interview
A place to be: DW Sports Fitness
is improving its food and beverage
offering, as well as its relaxation areas,
to encourage members to stay longer
fitness innovation
The fitness offering is also evolving. “I
think re-shaping and re-energising is a
good way of putting it. JJB failed, over
the last few years, to invest in and keep
on top of what customers wanted. They
hadn’t changed the model in years and
the clubs had become stagnant.
“Of course we’ve rebranded all the
gyms, with new logos and a new colour
scheme. But we’re also trying out some
new ideas – stretching areas, larger free
weights areas, functional training zones.
[See information box below.]
“Where appropriate – where local
levels of competition dictate – we’ve accommodate more kids’ facilities. future developments
also reduced the size of the retail area Society’s changing and you can’t keep Having completed its rebrand, DW Sports
to 12,000 or 14,000sq ft, rather than opening clubs based on the same Fitness now has ambitious expansion
22,000sq ft. That’s allowed us to create principles you had nine years ago. You plans. At the time of writing in November,
larger group exercise studios and have to be bold and you have to be one new club had already opened – a £3m
separate group cycling studios.” willing to experiment. We have to site in Tunstall, Stoke on Trent – with
Freeing up space in this way has also look at the demographics of each area others set to follow in Milton Keynes,
allowed DW Sports Fitness to trial, at its and make sure we’re creating the right Carlisle, Canterbury and Bangor.
Wigan site, a new wellness area – a non- offering for the local community. “We’ve set a fi gure of 100 sites in total
profi t generating concept where members “One of the other things we’re doing and we’ll be up to 60 by the middle of this
and local residents have access to a GP, at the clubs is improving food and year,” says Higham. “We won’t just open
as well as services such as chiropody and beverage. Before, sandwiches sat in the somewhere for the sake of it, though.
physiotherapy. The idea is to enhance chiller for two or three days, but all our We’ll only open where we feel there’s
the member experience, giving them high new clubs will have on-site facilities to demand and where we can compete.”
quality medical data on themselves, with make fresh sandwiches daily. We’re not That may include some budget clubs.
a GP on-hand to then advise them on going crazy, we’re not going à la carte, “The existing mifi t budget club in Cardiff
relevant lifestyle change. “If it’s a success, but we are giving people good quality, is re-branding as DW Express Fitness
we’ve identifi ed fi ve sites where we’d like tasty food. I want members to enjoy Club and we’re looking at another
to roll this out,” says Higham. being in our clubs – to relax after their couple of sites. As at Cardiff, they’ll have
“With some of the new sites, we’ll workout, have a good chat, read the retail but will be dry gyms.
also look at re-jigging the model to paper, stay longer, spend more with us.” “Generally, though, our focus is on
fi tness and retail in equal measure.
Everyone in the industry was talking
about how, at JJB, retail was riding on
A FOCUS ON FUNCTIONALITY
the back of the leisure, and some people
seem to think leisure is the reason we’ve
n the rebranded Bolton club, the Workshops – covering techniques taken this company over. However, our
I
new functional training zone including kettlebells, TRX, vibration intention is to make both sides of the
catches the eye as soon as you training and SAQ – are offered every business fully operational and profi table,
walk on to the gym floor. Offering hour in the functional training zone, which we believe we can do. We
an array of equipment – from TRX as are circuit training sessions. An absolutely intend to compete in both
suspension training systems and Power instructor is also on-hand at all times to arenas; indeed, in the sites that didn’t
Plates to wobble boards, medicine balls help those using the zone on their own. have retail, we’re now putting stores in.
and steps – the zone lies at the heart of Meanwhile, small group sessions also “There’s a lot of growth in the market,
a new training culture in DW clubs. take place all over the gym fl oor – from a lot of potential, and I think £83m,
Members wanting to chat one-to- crewing classes on rowing machines to without wanting to sound fl ippant, was
one with an instructor for a more combat workouts for older members. good value for money. It’s an exciting
traditional gym programme can still do Indeed, all instructors have been set a opportunity and there’s a great buzz
so. However, the chain’s focus is now target of training 40 members per shift; among the team. If I were going out onto
moving towards small group training in the fi rst six weeks of the initiative in a rugby pitch with this lot, I’d be delighted
and education – teaching members Bolton, 4,300 members trained with an – they’re really up for the challenge.”
to train properly for everyday life. instructor on the gym fl oor.
kate cracknell
healthclub@leisuremedia.com
36 Read Health Club Management online january 2010 © cybertrek 2010
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
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