WellNation issue 6 2024

news & trends

Planning application submitted for £26m South Holland wellbeing hub

A planning application has been submitted for the £26 million South Holland Health & Wellbeing Hub in Lincolnshire.

A decision on the first phase of the ambitious project – driven by South Holland District Council – is expected in September and, if approval is given, construction is expected to get underway in late 2024.

The first phase of the application includes plans for the main Hub building, including the creation of a new two-pool swimming facility, outdoor splash pad, sports hall, gym, fitness studios, wellbeing spaces, café and play zones. New outdoor facilities installed on the site would include a 3G artificial turf floodlit football pitch as well as a separate outdoor multi-use games area, community gardens and park run track.

If approval is received, the main hub is set to open to the public in Summer 2026.

A further outline application for the second phase of work on the Levelling Up project, including an extra care housing scheme, is set to be submitted in the coming weeks.

Councillor Gary Taylor, the Council’s project sponsor, said: “I’m really pleased that we are able to take another significant step towards making this incredible project a reality, and creating brand new facilities that will cater for our whole community for many years to come. Thank you to everyone who took the time to be part of the consultation process or who has helped to shape the designs so far. Feedback is invaluable in making sure we can create a truly transformative and well-used Hub for South Holland’s residents.”

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The main hub is set to open to the public in Summer 2026

news & trends

1Rebel secures Imbiba investment, looks to expand

Boutique gym chain, 1Rebel, is looking to grow its footprint in the UK, after securing fresh investment from lifestyle, wellness and entertainment growth investor, Imbiba.

Imbiba this month closed its oversubscribed £90m second fund, which included a second investment in 1Rebel. Imbiba Fund II includes capital commitments from a diverse investor base and will support the expansion of “high-growth, category-leading businesses” in the leisure, lifestyle, wellness, and entertainment sectors.

1Rebel was co-founded by entrepreneurs James Balfour and Giles Dean and offers immersive workout classes across 10 studios in London and three studios in Australia and the Middle East. The growth capital from Imbiba will support 1Rebel’s ambitious plans to scale the business across the UK, as well as its growing international presence, with multiple new venues already secured in the pipeline.

James Balfour, co-founder and CEO of 1Rebel, said: “Securing this

investment from Imbiba marks a pivotal moment for our business.

“With this new infusion of capital, we’re poised to accelerate our growth, expand our reach, and further enhance the 1Rebel experience for our members.

“This investment is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our

team, and we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. We are thrilled to embark on a long-lasting, sustainable partnership with such seasoned entrepreneurs and investors.”

Imbiba’s investment portfolio includes a wide range of brands in the leisure, wellness and lifestyle sectors.

Burscough Sports leisure centre set for £3.18m upgrade

West Lancashire Borough Council has approved £3.18m worth of funding to significantly upgrade facilities at Burscough Sports leisure centre.

The refurbishment will deliver a modern leisure, wellbeing and fitness facility which will “integrate new technology and trends to meet user needs and preferences”, while also improving the building’s look and feel. An entirely new layout will look to optimise capacity and create more flexibility in how spaces are used. The plans, produced in partnership by the council and its development partner, Alliance Leisure, will also improve the building’s sustainability.

Improvements will include a refurbished and extended gym with 70 stations and functional training space, new indoor cycling studio, wellbeing suite with power-assisted equipment and a refurbished sports hall and squash court floors. The works will also improve the building’s energy efficiency

1Rebel operates 10 studios in London and three in Australia and the Middle East

Fit+ gyms will provide a range of strength, resistance and free weights

Empowered Brands signs UK master licence agreement with fit+

Franchised fitness company, Empowered Brands, has signed a master licence agreement with German gym chain fit+.

The deal will see Empowered Brands roll out fit+ gyms through a traditional franchise model across the UK and Ireland, with more than 200 potential locations already identified.

Empowered Brands is the parent company of gym chains énergie Fitness and UBX Boxing & Strength.

Fit+ is a staffless gym concept with more than 250 locations across Europe and a projected 2024 turnover in excess of €30m. The brand was co-founded in 2018 by German fitness club operators and entrepreneurs Torsten Boorberg and Björn Krämer following staffing challenges they faced in the industry.

The company has seen growth of around 200% in the past three years and it has a target of having 320 gyms open by the end of this year (2024). With operations currently in 10 countries, the long-term plan is

to expand into 28 countries across Europe, Africa and Asia with 1,000 gyms and €100m turnover.

Based on a franchised model, fit+ targets smaller territories than traditional gyms, such as smaller towns, suburban and even rural areas with a target population of 6,000 – 15,000 people.

Commenting on the deal, Mark Pinner, CEO at Empowered Brands, said: “It’s game-changing for the industry as it’s a concept that’s able to reach underserved communities easily, where perhaps they don’t currently have a convenient fitness facility, or where they do, but it has restricted hours etc. Fit+ gyms will provide a range of strength, resistance, and free weights equipment, and QR codes feature on each piece of equipment to guide users on how they work.

“We’re really excited to roll the concept out, providing everything that people need for a complete training programme.”

Club Pilates opens third UK studio, hits 1,000 sites

Club Pilates will open its third UK studio in Wapping, London later this year. It follows the launch of the brand’s first two UK studios in London’s Bankside and Fulham Broadway.

The announcement comes as Club Pilates – a franchised brand, owned by global wellness behemoth, Xponential Fitness – reached the landmark of having 1,000 studios globally.

