new
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POPULARITY RATING I
n 2005, the Labour government launched the Cycle to Work scheme, through which employees can save almost half the cost of a bike and the equipment needed
for cycling to work. The employer buys the bike from an approved supplier, claims back the VAT and deducts the rest, over a period of time, from the employee’s pay. Nevertheless, cycling commuting in London remains
low compared to other European cities: just 3 per cent, whereas in Copenhagen it’s 36 per cent and 25 per cent in the Netherlands. The government claims to be keen to change this; Transport for London aims to increase cycling in London by 400 per cent by 2025. However, cycling in general is already increasing in
popularity, perhaps in part down to the GB Cycling team’s success at the Beijing Olympics. A 2009 TGI survey of around 25,000 adults found that running was the sport that had shown the strongest growth in popularity, but with cycling a close second – 17.4 per cent of respondents said they cycled, up 4.1 per cent compared to 2005. Meanwhile, according to a 2010 Mintel report, 545,000
daily bicycle journeys were made in London in 2009, up 9 per cent on the previous year and up for the seventh year running, resulting in a 91 per cent increase since 2000. And a study by Sport England has revealed that 4.46 per cent of the UK population now cycle at least once a week, up from 4.26 per cent in 2008/09.
How much is membership? It’s our aim to be honest and transparent with the customer, so there’s a standard price and no discounts. We offer no contract as standard, but you can sign for 12 months and achieve a cheaper rate. We’ve invested heavily in the membership system and website, so that people can manage their memberships online. These have been developed bespoke for H2 using our own web development company and Ansador for the access control system. The cheapest monthly membership is £27.99, which includes bike parking, showers, a locker and use of the gym
40
H2 Bike Run has secure parking for 260 bikes and a further 220 nearby (above and right)
area from 10.00am onwards, as we have classes during our peak hours of 6.00am–10.00am.
Who is the target market? We think lots of people who join will already walk, run or cycle to work, but we also think there will be a lot of ‘nudgers’ – people who can be encouraged into action. We believe women will be our secret weapon: helmet hair is a key reason for women not cycling to work, second only to the health and safety aspect of cycling in the city. So we’ve provided great vanity areas with lots of hair straighteners. Other people who live or work locally might well join just for the gym or Spin®
classes, and we also think lunchtime
joggers will be interested as they can get a shower and use the core conditioning equipment.
Who designed the club? It was designed by our in-house design team, Urban Reef, with the help of interior design company Creative Switch. The fit-out specification is top-end, focused on delivering a high quality environment. Primarily the aim was to make it feel light, airy and clean.
We wanted to create a luxurious, healthy-feeling environment. Cleanliness is of utmost importance, and we’ve paid great attention to how the water drains away, as well as minimising the corners, so it’s easier to clean. We chose the colour orange for the brand, because it’s reminiscent of the sunrise and is a positive colour symbolising the start of the day.
What is the membership capacity? We think it’s 2,500, but will close the door if the number exceeds what we feel is a comfortable operating level. We’re
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healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital may 2011 © cybertrek 2011
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