High Life Highland membership prices to increase amid rising operating costs
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High Life Highland (HLH) whose services include sport, leisure and culture facilities has announced membership subscriptions will rise from next month.
The charity says following a rise in operating costs over the last year, it has reviewed its prices to ensure the charity is sustainable and able to continue delivering important services and protecting jobs around the Highlands.
It is informing HLH members of the new pricing model for the standard Highlife subscription.
From April 1, individual membership will be £24.85 per month – previously it was £22.80 per month
Family membership will be £37.40 per month – a rise from £34.30.
UHI Student Individual membership will be £17.40 per month.
HLH runs the strath's three sports centres – the Badenoch Centre in Kingussie; Grantown's Craig MacLean Sports Centre and at the Aviemore Community Centre.
The letter states: "HLH has worked hard to protect the services it offers to its members and customers around the Highlands.
"This has included investing in facilities to keep them as up-to-date and high-quality as possible, protecting the classes and services offered, and looking after and being fair to its staff who, like many, are facing a challenging cost-of-living crisis.
"The charity remains committed to offering one of the best value for money leisure memberships in the country and has worked hard to keep its prices as competitive as possible.
"As a charity, HLH has also worked hard to retain the ‘social safety-net’ that is the highlife budget scheme, offering access to individuals and families most-in-need, at this time."
The charity maintains Highlife membership continues to provide excellent value for money, providing access to a huge range of activities in 25 leisure centres, offering access to swimming pools, gyms and 570 classes across the Highlands every week plus a range of discounts at local and national retailers.
It adds that the health-suite add-on subscription at Inverness Leisure, which will be priced at £4.95 from April 1, also continues to offer excellent value.
"High Life Highland is a charity," the letter continues. "Your subscription not only gives you access to the above benefits, but it also allows HLH to be able to re-invest and safeguard vital services across the Highlands.
"Amongst other things, these services can include supporting those in our communities who are most vulnerable, most-in-need and who are personally assisted with their physical, mental and social health by many of the services provided by the various HLH teams."
HLH chief executive Steve Walsh said the cost of membership was still a "fantastic" offer.
"Most places across the country are increasing their prices between 10 and 20 per cent," he said. "We are at the bottom end of that benchmark.
"It is still a fantastic offer.
"We need to pay our staff and keep the doors open of our facilities across the Highlands.
"Inflation is running at over 10 per cent."
He also said that under the budget membership for individual or families most in need, people paid just 50p per person per activity each time they use the facilities.
Mr Walsh added: "Our customers' feedback consistently is that the offer is really good and people would be willing to pay a bit more to protect services."
