West Drayton leisure centre draws 2,000 visitors: what residents need to know
By demoduck.co.uk local news desk
More than 2,000 people visited West Drayton’s new Platinum Jubilee Leisure Centre over a free open weekend, giving local families an early look at the swimming, climbing, fitness and sports facilities now available in the town.
The two-day celebration was held on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 May 2026, just over a month after the centre opened on 20 April. Hillingdon Council said residents and visitors used the weekend to try complimentary activities across the building, from splash pool sessions and the flume to gym classes, soft play and indoor sports.
For a part of the borough where families can face longer journeys to larger leisure sites, the turnout showed how quickly the centre has become part of local weekend life.
Families tried swimming, climbing and court sports
The open weekend gave visitors access to a wide mix of activities without the usual cost barrier. Sessions included swimming, use of the splash pool and flume, gym and fitness classes, soft play, clip and climb, basketball, badminton and pickleball in the sports hall.
That range matters because the centre is serving several groups at once: parents looking for children’s activities, adults returning to fitness, swimmers joining lessons, and residents who want indoor sport close to home.
The Platinum Jubilee Leisure Centre is managed by Greenwich Leisure Limited, also known as GLL, Hillingdon Council’s established leisure partner. The operator runs the site under the Better leisure brand.
West Drayton residents say local access is the draw
Among those at the open weekend was Veronica Barker, from West Drayton, who visited with her nine-year-old daughter Summer and tried the clip and climb.
“I think the open weekend is great for the community personally,” she said. “There are people who can’t travel as far so having it local is great and it’s a good opportunity to socialise and meet new people.”
She added that if Summer enjoyed clip and climb, it could become something they returned to weekly or monthly.
Gloria De Decker, also from West Drayton, said the event helped residents see what was available at the new centre. “The children can play, and it’s affordable,” she said.
Their comments point to the practical role of the facility beyond the opening weekend. A nearby leisure centre can change how often families use sport, swimming and play facilities, especially when travel time and cost affect regular attendance.
Early memberships show strong demand
Hillingdon Council said the centre has already issued more than 1,700 health memberships since opening. It has also signed up 700 swim school members.
Those figures give the first indication of how the centre is being used after its launch. Swim school demand is especially relevant for families, as lesson places can be one of the most sought-after parts of a local leisure offer.
The centre’s mix of swimming, fitness, climbing and sports hall activities also gives residents more ways to use one site across different ages and abilities. That can make it easier for households to combine children’s lessons, adult exercise and casual activities in a single visit.
Daniel Kennedy, Hillingdon Council’s Corporate Director of Residents Services, said the early response was encouraging.
“It’s so encouraging to hear how residents are already benefiting from these facilities which are intended to support all ages and abilities to live healthy and active lives,” he said.
The centre opened in April after a long local wait
The Platinum Jubilee Leisure Centre opened on 20 April 2026, with the free weekend following on 23 and 24 May. The timing gave local residents a chance to explore the building after the first wave of memberships and swim school sign-ups had already begun.
For West Drayton, the centre adds a prominent public leisure facility within the local area rather than asking residents to rely only on provision elsewhere in the borough. The source material from Hillingdon Council frames the site as part of its wider leisure offer for people of all ages and abilities.
Residents who missed the open weekend can still look at memberships, swim school places and activity sessions through the centre’s Better listing for the Platinum Jubilee Leisure Centre.
Source: Hillingdon Council
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This article is based on Hillingdon Council's published account of the Platinum Jubilee Leisure Centre open weekend.
- Checked the reported open weekend dates: Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 May 2026.
- Checked the visitor figure of more than 2,000 people against the source text.
- Checked the stated early uptake: more than 1,700 health memberships and 700 swim school me...
- Kept resident quotes attributed to the named speakers in the source.
- Source
- Hillingdon Council
- Scope
- West Drayton
- Updated
- 2026-05-28 11:10
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