January 2010
The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine
Wright move to FIA board
Floods shut family gym for months By Mary Ferguson A FAMILY-RUN gym devastated by floods in Cumbria will be shut for months while repair work is carried out. John Wilson – who runs Lifestyles Fitness in Cockermouth with daughter Jackie Clarke – saw his club ruined by record amounts of rainfall. All the equipment had to be scrapped, plaster boards hacked off and the floor taken up because of damp. Due to the drying out process, it could be April before the business can re-open. John estimated he is losing between £2-3,000 a week but is confident he has the correct insurance. He told Workout: “We were thinking about installing a swimming pool but this wasn’t quite what we imagined. We will re-open though, there’s no doubt about that. I’ve asked our members to stop their standing orders but because the computer went for a swim too, we didn’t have everyone’s contact details. So we took an ad out in the local paper instead, hoping they would see it. “Some of them though have kept their standing orders going to help us out while we get back on our feet, so I’ll make sure their memberships are
extended.” John had taken a break from building an extension to the gym when a member of staff called to tell him it was knee high in water. By the time he returned, he was wading waist-deep through the main street. All the fitness equipment was lost, filling four skips full of ruined machinery. “We have a ladies’ gym upstairs that wasn’t affected but we can’t even open that up because people just can’t access the building – the road is literally a building site. The local authority run centre nearby has been really good though and offered our members very reasonable rates and another independent gym nearby has let them train there for free – it’s really touched me how good everyone has been.” John must now leave the repair work to the contractors and added that although he finds it strange being away from the club, he is trying to look on the bright side. “We will have the gym re-equipped and up and running again and it will look great. I’m confident we will come out of this smiling.” I For pictures of the damage caused to the gym by the floods, see Page 3
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Strictly Come Dancing judge Alesha Dixon has waltzed into an exclusive partnership deal with LA Fitness. The star will devise new dance and exercise routines and advise across a broad spectrum of health and fitness issues as part of the chain’s £30m revamp. The four-year contract will also see her enjoy a share in increased revenues and profits of the business. Picture courtesy of the BBC
INDUSTRY stalwart Dave Wright has been voted onto the FIA board to represent independent operators. Dave pipped Fitrooms owner Mario Pederzolli and Xpect Health and Fitness owner Andy Bourne to the post, and is now working with the association on packages for this year’s IOU conference. David Stalker, who has been promoted from COO of the FIA to executive director, told Workout he was excited about working with Dave. He said: “Dave is well placed, well connected and well respected. I’m trying to get the FIA to represent all sites, including independents, so this is an important post to help me deliver what I want to.” Other additions to the board are John Gamble of Fitness First, representing multisite operators, and Heather Frankham, CEO of Lifetime, who takes the education seat. There were 60 per cent more votes cast this year compared to last.