Following a recent assessment by Sport England’s trusted trade body, Right Directions, Pyramids in Southsea has been rated ‘Very Good’ for presentation, professionalism and dedication to making activities and facilities more inclusive for all.

The Quest scheme, which has assessed leisure and sports centres for more than 20 years, rates factors such as cleanliness, operations and people skills. The rigorous assessment process also includes centre visits, a mystery visit and online research to evaluate an authentic customer experience.

Pyramids is owned by Portsmouth City Council and has been operated by registered charity and social enterprise BH Live since 2013. The centre’s feedback included highlights such as the ‘great variety of activities and sessions for members with additional needs’ on offer and praise for the centre’s work towards tackling inequalities through its ‘range of equipment, activities, and initiatives provided’.

Additionally, BH Live Active’s exercise referral scheme, a programme which provides additional support to individuals recovering from long-term health conditions, also received positive feedback for the ‘strong support mechanisms in place via the health and wellbeing and sports development teams’.

The team at Pyramids received exceptional praise for their friendliness and professionalism towards colleagues and visitors. The assessor shared they were ‘very impressive’ with ‘many positive customer interactions observed’.

Pyramids was completely revamped by Portsmouth City Council in 2020/21, transforming dated event spaces and swimming facilities into more modern, sustainable and attractive facilities with wide appeal. BH Live helped to oversee the project by providing additional operational support.

The centre is now home to a spacious and accessible gym boasting the latest Technogym equipment, an exercise referral service to support customers with long-term health needs, and a variety of fitness studios where more than 70 group classes are delivered every week including HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) Les Mills^TM classes, yoga and Pilates. The centre is also home to Exploria, an expansive themed play and bounce attraction which has welcomed more than 250,000 attendances since opening and celebrated its 3000^th party.

On behalf of BH Live, Alan Higginson, General Manager at Pyramids shared:
“I am so proud of the team here at Pyramids for achieving such a great from this nationally trusted and well-respected industry body. To be recognised for all the hard work we do to make sure the centre is run efficiently and giving people a great experience is fantastic. We are passionate about ensuring our visitors have the best experience when stepping through our doors and play a huge role in inspiring the local community to stay active.

“By participating in Quest’s assessments, we are continuously improving and bettering the experience of both our customers and employees, making Pyramids a really great place to work and visit.”

Sarah Lobo, Head of External Accreditations at Right Directions shared:
“It’s fantastic to award Pyramids with ‘Very Good’ Quest certification. It is an incredible centre offering all kinds of activities and equipment to help visitors of all ages and backgrounds achieve their fitness goals. The team clearly work hard to make the facilities as welcome and presentable as possible and their efforts to support more individuals throughout the city stay active is truly commendable. Congratulations!”

Visit bhliveactive.org.uk/pyramids for further information.