Club Pilates is planning a significant franchise rollout in the UK, with the long-term ambition of launching between 50 and 75 studios over the next three to five years.

Swim England accreditation for all Everyone Active sites

Facility operator, Everyone Active, has been awarded Swim England’s Learn to Swim Accreditation for all 140 of its leisure centres that deliver swimming lessons. The charitable leisure trust manages venues on behalf of more than 65 local authorities across the UK.

The accreditation recognises excellence in governance, sustainability and effectiveness for those delivering Swim England’s Learn to Swim programme, and can be used to raise the profile of Learn to Swim locally. Everyone Active currently has more than 3,600 swim teachers qualified to Swim England’s Level 2.

The brand has big plans for the UK

People news

CIMSPA appoints two new members to its Board of Trustees

The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) has appointed Donna Fraser OBE and Gavin Stewart to its board of trustees.

Fraser has more than 20 years’ experience as an international athlete and successful businessperson. Following an impressive athletics career, representing Team GB at four Olympic Games, she took on leadership roles with a range of organisations.

David Stalker joins Alliance Leisure as advisor

Leisure development specialist, Alliance Leisure, has appointed health and fitness industry veteran, David Stalker, as advisor to the board.

The appointment comes as Alliance Leisure celebrates 25 years of transforming local authority leisure facilities, delivering more than 250 projects with an investment value of more than £370 million.

Stalker currently serves as president of EuropeActive and has held numerous senior executive roles in the sector, including most recently CEO of Myzone EMEA.

As CEO of ukactive and founding chair of CIMSPA, Stalker has been instrumental in raising industry standards not just in the UK but Europe, driving positive change and improving public health.

Stalker said: “I’ve been a longtime admirer of Alliance Leisure, particularly of Sarah Watts and Paul Cluett. Sarah is probably the most talented business person in our sector, and both Sarah and Paul are long-term friends and colleagues. Alliance is a trailblazing company, known for its innovation

and breaking new pastures and it has an impressive team.

“I have extensive experience across all aspects of our industry, from supplier to operator and local authority to our chartered institute. I have a deep understanding of its direction. My strength lies in using diplomacy to drive initiatives and engage people on the journey.

“As I transition to new roles, my priority is to collaborate with people I like and respect, and most importantly, to work with organisations that have the potential to impact the nation’s health.”

Stewart has extensive experience in the financial services sector including 27 years working for financial services regulators. Prior to his financial services career, Gavin competed internationally as a rower, participating in two Olympic Games.

CIMSPA CEO, Tara Dillon, said: “Donna’s and Gavin’s knowledge and experience will assist us in strengthening our position as the professional body for the sector.”

Pamela Cookey has been named the first Independent chair of Fearless Women, the organisation driving change in women’s sport and physical activity.

Cookey is a former captain of the England netball team – winning Commonwealth Games bronze medals in 2006 and 2010 – and currently works as a sports broadcaster.

In her new role, Cookey will help connect women across the sector, “amplifying the voices of leaders and trailblazers”.

Fearless Women was founded by Sue Anstiss in 2020.

Cookey named chair of Fearless Women

Donna Fraser

Dave Stalker (left) with Sarah Watts and Paul Cluett

PHOTO:

Aberystwyth University opens eco-friendly gym

Aberystwyth University has opened an environmentallyfriendly gym featuring self-charging exercise stations.

The gym is part of a sports dome project at the university’s Penglais Campus, which takes the University a step closer towards limiting its carbon footprint and becoming net-zero by 2030.

Located next to the sports centre’s multipurpose sports pitch, the gym has been equipped with the latest Matrix Fitness equipment.

The install included an equipment move to the dome from the current adjacent facility incorporating existing Matrix Fitness cardio integrated with 7xi consoles to provide an interactive user interface, live fitness data, workouts and streaming options. New equipment included Matrix Fitness Target Training CXP bikes which will run on the energy provided by users rather than being plugged into the mains electricity supply.

To accompany the cardio, the gym also features a range of new strength equipment, including the Matrix

Fitness Ultra Series and Magnum Racks. The new equipment was partly funded by a £250,000 grant from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.

The new gym replaces an old one and having the facility housed in the sports dome has allowed the number of stations to be doubled from 65 to 130.

Darren Hathaway, Head of Sport and Grounds at Aberystwyth University, said: “We take great pride in the facilities we have here at the University’s Sports Centre which are open to students, staff and the local community.

“We continually strive to invest in our facilities and, where possible, to innovate when upgrading our equipment. Our new self-powered kit is another small step towards limiting our carbon footprint as the University works towards becoming a net-zero estate by 2030. We also hope that everyone using the new kit will feel just that little bit better in the knowledge that they are benefitting health, mind and the environment.”

The gym is housed in the sports dome and features 130 stations

news & trends

Ultimate Performance secures private investment

Ultimate Performance, the high-end personal training and fitness platform with 13 UK locations, has secured private equity investment as it looks to further expand its operations.

Ultimate Performance has sold a stake in the company to Inflexion, whose investment portfolio spans 160+ countries and a variety of sectors. Inflexion currently has stakes in companies such as Goals Soccer Centres and Virgin Experience Days.

Based in Manchester, Ultimate Performance delivers personalised training and nutrition programmes across 24 sites in the UK, US, Europe, Asia, Middle East and Australia. The company was founded in 2009 by personal trainer, Nick Mitchell.

