new
opening
OPERATOR INDEPENDENT
Kate Cracknell pays a visit to the new Stars Gym in Battersea, south London
by, is yes – if the right balance is struck. Director and general manager Richard
C
Coates explains: “If you’re exclusively a martial arts club, it needs to be raw – a fi ghters’ gym in a warehouse-style building, with basic kit. But it’s hard to make that pay nowadays, especially in a location like ours. We do have a serious martial arts offering, and can cater for everyone up to champion level, but we want to bring it to the masses and we
an a martial arts club ever be mainstream? The answer, if new independent Stars Gym in London is anything to go
cater for beginners too. Also, while we focus on martial arts, we offer much more besides.” He continues: “There are four
elements to our offering, with martial arts being one. We also have strength and conditioning, including a sports- specifi c focus for those who want it – golf, cycling, mountaineering and so on. Wellness encompasses beauty treatments, nutrition, life coaching and physiotherapy. And we have CV fi tness.” Nonetheless, martial arts very much
lies at the heart of the Stars concept. While seasoned exercisers will no doubt get an immediate buzz from the energetic environment, non-gym users who walk in and immediately see a boxing ring and dojo – albeit in a nicely designed club – could feel intimidated and put off joining. Would Coates agree?
“We very much welcome and cater for everyone, and we do have some total beginners among our members, some of whom have chosen us thanks to our
Stars Gym is located in a former art gallery by the side of the Thames
36 Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
proximity and convenience – there are 5,000 offi ce workers within half a mile of our club, and we’re also located in a prime residential area. However, people joining a gym for the fi rst time will often tend to choose a cheaper option.”
accessible quality At £100 a month, or £1,000 a year, there will indeed be cheaper options than Stars Gym. But then again, how many clubs offer classes run by World Champion athletes? I tried a Kick & Thai Boxing session while I was there, run by Mati Parks – former British, European and World Thai Boxing Champion – and have to say it was one of the best classes I’ve done in years. And Parks is just one of a number of resident instructors who have competed – or still compete – in their sport at a national level. Stars is also fl exible with its packages:
if you can’t afford £100 a month, you can pay a £50 joining fee for life and then buy ‘pay as you go’ packages of 10 day passes that work out at £12 a day.
“We’ll also try to do a deal for any young people who are into sports but can’t afford our fees,” says Coates. “We’re
november/december 2011 © cybertrek 2011
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