NEW OPENING
“Capping numbers in this way helps us
ensure the calibre of our PTs, as well as enhancing their earning capacity,” says Lorimer-Wing. After paying a monthly retainer fee, PTs are free to keep 100 per cent of their profits. Lorimer-Wing continues: “We don’t
look to make money out of our PTs and we charge them less than they’d pay anywhere else; the making of any easyGym is not about the success or failure of its personal trainers. All we demand is that they give quality, affordable service. We look to them to use that freedom to monitor members and identify those who need assistance.”
The bottom line Breaking even in a site of this size and location can’t be easy, and attracting enough members to make a profit has to be a worrying consideration – especially as full capacity is 7,500 members. The site was acquired from Virgin for
a “significant spend”, but Lorimer-Wing remains unfazed: “I don’t for a minute think we’ll struggle to attract members here. Yes, if you’re only charging £19.99 a head it’s a volume business, but this is a unique offering and we already have more members than we needed to break even on the refurb and build costs. “Our very first member was the MD
of an investment bank. He could afford any gym, but he chose us. That’s just one example of the huge spectrum of members we attract. “Oxford Street is a world-famous
shopping hub, so we’re surrounded by workers and businesses. These are our
easyGym Oxford Street sees its group exercise studio as one of its core retention tools
peak members for whom convenience is key. Thanks to the volume of equipment in the club, they can come in at 6.00pm and be guaranteed a quick workout.” The club can accommodate up to 500
people at any one time, and because of this easyGym has been forced to adapt its model slightly – installing 10 showers instead of the usual four, for example, to prevent queuing. So what about the ‘tumbleweed times’
– all the more noticeable in such a large space? “There are three universities within walking distance, so students will visit at irregular times and we’ll be marketing hard during Freshers’ Week,” says Rush. easyGym is also marketing on Oxford Street itself, outside tube stations, and using online SEO and PPC ads to keep the buzz going. “Across our portfolio, all gyms are well
attended during the day and we believe Oxford Street will be no different in time,” says Lorimer-Wing. “In addition,
as a city centre location, we have very defined high and low usage points. Members may chose to rearrange their schedule to make use of the gym during quieter times, potentially further increasing membership capacity.” It seems worries about acquiring
members won’t keep the team awake at night, but – particularly with so many members to look after – what about keeping them? “Our studio will be one of our biggest retention tools. Classes will create a community to keep people coming back,” says Rush. “I also plan to run small, impromptu classes on the gym floor – CrossFit, TRX and functional training – creating little hubs using PTs to encourage people to work out in different ways to maintain interest.”
Never stand still Although he now has his flagship site, Lorimer-Wing has no intention of stopping there. At the time of going to press, the next site was days from opening in Southampton, and the company is looking to ramp up its rollout and add a further six to 10 sites during 2014. Although unwilling to say exactly where the easyGym expansion machine is heading next, Lorimer-Wing admits: “It will be important for us to continue our London focus.” The aim is to build a portfolio of 50
clubs in the next few years, opening a maximum of 10 a year, and alongside this take easyGym into Europe. “We continue to enjoy strong support from our investors [a Middle Eastern consortium and South African private equity fund] and we’ll most likely enter the European market next year,” he says. “Although we talk about 50 sites, we
may well go further. We’re looking to build a brand for the very long term – there isn’t an end date in mind.” Returning to Oxford St, he adds:
The gym houses 42 Precor treadmills, 30 cross-trainers, 27 bikes and 14 AMTs 44 Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
“Our strap line – and philosophy – is ‘freedom to do more’, and although we can’t be everything to everyone, with this site we can and will be a lot of things to a lot of people.” ●
September 2013 © Cybertrek 2013
ALL PHOTOS: STUART HOLT
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