As part of the Inflexion deal, Simon McMurtrie has been named chair of Ultimate Performance.

McMurtrie said: “I’m delighted to take on the chair role for Ultimate Performance working with the leadership team of Steve Brice, Sean Murphy and Mark Bohannon, building

on the legacy of Nick Mitchell.

“Happy to be partnering with David Collins, Joshua de Wet and, once again, with James Stevens and the wider talented team at Inflexion following our shared success supporting growth with Virgin Experience Days and Scott Dunn.”

Steve Brice, Chief Executive, Ultimate Performance, said: “Ultimate Performance is committed to changing the way our clients live.

“We are excited to be partnering with Inflexion to continue the growth of the business and in particular build its global presence.”

Parkwood secures five-year extension to manage Erewash sites

Parkwood Leisure and its subcontractor, Legacy Leisure, have secured a five-year contract extension to manage the leisure facilities owned by Erewash Borough Council. The facilities include three leisure centres – Victoria Park, West Park and Rutland Sports Park. The new deal follows a previous five-year deal, signed in 2019, during which Parkwood and Legacy Leisure invested more than £1.3 million in improving the council’s facilities. The improvements included a complete refurbishment of West Park Leisure Centre’s fitness studio and the resurfacing of the athletics track at Rutland Sports Park. Investment also went towards creating accessible environments and the installation of soft play areas and a café at West Park.

Based in Manchester, Ultimate Performance has 13 UK locations

The contract includes three leisure centres owned by the council

ServiceSport UK

keeping the sector moving

For over 25 years, ServiceSport UK has been a prominent figure in the fitness industry, supporting gym operators far and wide by prolonging the life of their equipment

ServiceSport UK is a leading independent service provider in the UK, specialising in the servicing, repair, and maintenance of commercial gym equipment. With a track record of maintaining over 90,000 pieces of gym equipment annually from popular manufacturers such as Technogym, Life Fitness, Precor, Matrix, Wattbike and Concept2, we ensure optimal equipment performance long after the manufacturer warranty expires. Our expert team comprises of 30+ skilled field service and repair engineers strategically spread across the UK to guarantee a swift response and an outstanding 90% first-time fix rate.

Empowering the fitness industry through innovation

We recently introduced advanced software solutions that empower operators with real-time asset management data. This sophisticated software simplifies maintenance tasks, streamlining processes such as asset tracking, fault reporting and engineer scheduling.

The benefits of which are evident for industry players such as Nuffield Health where we maintain more than 8,300 pieces of equipment across 160 sites.

“The software that ServiceSport UK has provided has dramatically streamlined the operational management of our assets.” States Joanna Seldon, Senior Proposition Manager for Nuffield Health.

“We’re fully aware of when a preventative maintenance service is due at each of our clubs, we can easily see what gym equipment is installed at each site across

our estate and more importantly, we can easily view dates for when repair work is due to be carried out”.

Expanding

services for enhanced excellence

ServiceSport UK continually evolves to cater to diverse needs, extending our services beyond maintenance to include on-site upholstery repairs, gym equipment parts supply, equipment refresh initiatives and more. Our sustainability-focused approach resonates with operators like the Ministry of Defence, Nuffield Health, Active Tameside and others, exemplified by our successful refresh projects that breathe new life into gym facilities.

The heartbeat of your gym

ServiceSport UK has established a customer base that includes Nuffield Health, The Ministry of Defence, Bannatyne health clubs, Fitness First, Ultimate Performance, Anytime Fitness, énergie Fitness, Anytime Fitness, Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, South Lanarkshire Leisure, Parkwood Leisure, Total Fitness, Active Tameside, North Tyneside Council and many more including independent gyms, blue light services, schools, universities, hotels and spas.

To start your journey with us, contact the team today on 01257 264 738 or email sales@servicesport.com

Alternatively, if the original equipment manufacturer warranty is due to expire on your equipment, or you are looking for an alternative provider to service your gym equipment, visit www.servicesport. com/ services/service-and-repair and complete our online quote calculator to receive a price in minutes.

news & trends

The programme is a 12-week pilot

Fit and Ready prehab programme launched in Surrey

A new community fitness programme aims to ensure those awaiting knee and hip surgeries are physically ready for their procedures.

The Fit and Ready programme is a 12-week pilot programme aimed at optimising participants’ physical and mental condition before surgery.

Frimley Health Foundation Trust, in partnership with leisure operator Everyone Active, has introduced the prehabilitation programme at Farnham Leisure Centre, which they manage on behalf of Waverley Borough Council.

Seriously Social event highlights work of trusts

The first-ever, nation-wide Seriously Social Week, held in May, showcased the work of charities and trusts in connecting communities and helping people to become healthier, happier and more active.

Organised by Community Leisure UK (CLUK), each day of the week focused on a theme to show how charities delivering public leisure and culture help to create social impact and create happier, healthier communities. Themes included Health & Wellbeing, Environment, Inclusion, Community and Employment & Skills.

Halo Leisure takes over contract to manage facilities in Merthyr Tydfil

Social enterprise, Halo Leisure, has taken over the running of leisure facilities owned by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council.

Halo will now operate three sites – Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre, Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre and the splash park and cafe at Cyfarthfa Park – adding to the 22 facilities it already manages across Bridgend, Herefordshire, Gloucester, Shropshire and Wiltshire.

