Portsmouth: BH Live appoints regional head of operations to drive growth

Following its recent expansion across Portsmouth, to manage seven of the city’s leading sport, leisure and event venues, BH Live has appointed a regional head of operations to support its ambition to create a more active and eventful city.

Venues managed by BH Live include Mountbatten Leisure Centre, Portsmouth Gymnastics Centre, Portsmouth Tennis Centre, Charter Community Sports Centre, Wimbledon Park Sports Centre, Pyramids Centre and Eastney Swimming Pool.

Claire Oatridge, has a well-established background in business development and contract management across the region. She will lead the delivery of BH Live’s leisure strategy across the Solent, engaging with stakeholders, partners and the local community to get more people engaged in physical activity and events. She will also liaise with National Governing Bodies to shape and develop the sports activity programme across the city.

 Oatridge will be responsible for delivering a £3.4 million capital investment and asset improvement plan; beginning with enhancements at Mountbatten Leisure Centre to refresh its public areas, catering and event spaces.

Improving the health and wellbeing of the city’s residents through physical activity is also a key ambition. Oatridge, who has extensive experience working in the healthcare sector, will build on BH Live’s relationships with GPs, healthcare providers, the Clinical Commissioning Group, business, health and educational steering groups to incorporate physical activity into the city’s community health improvement and wellbeing programmes.

“This appointment is fundamental to making a big impact and Claire joins us at a very exciting time,” said Peter Gunn, BH Live’s chief executive.“These public venues were built to be bursting at the seams and thriving community hubs. By introducing great value citywide memberships we have already started to see more people coming through the doors for the first time to experience what we offer. Pay as you go, and concessions for those on low income, are now available with family memberships due to launch to broaden the appeal even more. Our programming team is also looking at how we can boost the event programme and encourage a wider range of venue experiences across the city. Claire will be responsible for fulfilling all of these ambitions – and much more – and we look forward to welcoming her.”