Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLLS) is an employee-owned Mutual Social Enterprise.
GLL formed in 1993 when Greenwich Council needed to find a new way to run its leisure centres because of public spending cuts. Privatisation was not a political or social fit for Greenwich. Remaining with the Council was not affordable. A new model was needed that was based on public sector values and with private sector freedoms. Designing the new model on the international Co-operative principles was favoured.
GLL is constituted as a Society for the Benefit of the Community. It has a co-operative structure and is staff-led. GLL’s structure is non-profit distributing organisation and is governed by a stakeholder board.
GLL manages more than 270 public sport and leisure centres, 113 libraries in partnership with 50 local councils, public agencies and sporting organisations. Its membership has gone from about 7,000 to more than 850,000 with 58 million visitors to its facilities per year.
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