Scott Rolfe, Halo’s chief executive said: “We are delighted to be selected by the council as the operational partner for these leisure facilities.

“Our social enterprise business model and registered charity status allows us to trade for social purposes and ‘not for profit’, something the council recognised as a sign of quality and strength.”

“We will work with the teams at the sites and the council to support even more local people to participate in some form of exercise, increase the

range of activities available to them, and invest in the leisure facilities.

“We are confident that, together, we can transform services and facilities for the benefit of local residents and get more people more active more often.”

Halo taking over the facilities coincides with the swimming pool at Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre reopening on 25 May, following a major redevelopment.

The works were funded by a £5 million investment by the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns Programme, Salix Finance and Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council. The regeneration project, led by Alliance Leisure through the UK Leisure Framework, has seen swim facilities reintroduced to the leisure centre after an extended period of closure.

Works have included the development of a new 25m, sixlane main pool and a dedicated teaching pool offering a full swimming education programme.

Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre is among the venues now operated by Halo Leisure

PHOTO: PEXELS.COM/KAMPUS PRODUCTION

Mental health a leading reason for joining the gym

A report gauging consumer relationships with physical activity facilities and services has revealed that improving mental health is one of the leading reasons for people to join a health club or gym.

The finding comes from the first-ever Consumer Engagement report, published by industry body ukactive, which shows that 79% of consumers responding to the survey listed mental health as a key consideration for joining a gym.

The report also shows that, while improving or maintaining physical strength and fitness (82%) came top of the pile when people were asked to list their motivations for joining, three quarters (75%) also mentioned improving overall confidence as a major reason. Twothirds (67%) were looking for physical activity to improve their sleep.

While the findings demonstrate growing recognition of the holistic benefits of physical activity in these environments, the report also

demonstrates the potential for a much greater role in supporting community health and the economy. This is demonstrated in only 17% of respondents with a health condition being aware of programmes within their local gym or fitness facility that could support their

recovery or management of their condition. Following the publication of the report, ukactive is now calling for the Government to tap into growing consumer demand for gyms and leisure centres.

The report is based on data from 10,000 fitness and leisure consumers.

Deal signed to redevelop historic Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon

The Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon will be refurbished and brought back to use, following the signing of a deal between a developer and the council that owns it. Swindon Borough Council has exchanged contracts with SevenCapital on a development agreement, which will allow the developer to agree terms with a tenant to run the iconic facility and finalise plans to refurbish and reopen it.

Once the refurbishment works and lease have been completed, the Oasis and North Star sites would be sold to SevenCapital, with the Council having the option to purchase the refurbished Oasis.

The deal will result in safeguards to retain the swimming pool’s popular slides and a wave machine, while the lease to the tenant will also include a 10-year keep open clause.

79% of consumers list mental health as a key consideration for joining a gym

The Oasis first opened in 1976

Doing it independently

Robert Handy Founder Independent Gyms

For us, an independent gym is an owner operated facility with a physical location, but this broad definition brings in many different types of facilities that would fit the mould, from a personal training studio through to a 3,000-member health club. The benefits of having such a varied audience of operators, is that we see first-hand how the independent industry develops and performs throughout the year. It is safe to say, with a few exceptions, independent operators are definitely buoyant right now, with the struggles of previous years a distant memory for most of our members. The resilience shown over recent years combined with the ability to pivot towards trends has positioned independent gyms strongly, allowing them to not only survive but also compete with the wider sector. This ability to react to industry trends is perhaps the strongest asset we see and it is that asset that has allowed our members to flourish.

Strength training and weightlifting is a cornerstone of many independent fitness facilities

Currently we see three big themes amongst our members.

Strength training and weightlifting is a cornerstone of many independent fitness facilities reflecting the growing preference of weights versus cardio that we are seeing across the industry. This is confirmed by the rise in popularity of either new or iconic strength brands in the form of Nautilus, Cybex, GymLeco and others.

Functional fitness has also grasped the industry, particularly when combined with accessible fitness competitions. Hyrox is currently sweeping through the independent sector, providing gym owners the tools to build their community and engage with their members both in and out of the gym. It is now commonplace for an independent facility to take part in Hyrox competitions in the UK and overseas with many of their members in tow.

Lastly, independent fitness facilities have their eye on the wider market and are prepared to adopt niche or boutique fitness offerings with reformer Pilates being the prime example. Potentially the fastest growing trend is now a serious consideration for our members to set themselves apart from the larger chain gyms.

Despite the usual challenges and independent faces in the form of competition and purchasing power it is safe to say we are and always will be the lifeblood of the industry.

news & trends

Tower Hamlets brings leisure services back in-house to tackle barriers

The management of seven leisure centres in Tower Hamlets has been brought in-house to the council following the expiration of a management contract with facility operator GLL.

The new service, called Be Well, will take a “holistic view of health and wellbeing”, focusing on increasing participation and access for residents with a particular emphasis on women and girls, older adults and people at risk of, or living with, long-term conditions.

At launch, Be Well will offer a range of new benefits for residents, including:

• free swimming for women and girls over 16 and men over 55

• access to six leisure centres under one membership

• new fitness equipment and class programmes

• health and wellbeing classes and programmes.

• upgrades to centres.

The council is also investing £55m in a new leisure centre and housing

facility that will be built on the site of St George’s Leisure Centre in Shadwell.

