FRANCHISEFOCUS INVESTMENT: £12 0,000-£18 7,000 Going strong Franchisees at Anytime Fitness open third club in under three years C
onnor Thorne’s story is the perfect example of the opportunities available to young and ambitious
graduates in franchising with Anytime Fitness, recently opening his third club in under three years. In March 2021, the 26-year-old and
his father Steve broke new ground for Anytime Fitness by opening the first-ever 24-hour health club in St Helier, Jersey. The opening was a result of a successful acquisition of an existing health club facility, an increasingly important part of Anytime Fitness’ exciting growth strategy. Having finalised their franchise
agreement in Spring 2018, the father-son duo set themselves the target of opening five clubs in five years and despite the pandemic, are ahead of schedule. The St Helier opening followed
successful ventures in Ringwood, Hampshire and Ferndown, Dorset, both of which have seen Connor and Steve enjoy a significant return on investment. Inspired by his father, Connor’s clubs put customer service at the heart of their proposition, something that allows them to stand out from the competition.
"The pair are set to open their fourth club before the end of 2021"
“Some gyms focus far too much on
leisure and I wanted to do something different and put more of an emphasis on quality service,” said Connor. “Starting with our first Anytime Fitness club, we went a bit off the beaten path and employed staff that used to work in bookshops and cafés rather than the fitness sector. I think people appreciated that more as there are those who are a little more hesitant to go to the gym and they prefer speaking to someone who isn’t necessarily an avid gym go-er themselves.” This caring and considerate approach
76 p Connor and Steve
shone during the pandemic. While its clubs were closed, staff were in regular contact with their members, even if it meant a quick call to check in on their wellbeing. Neither Anytime Fitness Ringwood or Anytime Fitness Ferndown charged members during lockdowns and while this would initially mean a significant strain on their finances, Connor saw the value of member retention and the long-term benefit of positive sentiment when they could reopen. The pair are set to open their fourth
club before the end of 2021 and while neither possessed fitness experience before franchising with Anytime Fitness, the model has allowed them to thrive at pace. “I honestly don’t think we could have done this without being part of a franchise with the pace that we’ve worked at,” added Connor. “The connections that we’ve had through Anytime Fitness, the models we used at the beginning, the designing, the recommendations of kit and the professional marketing are all priceless. If you understand business and you understand quality, you can
run a really successful club. As with any business, you can find professionals that love the sector that they’re in; you don’t have to be a personal trainer or massively interested in fitness to make it a success.” Now with over 180 clubs across the
UK and Ireland, Connor is among the 60% of its franchisees that own multiple clubs and are enjoying a significant return on investment alongside a healthy work-life balance. With sustained consumer demand for fitness memberships, Anytime Fitness has enjoyed a buoyant recovery from the pandemic. Since its first reopening in July 2020, it has opened over 15 new clubs and helped more entrepreneurs fulfil their dream of running their own, successful business.
ANYTIME FITNESS Health and fitness
jointhefamily@anytimefitness.co.uk anytimefitness.co.uk/own-a-gym 0330 3322 361
Investment level: £100k+
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100
