The Leisure Review - February 2014

7th February 2014

The February edition of the Leisure Review is now available to read and share at
www.theleisurereview.co.uk

This first issue of the year opens volume eight of the Leisure Review and offers an exciting mix of insight, experience and challenging perspectives on the current plight and future circumstances of the sport, leisure and culture sector. At the top of the shop we have a Leisure Review round table debate on the future for parks in the context of persistent austerity and an ongoing profile-raising campaign on behalf of the greensward. After decades in pursuit of the improvement agenda, Martyn Allison offers a view of what effective leadership looks like and what it might mean for a leisure industry in need of direction and vision. We report on the Leisure Review's visit to the home of Oxford University Sport during our winter conference, and our regular Healthy Comment columnist, the Commissioner, considers whether it is appropriate to leave exercise decisions to clinicians. Elsewhere the editor suggests - or perhaps insists - that it is time for the culture secretary to start challenging the dominance of economics within policy-making the better to serve the interests of the nation.

Our regular side dishes include an editorial that explains the provenance of much of the content of this issue, news in brief that offers a swift dash across the sector's major headlines, and a warm welcome to our new diary column, La Flamme Rouge. There also is a reminder of the things you might need to know about Charles Dickens in light of his current high-profile in the world of film and we warn any of our more grammatically sensitive readers that in light of our winter conference reporting they may find a liberal sprinkling of Oxford commas throughout this issue; any other anomalies or inconsistencies will be down to error or ignorance on our part.

We hope to offer you an interesting, informative and challenging reading experience. Do let us know whether we are close to hitting our target.