Be Well will manage the council’s six leisure centres: John Orwell Sports Centre in Wapping, Whitechapel Sports Centre, Mile End Leisure Centre, York Hall Leisure Centre in Bethnal Green, Poplar Baths Leisure Centre and Gym and the Tiller Leisure Centre on the Isle of Dogs.

The seventh, St George’s Leisure Centre, is currently closed ahead of the new facility being built.

Lutfur Rahman, Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: “The new service prioritises creating opportunities and increasing access to leisure services for those groups who have difficulty doing so – with a focus on women and girls.

“We have a high prevalence of people living with long-term conditions, alongside a high rate of children living with excess weight. Investing in leisure is one of many steps we are taking to tackle health inequalities and improve health outcomes for residents.”

Outdoor community activity hub and gym opens in Tamworth

Tamworth Borough Council has opened an activity and gym centre in the town’s Castle Grounds. The Commonwealth in Commonhealth Hub provides physical and wellness activities indoors and outdoors, utilising the facilities in the Castle Grounds, which include an outdoor gym and table tennis tables.

In addition, the centre will be offered to those who volunteer and take part in the weekly successful parkrun, providing a base each week to connect after the run. The project received funding of £193,049 from the Inclusive Communities Fund.

£500,000 invested in Aquadrome improvements

Three Rivers District Council has secured £510,463 worth of funding to help fund a project to carry out major improvement works at Rickmansworth Aquadrome.

The investment will help improve accessibility for visitors. With two lakes, areas of woodland, a large play area and café/restaurant, the site attracts both local residents and visitors from across the south of England. Improvements include enhancing the area’s riverbanks, seating, a boardwalk into the pinetum, interpretation boards and improved signage.

The new service, called Be Well, will take a “holistic view of health and wellbeing”

A fitness instructor will run the site

POLICY CALLS

The general election will take place on 4 July. What is the physical activity industry hoping to see from the new government?

The general election will take place on 4 July and it is widely expected that there will be a change of government. However, a week is a long time in politics – never mind a month – so nothing will be certain until the votes are in and counted.

What is for sure, however, is that the physical activity sector will hope (and expect) that the incoming government will help the industry fulfill its potential in creating a healthier nation – saving billions in health care costs.

So, what are the views of leading sector organisations? What do they hope to see from those taking the reigns of the country on 5 July?

ukactive

ukactive says that the General Election will come at a critical time for the UK, as the nation manages “soaring levels of illhealth”, the ongoing cost of living crisis, an increasing number of people out of work due to long-term sickness and an NHS struggling with ever-increasing demand. The industry body outlined five asks for whichever party (or parties) find themselves in power following the election:

l Drive integration of physical activity sector and NHS (Commit to developing and formalising the integration of the physical activity and leisure sector with the NHS)

l Grow the sector to help more people to maintain their health (Provide the right environment for growth through wholesale tax and regulatory review and reform)

l Tackle economic inactivity (Get people active before conditions develop and incentivise through policy solutions, such as extending the Cycle to Work scheme to include other physical activity opportunities)

l Invest in public leisure (Long-term capital investment is needed to future proof facilities, enabling them to continue providing essential services)

l Improve levels of activity among children

Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, said: “The next Government has a golden opportunity to capitalise on the instrumental role physical activity can play in supporting the health of the nation.”

Physical activity can boost physical and mental health

CIMSPA

The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) called on the next government to utilise the physical activity and wellbeing sector in order to tackle the challenges it will face head on.

CIMSPA Chief Executive, Tara Dillon, said: “The next government will have a number of significant challenges and it is vital that all political parties recognise that the sport and physical activity sector, and in particular our talented and dedicated workforce, can make a huge contribution towards addressing many of these.

“The NHS continues to be under extreme pressure and this will undoubtedly be a key campaigning issue. We would urge the future government to take very seriously the immense positive contribution that sport and physical activity professionals make, not only in preventing people developing chronic, long-term health conditions by promoting healthy, active lifestyles, but also by enabling patients to recover better through improved wellbeing.

“There are excellent examples around the UK of where partnerships between our sector and health professionals are saving thousands of pounds, reducing hospital bed occupancy days, and enabling people to return to socially and economically active lives. It’s imperative that the next government supports this collaboration to be done at scale.”

SRA

Lisa Wainwright, the CEO of the Sport and Recreation Alliance (SRA), echoed the views of ukactive, describing the election as being a “critical moment” not just for the UK, but also for the future of the sport, recreation and physical activity sector – and the role it can play in supporting a healthier nation.

“We know that the next Government – whatever its composition – will face significant challenges. The NHS and public services are under immense pressure. The economy is being held back by a rising tide of preventable ill-health. The cost of living is impacting the most disadvantaged. Our communities are characterised by deep inequalities. And climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss are affecting our everyday lives.

“The General Election is therefore a crucial opportunity to reimagine the role our members and the wider sport, recreation and physical activity sector can play in tackling these challenges.

“But change of this kind is dependent upon there being the political will and commitment from the very top of Government to make it happen. So we will be urging the next Government to show real leadership and commit to making the UK the most active nation in Europe to fully unlock the enormous economic, health and wellbeing benefits sport, recreation and physical activity brings.”

The UK is currently the 11th most active nation in Europe

Rewarding loyalty

Ferne Langford Partnerships Group Director Zoom Media

Isn’t it time we prioritise rewarding loyalty in the leisure sector?

