Competition from budget gyms is ‘good for the sector’


Phil Attwell In many communities, universities are already the lead provider of leisure facilities and many are expanding their community offering to address local sport, leisure and fi tness needs. This activity is likely to impact mid-market public and private sector providers.


Q


Do you think the low-cost model is sustainable, and can it create gym membership growth? Andy Roberts, senior sales consultant, Precor


David Stalker Inevitably the rapid growth of budget gym chains has created new competition in the market, but the model is also attracting a signifi cant number of fi rst-time users. This is good news for the growth of the sector. To survive, mid-market operators will need to fi nd new ways to differentiate themselves, potentially focusing on delivering exceptional customer service and offering a broader range of activities.


Chris Holliday I’m not convinced about the long-term future of the budget club model. Many people use our facilities because they enjoy the personal interaction with professional, well-trained staff. The majority of people will not be prepared to compromise on this. If the public sector can build the right facilities with the right staff, people will pay and will not necessarily swap service for a lower price.


Q There are so many bodies


representing the fi tness industry – is there enough room for them all? Tracy Copping, CEO, South Suffolk Leisure


Sean Holt Yes, as they all have their own role to play. CIMSPA, for example, is about raising standards in the workforce, and we are in


july 2012 © cybertrek 2012 Sport England staff can leave the offi ce to play squash or go for a walk


Conversations with DCMS are valuable, but we need to be sitting at the DH table


regular dialogue with other key bodies to ensure we all push in the same direction. Sixty per cent of CIMSPA members are over the age of 45. My challenge is to encourage more young professionals to get involved with the Chartered Institute.


Chris Holliday There’s enough room for all the organisations, but remits need to be clear and they need to work together. Our sector has a lot to offer when it comes to tackling major issues on the political agenda and we have to be united to do this effectively. While conversations with the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) are valuable, sitting at the table with the Department of Health (DH) is where we also need to be.


Q


Few people are aware of daily activity guidelines


As members of the health


and fi tness industry, do we need to better practise what we preach? David Connell, head of business development, Hertfordshire Sports Village


Sean Holt During my time at Sport England, working with CEO Roger Draper, I was taught the importance of walking the talk. Staff were expected to participate in at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times a week: people could leave the offi ce at any time to play squash or go for a walk. So yes, people should lead by example.


Martin Guyton Yes, we need to lead by example – but to make this possible, we need to recruit people with a true belief in what they are promoting. Public messages about the benefi ts of exercise also need to be more visible and have better clarity. I suspect most of the UK population is aware of the ‘fi ve a day’ fruit and vegetable recommendation, but would guess that signifi cantly fewer people are aware of the daily physical activity recommendations.


Read Health Club Management online at healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital 71


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