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interview
MIKE
CROCKETT
The MD of Soho Gyms talks
to Kate Cracknell about
belief in the fitness product,
a long-term perspective, and
the launch of the new Soho
Gyms Academy
“T
he fitness industry is funded by loyal shareholders, had been of members, but what matters is pound
great. How can you not be broken,” he says. “But it was a nice time, per member and we weren’t making any
passionate about it when actually, being able to start again and give money; in fact, it was costing me money!
the product’s so good for the members clubs they could be proud of. Now we won’t go down the route of
you?” asks Mike Crockett, MD of Soho “We restructured all our debt – there discounting or even price-matching.
Gyms, with evidently genuine enthusiasm. are four company directors and, between “As an industry, I think we need to lose
Originally an electronics engineer in us, we now own about 98 per cent of the the perception that people can walk in
the defence industry, Crockett moved business. We got a new fi nance manager and negotiate fees with us. You wouldn’t
into leisure in his mid-20s, starting out and put our fi nances in order. do it in Tesco – you wouldn’t take a
in the public sector at Hounslow before “We also managed the staff who chicken to the counter and say: ‘Look,
moving into golf centre management and weren’t performing and recruited new I know it says £2.20, but how about
then, in 2003, joining Soho Gyms. people. We brought some unity to £2.00?’ The only reason we have this
Soho Gyms was set up in 1994 (see the business so the gyms sold each problem is because many clubs are willing
information box, p28) and had grown other rather than only themselves, we to discount. It will take a good couple of
organically since then. Crockett admits introduced a membership system, and we years to change that culture but, in the
that he joined at a time when a signifi cant put our prices up to where they needed end, it will be better for everybody.”
overhaul of operations was required. to be to allow investment in the gyms.
“We had very old systems and no “Literally two weeks before I joined, a people business
structure to the training, the equipment the membership prices had been So is the Soho Gyms business now
was tired and our investment cycle, dropped by 25 per cent. We had loads running as he would wish? “There are
26 Read Health Club Management online november/december 2009 © cybertrek 2009
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