With more competition than ever, the option for members to cancel at any time, and a plethora of pay as you go options available, isn’t it time we make sure members in the leisure sector feel truly valued?

While industries such as supermarkets, airlines, and hotels thrive on loyalty programs, most gyms overlook this crucial aspect of customer retention. I know that many people will quickly feel the need to defend their rewards programme, but if you think a 10% discount on a clothing brand or a free sweat towel on your birthday is an effective member reward – think again!

By analysing member data and the lifecycle patterns of your gym, you can pinpoint when members typically disengage

By analysing member data and the lifecycle patterns of your gym, you can pinpoint when members typically disengage. Whenever that point is, tailoring your reward scheme to reengage members at the time it’s most needed can make your members feel valued, playing a crucial role in improving your retention rate, and therefore your bottom line. For example, if your gym is experiencing particularly high attrition after five months, consider the impact of implementing a genuinely valuable reward scheme or incentive that kicks in at month six.

On top of this, offering the same benefits and rewards to each of your members, regardless of their interests and habits, is unlikely to yield the best results. Operators need to actively analyse their member data and tailor rewards based on activity and trends, offering something of genuine interest to each member that feels unique to them.

With so many options for people looking to get active, and minimal barriers to switching to find the best deal, thinking longer term about rewarding members is the smart choice. I’d urge all gyms to allow your members to build up a suite of rewards and perks that makes them think twice about jumping ship, particularly for your longerterm members. You need to incentivise them to come back month after month, year after year, which takes more than just a free cup of coffee.

news & trends

£4m to curb energy costs at The Meres centre

South Kesteven District Council has secured a further £3,587,500 for energy efficiency upgrades at The Meres Leisure Centre in Grantham.

The grant, from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Phase 3c, will pay for a new low-carbon heating system, with an additional £492,500 coming from the council’s own budget.

Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Paul Stokes, said: “The utility costs for Grantham Meres Leisure Centre are substantial and have increased significantly since 2021.

“This funding will allow for the design and installation of a new low-carbon heating system to replace the existing gas boilers, which are old and inefficient.

“The scheme will be supported by the installation of additional solar panels, which are being funded by a separate allocation of funding from the Swimming Pool Support Fund (Phase Two), which we announced in March.

“The two-year design and installation project represents

The centre will benefit from a new low-carbon heating system

significant investment into Grantham Meres Leisure Centre, helping to secure its ongoing sustainability.”

Once in place the upgraded heating system will reduce carbon emissions from the site by over 550 tonnes of carbon per year which equates to 8% of the Council’s total

carbon emissions and a quarter of the Council’s carbon reduction target of at least 30% by 2030.

South Kesteven District Council, through its leisure company, LeisureSK, is responsible for the three leisure centres in Grantham, Stamford and Bourne.

Redevelopment plans submitted for Ealing’s Gurnell Leisure Centre

A planning application has been submitted for a new leisure facility to replace the existing Gurnell Leisure Centre in Ealing, London.

The “radically new” designs for the centre have been drawn up by a team led by GT3 Architects and include a 50-metre swimming pool, learner pool and leisure water area, alongside a gym with studio spaces and a climbing wall.

Built in the 1970s, Gurnell Leisure Centre’s declining state led to its permanent closure in August 2020. Plans to redevelop – or rebuild –the centre have been on hold since 2021, when previous proposals for a new centre were rejected by Ealing Council’s planning committee.

The fresh plans submitted to the council, led by GT3, have seen the residential element being reduced.

The plans include a 50-metre swimming pool

Nation of the State

Leisure DB’s State of the UK Fitness Industry Report 2024 shows that the UK health and tness industry is performing strongly in the aftermath of the pandemic. WellNation looks at some of the highlights of the report, which this year has been made free to download for the very rst time

The number of gyms and health clubs in the UK has broken the 7,000 mark. There are now 7,009 gyms across the country, combining to a total of 10.7 million gym members.

The figures come from the State of the UK Fitness Industry Report 2024, which was unveiled by market intelligence expert, Leisure DB, at the Evolve conference held in London on 6 June.

Upward trends

Although the total number of gyms remains below the record high of 7,239 (in 2019), the figure is back over 7,000 after dipping below this milestone in 2023. Meanwhile, the number of gym members (10.7 million) marks a 4.1% increase in people taking up memberships since 2023.

The increase in membership numbers means that 15.9% of the UK population is now a member of a gym. This penetration figure is up from 15.1 per cent in 2023 and surpasses 2019’s pre-pandemic high of 15.6 per cent. The penetration rates differ from region to region, however, with Northern Ireland

the lowest (11.3%) and Scotland the highest (16.5%), followed by England (16%) and Wales (14%).

The increases in both gyms and members have resulted in the estimated market value of the sector increasing by 9.7 per cent, to £5.9bn.

The report shows that both the private and public sectors are forging ahead, although the private sector has bounced back stronger. This can be seen in the way member numbers and penetration have risen in the public sector, but the number of public sector gyms has fallen in the past year. The growth in market value has also been considerably larger in the private sector (10.9%) than for the public sector (6.2%).

Private sector

In the private sector, PureGym remains the UK’s leading operator by number of clubs and number of members. It added 34 locations in the 12 months since March 2023 and now operates 379 clubs. It remains the only operator to have more than 1 million members (over 1.5 million in the UK).

