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20 February - 05 March 2018 Issue 730
Franchise deals heat up fitness market The UK's franchised fitness market is growing, with two operators aiming to strengthen their footholds in the industry after signing multi-site deals with franchisees. US-based Orangetheory has signed a master franchise deal for the North and Midlands, covering an area from Buckinghamshire to Northumberland. The studios will be operated by Wellcomm Health and Fitness, a company set up for the venture by a group of entrepreneurs led by chair Mike Dixon and CEO Alistair Firth. They are joined by two non-executive partners,
■■The deal is the second master franchise
Debra Martin and Colin Wright.
deal signed by Orangetheory in the UK
Firth said talks are at an advanced stage for the three first sites and the group aims
doubled its presence last year, reaching
to have at least two open during 2018.
44 locations by December, up from 21 at the start of 2017. The expansion
“We’ll confirm the first site within
began in 2015 with only five clubs.
the next month or so,” he said. Meanwhile, 24-hour gym franchise
Snap Fitness CEO Isaac Buchanan
Snap Fitness UK has announced plans
said: “There are no signs of us slowing
for 34 more clubs in 2018, after opening
down during 2018 and our growth is
six new sites in the first week of the
largely driven by our franchisees."
year. The mid-market brand more than
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