UK news update
‘Night owls’ find it harder to exercise: study
‘Night owls’ – people who go to bed late and wake up late – are likely to be more sedentary and struggle to maintain an exercise schedule than those who get an early night, according to a new study. Despite the growth in popularity of
24-hour gyms in recent years, it seems that late nights are more of a hindrance than a help when it comes to staying in shape. Researchers at Northwestern University
in Chicago, US, found that night owls reported more perceived barriers to exercise, including not having enough time for exercise and being unable to stick to an exercise schedule, regardless of what time they actually went to bed or woke up. The study suggests that circadian factors should be taken into consideration as part of exercise recommendations and interventions (see HCM April 13, p62). Details:
http://lei.sr?a=V4f8u
énergie signs five-club Fit4less deal in London
Over 8 million UK members
The UK health and fitness industry has more clubs and members than ever before, plus a greater market value, with growth being driven by low-cost operators, according to the 2014 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report. For the first time ever, health club member
numbers have moved past eight million, market value has exceeded £4bn and the penetration rate is at an all-time high of 13.2 per cent. The penetration rate signifies the percentage of the UK population who are members of a health club and reflects a welcome improvement on last year’s figure, which was 12.6 per cent. The 2014 report highlights that the industry
has experienced another year of growth over the 12-month period to the end of March 2014, with increases across all three KPIs – 3.9 per cent in value, 1.5 per cent in number of facilities, and 4.5 per cent in member numbers. The sector’s gains continue to be driven by
the low-cost market, which performed well across the metrics. But despite the strong returns, there were fewer new openings last year, suggesting the low-cost growth curve may be starting to tail off. Author David Minton warned that the figures are not as strong as they may seem, with ‘pedestrian’ progress a concern. Details:
http://lei.sr?a=U4t2a
Low-cost operators like John Treharne’s The Gym Group continue to drive UK growth énergie Group CEO Jan Spaticchia
The énergie Group has signed a new franchise agreement to open at least five of its Fit4less branded health clubs in London over the next three years, as part of a new deal agreed with operator Gymstar. The first site was scheduled to open
in Bethnal Green as this magazine went to press, with two further sites planned this year. Gymstar will also, with partners, regenerate two énergie Fitness Club sites in Leighton Buzzard and Liscombe Park. “We’ve committed to at least five Fit4less
sites, but we’re interested in opening as many as possible as we view the Fit4less brand as a hugely viable financial investment,” says Gymstar operations director Chris Djuric. Work has begun on Liscombe Park, which
has already seen the introduction of new equipment and alterations to the tune of £250,000, with a further £2.25m to be invested over the next two years. Details:
http://lei.sr?a=p4p5y
16 Sports Direct takes control of first site
Following reports of a possible acquisition of up to 33 LA fitness clubs (see HCM June 14, p10), Sports Direct confirmed it took over its first club on 18 June – a former LA fitness site in Sale, Manchester – with up to 30 further sites slated to open by early July. A senior source confirmed the gym arm of the business will operate under the name Sports Direct
Fitness.com. Sports Direct head of leisure Winston Higham – recently joined from DW Sports Fitness – indicated that further activity was imminent in an exclusive interview with HCM last month, predicting that the new operator would take on six to 10 sites a week between mid-June and early July. Extensive renovations are already said to be taking place at the Sale site, with Technogym the main supplier, alongside FreeMotion, True Fitness, Lonsdale and USA Pro. Sports Direct is thought to be interested in
Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
Ashley has long held ambitions to own gyms
the potential for synergy between gyms and the company’s existing operations: it has over 600 sports stores in Europe and owns sports brands such as Dunlop, Everlast and Slazenger. Details:
http://lei.sr?a=j6a6S &
http://lei.sr?a=W5K2U
July 2014 © Cybertrek 2014
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