PureGym’s pipeline suggests it will reach the 400club mark in the UK over the next 12 months.

There are now 10.7 million gym members in the UK – a 4.1% increase since 2023

PureGym is followed by The Gym Group as the second-largest private sector operator. It added net four clubs to take it to 234 sites – and around 900,000 members – in the 12 months ending 31 March 2024. Joining these two low-cost chains are three other private sector operators with more than 100 clubs: Anytime Fitness, Nuffield Fitness & Wellbeing, and David Lloyd Clubs. There are also five operators with 50–100 clubs: Snap Fitness, JD Gyms, Bannatyne, Sports Direct Fitness and énergie Fitness.

“There’s positive news from the UK’s private fitness sector, as data for the 12 months ending 31 March 2024 show club numbers stabilising back to prepandemic levels,” the report states. “There’s also been continued growth across the key metrics of member numbers, market value and penetration rate, with all three now surpassing their 2019 highs; last year, it was only market value that had surpassed pre-pandemic levels, driven by increased yield per member.

“Across the UK, there are now 4,513 private health and fitness clubs, up from 4,460 in 2023 – a growth of +1.2%. The number of members has also increased, reaching over 7.3 million (+5.1%), while market value has reached almost £4.5bn (+10.9%).

“Private sector penetration has also reached an all-time high, up from 10.2% in 2023 to 10.9% in 2024. (The previous high, in 2019, was 10.5%.) These figures represent an increase of over 355,000 members and an increase of over £440m in revenues since our 2023 report, supported by a continued

As in the private sector, the last 12 months have been a positive period for the UK’s public fitness sector

rise in average fees – up more than 5 per cent over the 12 months to 31 March 2024 – to £47.24.”

While private sector growth continues to be driven by the low-cost segment, it is a less significant factor this year: of the 120 new clubs that opened in the last 12 months, only 45 (37.5%) were low-cost. In the previous year, low-cost accounted for 80 of 145 new openings (55%).

Although total low-cost club numbers are up by just 2.6% in this year’s report, the two other key metrics –members and value – continue to show good growth. Membership numbers within this market segment reached an all-time high, passing the 3 million mark for the first time (up from 2.85 million in 2023). This represents 41% of the total private sector membership, equivalent to almost 4.5% of the UK population.

Public sector

The last 12 months have been a positive period for the UK’s public fitness sector as it continues to bounce back following the pandemic – although the growth has been slower than in the private sector. During

The estimated market value of the UK tness sector is £5.9bn

the 12 months to 31 March, there was growth in three key metrics: member numbers, market value and penetration rate. The number of gyms, however, fell during the period. There are now 2,496 public sector gyms in the UK – down 1.7% from 2,538 in 2023 – but member numbers are up 1.9% to 3.36 million (from 3.3 million in 2023) and penetration has reached 5% (up from 4.9% in 2023). Both metrics remain below their previous highs – 3.38 million members (in 2019) and 5.2% penetration (in 2014–16) – but both continue to move in the right direction. Meanwhile, the value of the public sector has reached an all-time high, hitting £1.44bn in 2024 – an increase of £84m, or 6.2%, since 2023.

Of the UK’s 2,496 public sector gyms, 46% are managed by a trust. Broken down by country, this translates to 43% of public sector facilities in England, 22% in Northern Ireland, 49% in Wales and a significant 65% in Scotland being managed by a trust. Meanwhile, across the UK, 20% of public sector gyms are under in-house local authority management; 14% are managed by an educational establishment; and just 9% by a leisure management contractor (LMC).

GLL remains the leading public sector operator by number of gyms with 195 gyms (up from 191 in 2023). In second place is SLM (Everyone Active) –the UK’s top management contractor by number of sites – which added 12 gyms to reach 175.

Insights

Commenting on the findings of the report, David Minton, founder of Leisure DB, said: “This annual report, established for almost 20 years as the industry bible, has been used by operators, suppliers, financiers, media and politicians to evidence the key metrics and hundreds of data points of the industry.

“The data comes from Leisure DB’s relational database, which uniquely audits fitness sites across the UK, whether available to the public via membership or pay and play. The database is updated daily by a team of researchers, with many thousands of phone calls made to sites each year. A growing number of brands also self-report. Our intelligent audit uses bots and other digital sources to monitor changes, while a growing number of ambassadors report on site visits.

“This detailed supply data is complemented by demand data at the most granular level allowed: the geo-demographic profiles of millions of monthly direct debit members.” For the first time ever, the State of the UK Fitness Industry Report 2024 will be free to read online. You can do so by registering here: www.leisuredb.com/publications

You might have found what feels like the perfect site for your new facility – but is it really? Should you go ahead?

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Our unrivalled latent demand reports provide robust answers to these businesscritical questions.

We can even tell you which demographic types will give you the numbers you want, and where you’ll find these individuals.

Action Stations

In the past 15 years, Action Group has grown from a tness PR specialist to one of the leisure sector’s leading marketing agencies. WellNation spoke to Dawn Tuckwell and Cheryl Hersey, founders of Action Group, who recently sold the company to their sta via an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT)

How has Action Group grown since its launch as a PR specialist in 2010?

