events will be held at St Luke’s Community Centre, 90 Central Street, EC1V 8AJ on:
- Wednesday 3 June at 5:30–8:30pm (presentation at 6:30–7pm)
- Saturday 6 June at 10am–2pm (drop-in event)
An online webinar will also take place on 9 June from 6–7pm. Register for the webinar.
Securing Golden Lane Leisure Centre
We have commissioned CBRE to secure, maintain, and manage the leisure centre site while it remains closed, to ensure the building remains safe.
Please note that CBRE will install boarding to secure the building. These works are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday next week (3-4 June).
This will provide an opportunity for a community art project supported by local grants, which we will share more details about soon.
Maintaining the building
Maintenance will take place on the swimming pool, which will remain treated and full in preparation for surveys and safe future drainage. Work will also be undertaken on the plant to reduce energy consumption, as well as on the alarm system.
Works on the air conditioning system are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday next week.
Frequently asked questions about the closure
The City Corporation has committed over £10 million to a major refurbishment of the centre, to secure its long-term future and provide vastly improved, modern leisure facilities.
The refurbishment should begin in December 2026 – but we can’t guarantee an exact time, as we will be going through a planning and public consultation process.
Once the works start, we anticipate it will take up to 12 months.
We did consider temporary operation, including approaches taken elsewhere. However, the building’s condition meant there was a real risk of unreliable service for users, with activities already being cancelled and a high likelihood of sudden, unplanned closures.
On balance, a planned and managed closure, with alternative provision secured nearby, was considered a more reliable option for users than attempting to keep an ageing facility operating on a short‑term basis, particularly so close to a major refurbishment.
The City Corporation has secured an agreement with Islington GLL/Better, to transfer Golden Lane memberships to use their nearby facilities – aligned to their membership type.
Both facilities are within a 10‑minute walk:
- Finsbury Leisure Centre, Norman St, London EC1V 3PU
- Ironmonger Row Baths, 1 Norman St, London EC1V 3AA
Your membership will not cost you more.
The City Corporation sent an email to all Golden Lane Leisure Centre members on 29 April with details on starting a new membership and accessing Finsbury Leisure Centre and Ironmonger Row Baths. Please check your email inboxes for this email.
Keeping in contact with you
We have emailed all of Fusion Lifestyle and Golden Lane Leisure Centre members who have given consent for us to contact them. Please note if you have not given your consent, we have been unable to contact you. We have also found that some contact details are incorrect.
If you are a member of the leisure centre and have not heard from us, please get in touch by emailing GLLC@cityoflondon.gov.uk.
We previously advised that refunds should be requested from Fusion’s administrators. We understand that this has not been possible for many members.
We are sorry for the inconvenience this has caused. As a goodwill gesture, we will now cover the cost of these refunds.
We will contact members directly with details on how to claim a refund.
The tennis courts will remain open while the rest of the complex is closed. Details of how to book will be provided soon.
We will work with a specialist security firm to ensure that Golden Lane Leisure Centre is protected while it is closed.
Find out more about the improvements to the Golden Lane Sport and Fitness Centre
We know that Golden Lane Sport and Fitness Centre is valued by communities and visitors to the City of London. This is why the City Corporation is committed to improving facilities.
Refurbishing the leisure centre is part of our goal to support the health and wellbeing of our communities. It also forms part of our work towards the City Global City of Sport A Sport Strategy for the Square Mile and our Corporate Plan.
The views of those who use the leisure centre are important to us and help us to make improvements that are needed.
We consulted with users of the leisure centre through a survey, which received 405 responses, and we arranged focus groups for further discussion.
The feedback we have collected will help shape the future services that are delivered through the Golden Lane Sport and Fitness Centre.
As part of our commitment to engage with our communities and users of the Golden Lane Sport and Fitness Centre, we will be working with a specialist engagement and communications partner.
This will help us share important updates about the programme as it continues and will create more opportunities for you to share views.
Frequently asked questions about the refurbishment
We understand that residents and users of the leisure centres have questions about the work taking place, and how we plan to keep disruption to a minimum.
Please see our frequently asked questions which include details of the work taking place, how we plan to deliver to our communities, and how we will respect the heritage of the building.
We held a survey, and focus groups, for residents and stakeholders to have their say about the future of the Golden Lane Sport and Fitness Centre. There will be further opportunities to engage in the project as it progresses. We will share more details as the project continues.
To ensure noise and disruption are kept to a minimum, we only work with considerate contractors, who have the experience working in residential areas. We appreciate that there may be some noise and disturbance during work hours, however, contractors will be required to follow strict guidelines on when they carry out the work.
It’s important for us to find a considerate developer with the relevant expertise and skills. We’re currently in the final stages of confirming the procurement route to secure the services of a trusted partner to complete the designs for the refurbishment. We will share full details once they are finalised.
The refurbishment involves structural repairs to the building. This includes replacing the roof, repairing walkways and the external podium, replacing mechanical and electrical equipment, and resurfacing tennis courts. The works will also involve complete modernisation and redecoration inside the building, and an upgrade of facilities, ensuring the leisure centre is sustainable and fit for the future.
The design and heritage of the Centre is important to us, and we are following strict planning guidelines. The refurbishment will be confined to the existing footprint of the building.
The programme is still currently being finalised, and we will share the full scope of refurbishment as soon as they are available.
A review is currently taking place to look at management options. This may involve a competitive procurement process to secure identify an operator to manage the Golden Lane Sport and Fitness Centre. We will ensure that the selected operator will be suitably experienced to manage the service in a way that best supports the needs of our community, stakeholders and unique requirements.
The works will cost an estimated £10.4m and will be covered by the Community Infrastructure Levy, a government initiative to help local authorities.
Please email GLLC@cityoflondon.gov.uk and one of our team will be happy to respond to you.