Live Borders Case Study

Live Borders is a not-for-profit culture and leisure trust operating across the Scottish Borders. It oversees 70 plus venues spanning leisure, arts, libraries and museums, with over 10 key leisure centres running Gladstone systems. With more than 7,000 active members across its sites, Live Borders had been operating on a legacy platform since its launch in 2016. Over time, the gap between customer expectations and the digital tools available to frontline teams had grown too wide to ignore.

A wider organisational transformation was already underway, triggered by shifts in public sector funding and rising operational costs. The leadership team recognised that their outdated infrastructure was holding back progress, especially with digital self-service becoming the norm for members and key funders demanding more agile reporting.

Challenge

In 2024, Live Borders secured funding through the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund to support digital transformation. But with that came pressure: the team had just a few months to deliver an integrated solution that improved customer experience, streamlined operations, and delivered clear data insights.

Previously, member payments were handled by an external provider, which created significant friction between systems. Fitness members and swim programme participants were managed in different environments, causing inconsistencies in service and inefficiencies in reporting. To qualify for funding, the organisation needed to consolidate these systems quickly, and prove the operational and community benefits to stakeholders and government funders alike.

The Solution

Live Borders chose to implement the full Gladstone suite: Go Join for member onboarding, Go Book for real-time class and facility bookings, Go Learn for swim programme management, and Gladstone Pay with Direct Debit and Recurring Card Payments (RCP). The new system also included enhanced reporting via Gladstone’s data visualisation and analytics tools by Sisense.

This strategic choice enabled the team to unify its member management under one cloud-based platform. The transition gave them direct control of payments and streamlined customer communications, critical for both operational efficiency and long-term sustainability.

Rather than phasing in individual components, the entire system was implemented simultaneously - a decision driven by funding timelines and a commitment to progress. Despite this, the launch went ahead as scheduled, thanks to close collaboration and partnership between internal teams and Gladstone consultants.

The implementation timeline was tight, but the project was delivered on schedule. This was made possible by dedicated teams on both sides, who collaborated closely to overcome inevitable challenges. Live Borders also took steps to build internal capability, including organising training on analytics tools to ensure teams could extract maximum value from the system.

From discovery to delivery, the project demonstrated what’s possible when shared goals and smart technology align - even under pressure.

Immediate Commercial Impact

In the first month, Live Borders saw 400+ app downloads and 40+ RCP sign-ups, showing strong demand for a modern, subscription-style experience. These new payment models felt familiar to customers used to services like Netflix and Spotify, and provided the flexibility to create personalised promotional activities, significantly reducing the time taken to reach and engage with customers.

Simplified Member Journeys

With a consistent customer journey across all sites, members can now sign up quickly and confidently. The redesigned interface makes it easy to understand membership options and complete the process in just a few clicks, boosting conversion and reducing support requests.

Online Engagement Up, Admin Down

The Go platform enabled a shift from offline to online booking, unlocking new revenue streams and freeing up frontline teams from repetitive admin. For the first time, the trust could offer an end-to-end self-service experience across its venues.

Data-Led Decision Making

With advanced analytics and visual dashboards, the leadership team can now extract insights into usage trends, member behaviour, and service performance. This not only improves internal decision-making, but strengthens reporting to stakeholders and funders.

Refined Membership Packages

Gladstone Go allowed the trust to streamline its product offering, replacing fragmented membership types with simplified, value-led packages. This made it easier to communicate benefits to members and better align offerings with customer needs.

Expanding Demographics and Youth Engagement

The flexibility of the platform also enabled further development of youth-focused membership products. Previously, there were system limitations; these new options help the trust better cater to the evolving needs of the community.

Laying the Groundwork for Long-Term Transformation

Although the project is complete, the platform’s potential is far from exhausted. With the foundations now in place, Live Borders is well-positioned to continue its transformation journey, leveraging digital tools to enhance both customer experiences and community outcomes.

Live Borders is a charitable leisure and culture trust serving the Scottish Borders, operating more than 70 venues, including 10+ key leisure centres. Established in 2016, the trust delivers inclusive health, fitness, arts and community services to over 7,000 members.

With a strong focus on wellbeing, accessibility and local impact, Live Borders undertook a major digital transformation in 2024 by implementing the full Gladstone Go suite. This shift unified operations, enhanced member experience and enabled data-driven decision-making, helping the trust future-proof its services while meeting the evolving needs of its communities.