When we launched Action PR – as it was called back then – we were fed up with working at large agencies and wanted to offer a better quality, more sustainable service, working with clients we were passionate about. We both came from a fitness background. Dawn had 10 years’ experience in fitness PR and events and had been a director of another agency. Cheryl had a Masters in Communication Management and experience as a fitness journalist and in management roles at health clubs both in the UK and Australia. Action quickly made a name for itself in the industry after securing well-known brands, including Physical Company, Everyone Active and Power Plate, as retained clients in our first year of trading, and the team grew to service a steady stream of new business. We’ve come a long way since then, but the core mission remains the same – to be the

Co-founders

Cheryl Hersey (left) and Dawn Tuckwell

first port of call for brands looking for commercial success in the sport, health and wellness space.

Having a sector specialism has always been our strength and we very quickly realised that we could do a better job than the agnostic marketing agencies that our PR clients were using. We bolstered our team, gradually developing our service offering until we became a full-service marketing agency in 2019. We now offer the widest range of marketing services in the industry, from PR and Comms, to website development, graphic design, branding, large scale photo and video shoots and business consultancy. We even have our own fitness model agency.

What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced when growing the company?

Recruitment. We’re still a relatively small agency –through choice. Quality is so important to us and the bigger you get, the harder it is to control that quality. It’s crucial that every member of our team is passionate, determined, brilliant and always firing

After starting out as a PR company, Action Group has gradually grown to become full-service marketing agency

on all cylinders. This is pretty hard to find! The flip side to this, is when we do recruit the right people, they stay for the long term. Over half of our team have been with Action for 5+ years already.

What do you see as the company’s biggest successes so far?

We’re pretty proud of our performance during the pandemic. Every single member of our team rallied to the challenge and performed exceptionally. We didn’t furlough anyone, we went ahead with our rebrand to Action Group and had our best financial performance to date!

And could you outline/give an example of something that didn’t work quite as well as you had hoped?

Over the years we’ve looked at offering performance marketing/paid media and we’ve recruited with this expertise in mind, but whilst we delivered a few good campaigns it’s never felt perfect and we ultimately decided that this is the one service we won’t offer.

The Action Group leadership team

Dan Pearson Managing Director

With a background of delivering strategic comms for large organisations, Dan is responsible for running the business, whilst also leading on strategy and client delivery.

Cheryl Hersey Director

Cheryl still sits on Action Group’s board, while also leading the agency’s commercial consultancy and supporting with the marketing strategy and implementation.

Which sectors do you now specialise in?

Our clients can broadly be split into three areas beginning with operators; from boutique to big box, private to public sector. We’ve produced everything from video content for David Lloyd, to influencer work with Orangetheory and advertising campaigns for Everyone Active to name a few. We also work with direct to consumer brands, on a sliding scale from simple product placement – we recently launched 1Rebel’s new clothing line – to full scale creative campaigns, such as Fitness First’s Burn Off Your Bills January sale campaign. Finally, suppliers from equipment to technology to services, we know the market so well that we can offer 360 support aligned with a client’s business goals. Our recent new client wins include Zoom Media, Your Personal Training and Mariana Tek, not forgetting we also built the website for WellNation!

Dawn Tuckwell Director of Sales and Director of Action Group Trustees

As a board member, ensures the business is run for the benefit of the employees and leads on new business outreach and events.

The sector has evolved a lot since 2010 – what would you describe as the most significant changes?

When we founded the agency, fitness was very much in the minority and certainly didn’t enjoy the high profile it does today. Action was one of the first agencies to specialise in this sector and seeing the industry change and grow has helped the business lay unshakable foundations.

In the early 2010s journalists were still all powerful, influencers didn’t exist, social media was still emerging, and no one used video content. We’ve seen all of this change, adding to our own service offering as we’ve gone along, underpinning everything we do with robust market knowledge and commercial acumen.

The emergence of ‘wellness’ was an important moment for our sector and the way people now think about health as being more than just physical has

Operators have the ultimate captive audience and the power to deliver a bigger, bolder and braver service

changed everything. Wellness is now a trillion-dollar industry, bringing huge amounts of innovation with it, but we’ve also seen a lot of startups fail. We’d like to think we are pretty good at backing the winners!

And what about its future - what do you see as the sector’s biggest strengths and opportunities?

Gyms, health clubs, leisure centres and sports clubs are wonderful places, but they could be so much more. The gym membership doesn’t just have to offer access to fitness, it should be a gateway to a wide range of health and wellness needs. Operators have the ultimate captive audience and the power to deliver a bigger, bolder and braver service.

You recently sold the company to Action Group staff via an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). What was the rationale and what does it mean going forward?

There are several reasons behind choosing an Employee Ownership Trust, but fundamentally we had been running the business for almost 14 years and were looking at ways we could

step back from day-to-day operations, without diluting the essence of Action Group. A standard trade-sale comes with a lot of uncertainty for the team, as well as an often-tricky earn-out period, and we weren’t comfortable with that.

The EOT allows for a smoother transition of management, where we could reduce our involvement at the right pace. We worked with business advisers Avondale to guide us through the process.

We also felt that the EOT would give the team, particularly those that have been with us for a long time, more of a say in the running of the business with an ongoing platform for their views, ideas and input. We were looking to create a real sense of ownership.

There are no longer any shareholders, so the people to benefit from the profits that the business makes are the employees themselves.

It helps that Action Group has such an engaged group of employees that have lived and breathed its values for so long, the EOT ultimately felt like an evolution of that.

We hope that being an EOT business will also help us to attract even more high calibre talent in the future.

Through the years, Action has worked with a number of high-profile clients