Major £3 million refurbishment to Porchester Centre, housing London’s oldest spa

Porchester Centre, built in the 1920s and housing London’s oldest spa has undergone a major £3 million refurbishment to greatly improve its facilities and to allow more residents and visitors to enjoy the centre.

An iconic Grade 2* listed building which is operated by the council’s leisure partner Everyone Active, Porchester Centre houses a 30m swimming pool, two workout studios hosting a number of classes, a main gym across three levels, and now a new women-only gym. Plus, all the spa facilities which include two steam rooms, a sauna, cold showers and three different Turkish baths.

One of the areas of major refurbishment has been within the gym, where seven new pieces of equipment have been added following customer feedback, with more strength equipment added such as leg curl and hip extension machines. A new gym has also been added to the centre – a women-only space where females can exercise in a space where they may feel more comfortable.

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In the main swimming pool, a new heat retaining pool cover has been installed to improve the building’s energy efficiency, the ceiling has been strengthened to future proof it for years to come, and the walls and ceilings as part of the balcony area have been repainted – still in keeping with the style of the 1920s built pool. The significant energy conservation measures including installing an air source heat pump will result in 60% carbon dioxide savings each year.

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The main workout studio has also seen new flooring, walls, and mirrors installed - completely transforming its aesthetic, plus all the equipment in the room has been upgraded and added to.

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These studio improvements have meant an increase in studio capacity from 14 to 30 spaces, and classes going from 49 to 54 classes per week due to the increase in variety of classes that can now be offered. These include new women-only classes for those who suffer from depression and other mental health issues, and new boxing classes utilising the new equipment.

Cabinet Member for Communities, Councillor Cara Sanquest, said:

Porchester Centre is an iconic piece of Westminster, and this major refurbishment will provide more facilities and opportunities for residents from all our communities to become and stay active.

I’m especially proud of the new women-only gym and classes that we’ve been able to add, to encourage more women and girls to use our leisure facilities in spaces they feel comfortable in.

I also want to highlight a range of opportunities available for our older residents including: “Begin to Gym” in association with Open Age, getting over 55s back into the gym or the first time after a break; senior swim sessions three times a week; a range of classes from Qi-Jong to Zumba specifically for this cohort; and much more.

We are also providing 150 hours of free or low-cost classes for our residents every week as part of the Neighbourhood Sports Programme.

The ActiveWestminster Discount Card - ActiveWestminster is free for all residents, providing fantastic discounts and benefits available for all our residents and children and young people who live or study in Westminster.

You can find more information about Porchester Centre at Porchester Leisure Centre | Gym, Swim, Fitness Classes | Everyone Active. You can also contact the centre directly on 02073133858 or  Porchesterspainfo@everyoneactive.com.

You can find out more about the Neighbourhood Sports Club Programme which provides up to 150 hours of free or low-cost activities for people who live, work or study in Westminster each week at Neighbourhood Sports Club Programme - ActiveWestminster