health & fitness Pure Gym to open 30 new clubs


Budget fitness operator Pure Gym is set to double the number of its London- based health clubs as the company, founded in 2008, seeks to become the biggest gym chain in the UK. Te group opened a facil-


ity in Wandsworth, South West London, last month and plans to open further sites in Hammersmith, Enfield, Finsbury Park and Balham. The new launches will


mean that the company will be running a total 50 gyms by the end of April, with at least 30 openings planned before the end of the 2013-2014 financial year. As a result of its expansion plans the com-


Pure Gym plans to become the UK’s largest health and fitness chain


pany has appointed Stephen Rought Whitta as its new group acquisitions director. Pure Gym is reported to have made prof- its of £9m for the year to February, up from


£5.3m in 2011-2012. It is backed by Magenta – the private-equity firm of New Look founder Sir Tom Singh. Pure Gym founder, Peter Roberts, was


reappointed chief executive in December 2012 following the departure of previous CEO Tony Harris. Details: http://lei.sr?a=J2h2w


Leeds to provide free sports and leisure


Leeds City Council is moving ahead with plans to provide free sports and fitness sessions in an effort to get the city more active and reduce the burden on the public health system. Sport England has earmarked £500,000


in support for the council’s ‘Leeds Let’s Get Active’ pilot, with another £500,000 being invested by the city council from its community health budget. Te scheme will provide a free hour of gym


or swimming sessions each day at council man- aged leisure centres. Te proposals, which will be considered by the council executive at its board meeting on 24 April, would be open to anyone but the scheme aims to specifically target those who currently do not take part in physical activity. Other elements of the scheme would include


free running and walking groups in local parks and packages for leisure centre access for as little as £5 for three months. Figures released by Sport England show the basic cost


Free activities will include sports and gym sessions


of physical inactivity for Leeds in 2009-2010 was £10.95m. Council member, Lisa Mulherin said: “Apart from improving participation and wellbeing, there will also be significant benefits for the city in terms of reducing the pressure on health services.” Details: http://lei.sr?a=k6e9z


Lancaster London to open £1m hotel gymnasium


Lancaster London, part of the Preferred Hotel Group, has announced it will open its new £1m 24-hour gym in June, on the second floor of the 18-storey hotel. Te 94sq m (1,012sq ſt) gym- nasium will include the latest machines from Technogym and will as well as a dedicated


© Cybertrek 2013


exercise area and free weights area. Other fea- tures include mini TV screens, high-impact flooring and white non-glare lighting. For guests interested in outdoor exercise the


hotel concierge can arrange bicycles, horse-rid- ing and outdoor swimming in the Serpentine.


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